Embroidering Her Truth

Mary, Queen of Scots and the Language of Power

By: Clare Hunter

Narrated by: Siobhan Redmond

An alternative biography of Mary, Queen of Scots through the textiles of her life from the author of Sunday Times bestseller Threads of Life.

I felt that Mary was there, pulling at my sleeve, willing me to appreciate the artistry, wanting me to understand the dazzle of the material world that shaped her.

At her execution Mary, Queen of Scots wore red. Widely known as the colour of strength and passion, it was in fact worn by Mary as the Catholic symbol of martyrdom.

In sixteenth-century Europe women's voices were suppressed and silenced. Even for a queen like Mary, her prime duty was to bear sons. In an age when textiles expressed power, Mary exploited them to emphasise her female agency. From her lavishly embroidered gowns as the prospective wife of the French Dauphin to the fashion dolls she used to encourage a Marian style at the Scottish court and the subversive messages she embroidered in captivity for her supporters, Mary used textiles to advance her political agenda, affirm her royal lineage and tell her own story.

In this eloquent cultural biography, Clare Hunter exquisitely blends history, politics and memoir to tell the story of a queen in her own voice.

(P) Hodder & Stoughton Limited©2022 Clare Hunter

Critic reviews

With her engaging style, [Hunter] offers a tantalising glimpse into Mary's world through the prism of the textiles that surrounded her . . . Throughout the book, Hunter's passion, knowledge and experience of working with textiles shine through . . . Hunter's approach of memoir blended with history and material culture captivates the reader from the first page and enthrals to the last

A quirky but absolutely fascinating read

An intimate portrait of Mary, Queen of Scots

Fabulous Book

I enjoyed this so much that I shall start from the beginning in the event I missed anything,

NO PICTURES????

I bought the audio version after purchasing book. NO PICTURES !!!!!! Might as well listen. would recommend if you like this sibject

So good

This author seems to present the research accurately and when two differing perspectives are given, states her reasoning of why she might chose one over the other. I started with ‘Threads of Life” and knew I had to read/listen to both. I enjoyed them both a lot. And will likely listen to them again on a regular basis and likely buy the physical books. If you’re on the fence, come over to my side and give these a listen, I don’t think you will regret it.

Excellent Biography Woven in Through Embroidery

I loved learning so much about Queen Mary while also learning about the importance of fabrics and embroidery during her time!

loved

really enjoyed this historical account of Mary Queen of Scots and the impact of textiles on self expression and communication