Overview

A colorful and enthralling tour through the beautiful, historic world of oriental carpets that is also an exquisite meditation on their powerful allure. One day, prize-winning poet George Bradley took notice of a carpet that had been beneath his feet for decades. Carefully studying its weave and pattern, he was startled by the artistry behind it—a fascination and curiosity that unexpectedly sent him on a thrilling adventure and introduced him to a little-known realm in which beauty, artistry, business, and history collide. Carpet Diem chronicles Bradley's captivating journey through a land of oriental carpets where he fell in love—not only with a collection of magnificent rugs but their histories—including the dealers, collectors, scroungers, restorers, and connoisseurs connected to them. As he brings together his own story with that of these artworks, he recalls the compelling history of Central Asia itself. Like Scheherazade, Bradley spins story after story about the rich beauty found on the floors of mansions across Europe and America, identifying what’s draped in the portraits of Titian and Vermeer, unearthing hidden treasures in the faraway caves of Persia and Afghanistan, and revealing secrets lying under piles in bespoke shops in the wealthy enclaves of Manhattan, the Hamptons, and Westport, Connecticut. Weaving the mesmerizing storytelling of The Arabian Nights with the fascinating pilgrimage of history that unfolds in The Silk Road and the dramatic compulsion to possess rare elegance that propels The Orchid Thief, Carpet Diem is an unusual and gorgeous memoir of understanding and relishing the warp and woof of the world. Carpet Diem features eleven full-color photographs throughout.

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9780063394933

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Reviews

""Bradley’s prose is crisp, fresh as a new loaf of bread, and not without a certain elegance of description. . . . The allure of artisanal rugs is afforded the treatment it deserves."" — Kirkus Reviews ""Poet Bradley (A Stroll in the Rain) unfurls a rich and surprisingly intimate account of his entry into the world of oriental rug–collecting. . . . Elevated by a poet’s patient attention to detail, it’s a captivating window into the culture and history of an artisanal craft. This will appeal to anyone who’s fallen deeply for a new passion."" — Publishers Weekly “George Bradley is one of America’s finest living poets, and what makes his poetry so remarkable is its combination of offhand fluency and grammatical sophistication and the accuracy and felt reality of his observations. These qualities inform Carpet Diem as well, bringing to life the vivid world of oriental rugs and instilling in the reader an insatiable desire to live in their daily presence, and the pleasure of immersing oneself in each page and reading on.”  — John Koethe, author of Beyond Belief and Walking Backwards ""The journey from innocence to experience, from wide-eyed wonder to shrewd wisdom, rarely has been depicted so eloquently. Along the way Bradley meets colorful characters—rug hustlers and artisans—but none more engaging than the writer himself. Bold yet self-effacing, he has descriptive powers matching the glory of his subject. This book is as finely wrought and enchanting as the best Persian carpet.""  — Daniel Mark Epstein, author of Constellations: Collected Poems

Author Information

George Bradley is an American poet, translator, and fiction writer. His books of verse include Terms to Be Met, A Few of Her Secrets, and A Stroll in the Rain. He is a longtime collector of oriental carpets and lives in Chester, Connecticut.

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