Keeping people warm for four centuries, wool has been an essential commodity from colonial times to the present. Wool's colorful and surprisingly epic tale has impacted millions of lives, from immigrants, slaves, and Native Americans, to farmers and advertisers. Author Hart reveals little-known but fascinating facts about US society—for example, how huge flocks of sheep were driven to the California gold fields to feed hungry miners, and why sheep grazed on the White House lawn during World War I. Moving from the realms of handcrafted artisanry to industrialization and back, Wool is a story of technological and social change, marketing forces, and above all, consumer choices. A must-read for anyone who has knitted socks, woven a tapestry, or curled up with a warm wool blanket.