{"id":7729434034413,"title":"Quilt of Souls","handle":"quilt-of-souls","description":"\u003cp\u003e“Like the women of Gee’s Bend, Alabama, who create masterpieces from cast-off fabrics, Phyllis Biffle-Elmore uses snippets of history and fragments of memories to craft a narrative that is a powerful and poignant read.” \u003cbr\u003e —Jessica Harris, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e Bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eHigh on the Hog\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch1\u003eQuilt of Souls\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eA Memoir\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/phyllis-biffle-elmore\" data-mce-href=\"\/pages\/phyllis-biffle-elmore\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":257,\"3\":{\"1\":0,\"3\":1},\"11\":4}' data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Phyllis Biffle Elmore (Author)\"}'\u003ePhyllis Biffle Elmore\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eA multigenerational memoir that celebrates African American quilting, family, and honoring the past.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAt age four, Phyllis Biffle Elmore was plucked off her front porch in Detroit and dropped on her grandmother Lula Horn’s doorstep in rural Alabama. Phyllis felt utterly abandoned until Grandma Lula showed her both all-encompassing love and her intricate “Quilts of Souls.” Phyllis listened intently to Lula's epic stories of those who had passed on as she turned their clothing into breathtaking quilts for their families.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGrandma Lula’s generosity of spirit, strong will, and creative soul animate every page and through the quilts, she paints portraits of extraordinary Black women born before and after the Civil War. They are enslaved people, laundresses, storytellers, healers, and quilters whose stories have gone untold until now.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePhyllis weaves back and forth through time, piecing together true tales of racism, sexism, and colorism, but also strength and pride, creating a multigenerational patchwork honoring her family and ancestors. From the lush visuals to the powerful history, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eQuilt of Souls\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is oral tradition written and preserved for posterity.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these: \u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/dance-or-die\"\u003eDance or Die\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/shmuels-bridge\"\u003eShmuel's Bridge\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/taking-a-knee-taking-a-stand\"\u003eTaking a Knee, Taking a Stand\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS] \u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"medium-cover\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/quilt-of-souls-cover.jpg?v=1651598434\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/quilt-of-souls-cover-hires.jpg.zip?v=1651598434\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":257,\"3\":{\"1\":0,\"3\":1},\"11\":4}' data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Phyllis Biffle Elmore (Author)\"}'\u003ePhyllis Biffle Elmore\u003c\/span\u003e, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003ePhyllis Biffle Elmore\u003cspan\u003e is an author, genealogist, and grandmother. A talented quilter and storyteller, she has been interviewed and appeared in media outlets including PBS, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eMidwest Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eBritish Patchwork and Quilting\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. She grew up between Detroit and rural Alabama and currently lives in Florida with her husband. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/phyllis-biffle-elmore\" data-mce-href=\"\/pages\/phyllis-biffle-elmore\"\u003eRead more \u003c\/a\u003eabout Phyllis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA Library Journal Best Book of 2022\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt four years old, Elmore was uprooted from her home in Detroit and sent to live with her grandparents in rural Alabama. Feeling abandoned, she slowly came out of her shell, coaxed by Grandma Lula’s undying love and the stories her grandmother pieces together in quilts from the clothing of people who have died—women in the rural South before and after the Civil War, healers, teachers, laundresses, enslaved people, and others whose stories and lives have been hidden and often forgotten. Elmore connects the lives of the individuals throughout history in this work that highlights the impact of racism, sexism, and colorism on American history and in the lives of women like Lula. The author’s personal connection makes this memoir a powerful one that sheds light on strength, perseverance, and pride in the day-to-day lives of Black women.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVERDICT A testament to her grandmother and the women who made an impact on her childhood, Elmore’s text is an ideal choice for readers interested in memoir and history, plus stories about Black women, feminism, and quilting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: \u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"9781623545161\"}'\u003e978-1-62354-516-1\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE-book\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: \u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"9781632892430\"}'\u003e978-1-63289-243-0\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePage count: 304\u003cbr\u003e5 \u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\/\u003c\/span\u003e\u003csub data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e2 \u003c\/sub\u003ex 8 \u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\/\u003c\/span\u003e\u003csub data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e4\u003c\/sub\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]","published_at":"2022-05-03T13:48:01-04:00","created_at":"2022-05-03T13:32:43-04:00","vendor":"Imagine Publishing","type":"Adult Book","tags":["adult","Browse by Language_English","memoir\/biography"],"price":2499,"price_min":2499,"price_max":2499,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":42771050889453,"title":"Hardcover","option1":"Hardcover","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"45161","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":false,"featured_image":{"id":37106882052333,"product_id":7729434034413,"position":1,"created_at":"2022-05-03T13:45:51-04:00","updated_at":"2022-05-03T13:45:52-04:00","alt":null,"width":600,"height":887,"src":"\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/quilt-of-souls-cover.jpg?v=1651599952","variant_ids":[42771050889453]},"available":true,"name":"Quilt of Souls - Hardcover","public_title":"Hardcover","options":["Hardcover"],"price":2499,"weight":369,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_quantity":99,"inventory_management":"shopify","inventory_policy":"continue","barcode":"978-1-62354-516-1","featured_media":{"alt":null,"id":29673502802157,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.676,"height":887,"width":600,"src":"\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/quilt-of-souls-cover.jpg?v=1651599952"}},"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/quilt-of-souls-cover.jpg?v=1651599952"],"featured_image":"\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/quilt-of-souls-cover.jpg?v=1651599952","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":29673502802157,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.676,"height":887,"width":600,"src":"\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/quilt-of-souls-cover.jpg?v=1651599952"},"aspect_ratio":0.676,"height":887,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/quilt-of-souls-cover.jpg?v=1651599952","width":600}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cp\u003e“Like the women of Gee’s Bend, Alabama, who create masterpieces from cast-off fabrics, Phyllis Biffle-Elmore uses snippets of history and fragments of memories to craft a narrative that is a powerful and poignant read.” \u003cbr\u003e —Jessica Harris, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e Bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eHigh on the Hog\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch1\u003eQuilt of Souls\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eA Memoir\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/phyllis-biffle-elmore\" data-mce-href=\"\/pages\/phyllis-biffle-elmore\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":257,\"3\":{\"1\":0,\"3\":1},\"11\":4}' data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Phyllis Biffle Elmore (Author)\"}'\u003ePhyllis Biffle Elmore\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eA multigenerational memoir that celebrates African American quilting, family, and honoring the past.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAt age four, Phyllis Biffle Elmore was plucked off her front porch in Detroit and dropped on her grandmother Lula Horn’s doorstep in rural Alabama. Phyllis felt utterly abandoned until Grandma Lula showed her both all-encompassing love and her intricate “Quilts of Souls.” Phyllis listened intently to Lula's epic stories of those who had passed on as she turned their clothing into breathtaking quilts for their families.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGrandma Lula’s generosity of spirit, strong will, and creative soul animate every page and through the quilts, she paints portraits of extraordinary Black women born before and after the Civil War. They are enslaved people, laundresses, storytellers, healers, and quilters whose stories have gone untold until now.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePhyllis weaves back and forth through time, piecing together true tales of racism, sexism, and colorism, but also strength and pride, creating a multigenerational patchwork honoring her family and ancestors. From the lush visuals to the powerful history, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eQuilt of Souls\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is oral tradition written and preserved for posterity.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these: \u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/dance-or-die\"\u003eDance or Die\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/shmuels-bridge\"\u003eShmuel's Bridge\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/taking-a-knee-taking-a-stand\"\u003eTaking a Knee, Taking a Stand\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS] \u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"medium-cover\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/quilt-of-souls-cover.jpg?v=1651598434\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/quilt-of-souls-cover-hires.jpg.zip?v=1651598434\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":257,\"3\":{\"1\":0,\"3\":1},\"11\":4}' data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"Phyllis Biffle Elmore (Author)\"}'\u003ePhyllis Biffle Elmore\u003c\/span\u003e, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003ePhyllis Biffle Elmore\u003cspan\u003e is an author, genealogist, and grandmother. A talented quilter and storyteller, she has been interviewed and appeared in media outlets including PBS, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eMidwest Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eBritish Patchwork and Quilting\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. She grew up between Detroit and rural Alabama and currently lives in Florida with her husband. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/phyllis-biffle-elmore\" data-mce-href=\"\/pages\/phyllis-biffle-elmore\"\u003eRead more \u003c\/a\u003eabout Phyllis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA Library Journal Best Book of 2022\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt four years old, Elmore was uprooted from her home in Detroit and sent to live with her grandparents in rural Alabama. Feeling abandoned, she slowly came out of her shell, coaxed by Grandma Lula’s undying love and the stories her grandmother pieces together in quilts from the clothing of people who have died—women in the rural South before and after the Civil War, healers, teachers, laundresses, enslaved people, and others whose stories and lives have been hidden and often forgotten. Elmore connects the lives of the individuals throughout history in this work that highlights the impact of racism, sexism, and colorism on American history and in the lives of women like Lula. The author’s personal connection makes this memoir a powerful one that sheds light on strength, perseverance, and pride in the day-to-day lives of Black women.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVERDICT A testament to her grandmother and the women who made an impact on her childhood, Elmore’s text is an ideal choice for readers interested in memoir and history, plus stories about Black women, feminism, and quilting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: \u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"9781623545161\"}'\u003e978-1-62354-516-1\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE-book\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: \u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"9781632892430\"}'\u003e978-1-63289-243-0\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePage count: 304\u003cbr\u003e5 \u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\/\u003c\/span\u003e\u003csub data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e2 \u003c\/sub\u003ex 8 \u003csup data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\/\u003c\/span\u003e\u003csub data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e4\u003c\/sub\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]"}

Quilt of Souls

“Like the women of Gee’s Bend, Alabama, who create masterpieces from cast-off fabrics, Phyllis Biffle-Elmore uses snippets of history and fragments of memories to craft a narrative that is a powerful and poignant read.”
—Jessica Harris, New York Times Bestselling author of High on the Hog.

Quilt of Souls

A Memoir

By: Phyllis Biffle Elmore

A multigenerational memoir that celebrates African American quilting, family, and honoring the past.

At age four, Phyllis Biffle Elmore was plucked off her front porch in Detroit and dropped on her grandmother Lula Horn’s doorstep in rural Alabama. Phyllis felt utterly abandoned until Grandma Lula showed her both all-encompassing love and her intricate “Quilts of Souls.” Phyllis listened intently to Lula's epic stories of those who had passed on as she turned their clothing into breathtaking quilts for their families.

Grandma Lula’s generosity of spirit, strong will, and creative soul animate every page and through the quilts, she paints portraits of extraordinary Black women born before and after the Civil War. They are enslaved people, laundresses, storytellers, healers, and quilters whose stories have gone untold until now.

Phyllis weaves back and forth through time, piecing together true tales of racism, sexism, and colorism, but also strength and pride, creating a multigenerational patchwork honoring her family and ancestors. From the lush visuals to the powerful history, Quilt of Souls is oral tradition written and preserved for posterity.

Maximum quantity available reached.

Phyllis Biffle Elmore, author

Phyllis Biffle Elmore is an author, genealogist, and grandmother. A talented quilter and storyteller, she has been interviewed and appeared in media outlets including PBS, Midwest Book Review, and British Patchwork and Quilting. She grew up between Detroit and rural Alabama and currently lives in Florida with her husband. 

Read more about Phyllis.

  • A Library Journal Best Book of 2022

Library Journal

At four years old, Elmore was uprooted from her home in Detroit and sent to live with her grandparents in rural Alabama. Feeling abandoned, she slowly came out of her shell, coaxed by Grandma Lula’s undying love and the stories her grandmother pieces together in quilts from the clothing of people who have died—women in the rural South before and after the Civil War, healers, teachers, laundresses, enslaved people, and others whose stories and lives have been hidden and often forgotten. Elmore connects the lives of the individuals throughout history in this work that highlights the impact of racism, sexism, and colorism on American history and in the lives of women like Lula. The author’s personal connection makes this memoir a powerful one that sheds light on strength, perseverance, and pride in the day-to-day lives of Black women.

VERDICT A testament to her grandmother and the women who made an impact on her childhood, Elmore’s text is an ideal choice for readers interested in memoir and history, plus stories about Black women, feminism, and quilting.

Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-62354-516-1

E-book
ISBN: 978-1-63289-243-0

Page count: 304
1/x 8 1/4