Clara Parkes, a celebrated raconteur, is the bestselling author of The Knitter’s Book of Yarn, The Knitter’s Book of Wool, and The Knitter’s Book of Socks. She is also the founder and publisher of KnittersReview.com, a weekly e-newsletter that explores the pleasures and subtleties of yarn and was described by Folio Magazine as “what Cook’s Illustrated is to foodies.” She resides in Portland, Maine. Clara newest book, The Yarn Whisperer, was recently released and it decisively proves she is the David Sedaris of the knitting world. Through 22 laugh-out-loud stories, Clara reflects on the personal connection between life and yarn. Enjoy an excerpt from book: “I know some people whose private side is always exposed to the world. They’re a walking vulnerability, weeping at the drop of a hat, revealing far more than is appropriate for the person or occasion. “How are you?” is usually met with a litany of problems and complaints and awkwardly personal details. It’s as if we wandered out into the world with our sweaters on inside out by mistake. Then there are those whose smooth public-facing side is all you or I—or maybe even they—ever see. So orderly are their stitches, so tightly held in place is their spotless, wrinkle-less, pill-free perfection, I sometimes worry that one wrong glance, one false turn, one dropped stitch and their very fabric will unravel. That’s when neighbors find themselves suddenly on the evening news saying, ‘He seemed like such a nice guy.’”