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hrusewif's review against another edition
4.0
This book is not your average book, but is rather a concise compilation of vintage homemaking advice which the author considers relevant and still applicable to the modern era. I have to agree, too. It is truly wonderful read with a uniquely vintage appeal.
It is an immense read, for starters- much longer than the average books of the actual eras it is compiled from (and it is compiled from many). When I first picked it up, I did what I always do and skim read it to see what it contained. Now I have been reading it every day during the half hour I wait at the school for the child I babysit each week and am no more than 26% of the way through it even after 3 weeks or so. Still, at only 26% I feel it is wonderful enough to warrant an early review.
There is a plethora of information on every conceivable topic concerning the home, and not an ounce of it is outdated though it takes its cue from vintage manuals. What I find wonderful about it, though, is that it does not simply stop at the standard household care, but also covers such things as leisure time, frugal living, etiquette, table settings, embroidery and hand stitching, home decoration, and more. The additional bits it contains- from recipes, to tips and tricks- are a wonderful addition and I plan on implementing many of them. There is so much wonderful advice, even, that I am certain I have highlighted over half of what I have read in depth of the book at this point. I am genuinely excited to continue reading it and discovering what else it contains.
Altogether, it is well written. The tone does come across as a bit condescending in some areas, but those are easy to overlook compared to the bulk of the tonality and may simply be due to the fact that the majority of the information is compiled as opposed to written entirely from scratch. Given this is the case, there is bound to be tonality and other minor conflicts. Really, there are few (if any) errors in the book- or at least none so noticeable that they would greatly impact the quality, even if the organization could use just a tad more work in some areas. Its true shining glory, however, is the fact that is has a complete index and a bibliography- two very rare things in many cases.
Overall, I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good book on Housewifery- especially those starting their first household or whom have no experience in any aspect of domesticity but would like to learn.The advice is absolutely invaluable.
It is an immense read, for starters- much longer than the average books of the actual eras it is compiled from (and it is compiled from many). When I first picked it up, I did what I always do and skim read it to see what it contained. Now I have been reading it every day during the half hour I wait at the school for the child I babysit each week and am no more than 26% of the way through it even after 3 weeks or so. Still, at only 26% I feel it is wonderful enough to warrant an early review.
There is a plethora of information on every conceivable topic concerning the home, and not an ounce of it is outdated though it takes its cue from vintage manuals. What I find wonderful about it, though, is that it does not simply stop at the standard household care, but also covers such things as leisure time, frugal living, etiquette, table settings, embroidery and hand stitching, home decoration, and more. The additional bits it contains- from recipes, to tips and tricks- are a wonderful addition and I plan on implementing many of them. There is so much wonderful advice, even, that I am certain I have highlighted over half of what I have read in depth of the book at this point. I am genuinely excited to continue reading it and discovering what else it contains.
Altogether, it is well written. The tone does come across as a bit condescending in some areas, but those are easy to overlook compared to the bulk of the tonality and may simply be due to the fact that the majority of the information is compiled as opposed to written entirely from scratch. Given this is the case, there is bound to be tonality and other minor conflicts. Really, there are few (if any) errors in the book- or at least none so noticeable that they would greatly impact the quality, even if the organization could use just a tad more work in some areas. Its true shining glory, however, is the fact that is has a complete index and a bibliography- two very rare things in many cases.
Overall, I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good book on Housewifery- especially those starting their first household or whom have no experience in any aspect of domesticity but would like to learn.The advice is absolutely invaluable.
antheria's review against another edition
fast-paced
2.0
While I appreciate that I didn't have to slog through who knows how many vintage home manuals to find these tidbits, I could wish that they had been even slightly updated for today. I'm not counting things like "keep a budget and make a list before grocery shopping" either - I mean the continuous assumptions that the person reading the book is a woman with a husband and children, and that whatever else she might do with her life, these apparently completely helpless persons are her priority. Some of us just want to know how to run our homes, you know?
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