Anchor Canada, 2011
By Bill Bryson
L’s latest read is a book by one her favorite authors, Bill
Bryson. Bryson is a well-known British/American nonfiction author. Published in
2010, At Home: A Short History of Private Life is an interesting look at
the history of home life, and a fitting read almost one full year into the
global pandemic experience here in Canada since “home” is exactly where we’ve been! Having
purchased a home that was once a rectory in Norfolk, England, Bryson goes room
by room through his house using each room as a starting point to delve into the
interesting history of the home. And with Bryson, you never know where you will
end up.
Some topics include:
Victorian sex (the bedroom), the invention of cement (the cellar),
child labour (the nursery), clothing and fashion (the dressing room), and the
history of personal hygiene (the bathroom). The chapter on the bathroom is not
for the faint of heart. L says some of the history is really gross!
Being a history lover, I think L really enjoyed reading this
book. She kept disturbing my naps with lots of “Did you know” facts such as:
…. in the Victorian era a typical middle class British
family could burn a ton of coal a month.
….two amorous mice could theoretically produce a million
descendants in a year!
….furniture makers such as Chippendale entirely used up a
type of mahogany found only in parts of Cuba and Hispaniola in only fifty
years. The tree is now extinct.
….linen was soaked in stale urine or poultry dung for its’ whitening
effect.
….in the mid 1800s, a woman could typically wear up to forty pounds of clothing.
….children as young as six years old were put to work in
mines, working naked because of the heat and to save their clothes.
And on and on! I lost many quality nap hours to this book.
Bryson is an entertaining, knowledgeable writer who obviously
did a lot of research preparing for this book. He makes learning history fun!
L’s verdict: I really enjoyed this book. I feel much smarter
since I finished reading it and I’m anxiously awaiting the day it is safe to
have dinner parties again so I can share all the interesting facts I know now!
Bingley’s verdict: My dog brain is now full of useless human
knowledge passed on by L, which is fine, but where is the chapter on the dog house?
Rating: 4/5
