≡ Read Free Inside the Victorian Home A Portrait of Domestic Life in Victorian England Judith Flanders 9780393327632 Books

Inside the Victorian Home A Portrait of Domestic Life in Victorian England Judith Flanders 9780393327632 Books

Download As PDF : Inside the Victorian Home A Portrait of Domestic Life in Victorian England Judith Flanders 9780393327632 Books

Inside the Victorian Home A Portrait of Domestic Life in Victorian England Judith Flanders 9780393327632 Books

Solid background to Victorian noels, including much steampunk, as well as the actual ones written then, sometimes benefit from some background.

In many ways- sometimes scarily- we share values with our Victorian ancestors. In other ways- it's a very foreign country for us.

The structure of this book is excellent for those of us who wonder more generally, what was it like? I can see it's less helpful for people doing specific research.

Still, as a reader, I think it worked very well. The set-up is browsing through the rooms in a middle-class Victorian house, and what was done in them and why. This gives a coherent structure to the book- especially since it also moves from birth to death- and relates the architecture to the mores to the lives people lead. I found this fascinating.

Also- the past IS a foreign country. There are ways we're in sync; there are ways they are bafflingly foreign to us. I like knowing that! (A failure to appreciate such is why some moderns dis on "Pride and Prejudice", because they say they would never! And in my opinion, it's one of the great stories. Still, one needs context.)

This book is all about the context. And the structure makes it a really engaging read.

Highly recommended, especially for people who like historical fiction whether actual or alternate (like steampunk).


Tags : Inside the Victorian Home: A Portrait of Domestic Life in Victorian England [Judith Flanders] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <strong> [Flanders] knows what we want to know and is thoroughly engaging, undidactic company. --Katherine A. Powers,Judith Flanders,Inside the Victorian Home: A Portrait of Domestic Life in Victorian England,W. W. Norton,0393327639,HIS037060,Europe - Great Britain,Modern - 19th Century,Social History,United Kingdom, Great Britain,England - Social conditions - 19th century,England - Social life and customs - 19th century,Family - England - History - 19th century,Home economics - England - History - 19th century,Middle class - England - History - 19th century,Europe - Great Britain - General,HISTORY Europe Great Britain General,HISTORY Europe Great Britain Victorian Era (1837-1901),HISTORY Modern 19th Century,History,History - General History,History Social History,HistorySocial History,History: World

Inside the Victorian Home A Portrait of Domestic Life in Victorian England Judith Flanders 9780393327632 Books Reviews

For an excellent, absorbing study of Victorian life and living, skip this book and go directly to Ruth Goodman's "How to Be a Victorian A Dawn-to-Dusk Guide to Victorian Life." Goodman is an experiential historian who lives the life of a Victorian woman before she writes about it. A fascinating first-hand account.
I am often in the habit of buying books on quirky topics that interest me and usually find that the book is written in the driest, most boring way possible. NOT SO with this book. I read this book straight through with my hair standing on end the whole time. It's funny, insightful, pithy and actually gave me insight into some dumb family traditions/views from my childhood that were layovers from Victorian times. As a professional costume designer, I am avidly into clothing of Victorian times and had quite the romantic view of the period. Yes, I knew about the manners and such. However it really took the entire book to explain to me (and for my brain to finally accept) how keeping clean was a CONSTANT UPHILL BATTLE. The descriptions of the lighting and heating methods in the home, the conditions of the kitchen in which food was kept, the medicinal care for children - it's a wonder anyone has survived! I think I would die of food poisoning within a week if I went back in time. The chapter that had me flabbergasted was the one regarding laundry. The descriptions of the lengths people (servants) had to go through in order to wash, rinse, treat, iron and starch clothing had my jaw on the floor and my husband had to come over to ask my why I kept saying- "OMG...oh! OMG!" We have come a very, very long way to where we are today being able to just toss in clothing into a magic machine and walk away.

Overall the book was incredibly enjoyable. Some reviewers thought the author deviated off topic a bit here and there. And I think that's true but given the enormous topic I thought it was organized rather well.

The only real critique I will give is I think taking advice from the ladies magazines of the day make things seem a little far fetched. Kinda like if you fast forward 200 years into the future and you were trying to get an idea of home life as it exists now based off Martha Stewart Living columns. "Unless you have the so-and-so mushrooms (you've never heard of before) for your 6 course meal, it's just not worth it. ~Martha Stewart" You know what I mean? Very few people with average incomes live and function like Martha Stewart so it would be an in-accurate snapshot of life. However there are other facts and excerpts given from journals, notebooks and other sources that the reader can put faith into and know that the account given is true.

Overall the British were and are a somewhat pragmatic people and I refuse to think that most of them were absolute slaves to the status quo. I think just like now where you have the over pampered stay at home housewife of 2015 who has the time to worry about having a gift wrapping station, back then you had the Sally "what will the neighbors think" Jones who was completely beholden to the Ladies Home Journal of 1860.

Fun book, I highly recommend it and you will value running water, showers, soap, washing machines and our generally bug and odor free existence even more so then you did before.
If you ever wondered what it would be like to be a Victorian woman, this book will answer your questions. I say woman, because the home was peculiarly her domain. Designed for a man's comfort and ease, it was the woman's responsibility to make it a place of retreat and refreshment for him. To this end, the women worked endlessly, day after day.

Every aspect of the home, from the bedroom to the street outside, was a constant battle with dirt and dust. Hours every day were spent washing, dusting and cleaning in an effort to combat soot and dust. Hampered by up to 37 pounds of clothing, the woman battled against her foe. The kitchen was especially dirty, and the war on bugs and rats was a losing one.

I can't imagine having my whole life revolve around cleaning the way a Victorian woman did, even though she did very little of herself, delegating the tasks to her servants. She had to supervise, train, hire and fire an endless troop of servants. All this effort must, of course, be hidden from her husband. Not a word of complaint must pass her lips to upset him.

Her life was an endless round of toil, and she spent the greatest proportion of it at home, especially once the children arrived. Reading this book made me so thankful I live when and where I do.
Solid background to Victorian noels, including much steampunk, as well as the actual ones written then, sometimes benefit from some background.

In many ways- sometimes scarily- we share values with our Victorian ancestors. In other ways- it's a very foreign country for us.

The structure of this book is excellent for those of us who wonder more generally, what was it like? I can see it's less helpful for people doing specific research.

Still, as a reader, I think it worked very well. The set-up is browsing through the rooms in a middle-class Victorian house, and what was done in them and why. This gives a coherent structure to the book- especially since it also moves from birth to death- and relates the architecture to the mores to the lives people lead. I found this fascinating.

Also- the past IS a foreign country. There are ways we're in sync; there are ways they are bafflingly foreign to us. I like knowing that! (A failure to appreciate such is why some moderns dis on "Pride and Prejudice", because they say they would never! And in my opinion, it's one of the great stories. Still, one needs context.)

This book is all about the context. And the structure makes it a really engaging read.

Highly recommended, especially for people who like historical fiction whether actual or alternate (like steampunk).