Friday, May 04, 2007

Friday Show and Tell

It's Friday Show and Tell and I would like to show you one of my very favorite books. It is a very old book by Julia McNair Wright, called "The Complete Home".
I bought this book in a box with many cookbooks at an auction almost twenty years ago. It is falling apart and I usually keep a rubber back around it to keep it from losing it's pages.

The book was originally given to Miss Kate Cassell in 1896. There is no copyright date in the book. I have no idea if the persons in this book are fictional or real. It is narrated by "Aunt Sophronia" and the first page of the book says this:

"Aunt Sophronia lives in one of our inland towns. She is relative to many of the townspeople- The Oracle of all. Firmly intrenched in hr own opinions and more than self complacent, she is yet ready to give other people their due. Her ideas are broad and sound, and she is no doubt a great blessing to our community. An indefatigable diarist, she has for many years recorded the best of what he thinks and learns on her favorite subject - The Home- These journals being to voluminous and too full of private affairs to present to the public, she has at our earnest solicitation reproduced part of them topically and with a happy faculty in discussing her subject from the beginning."


I have read this book from cover to cover many times and love it more everytime I read it. It covers the subjects of Order in the Home, Economy in the home, Beauty of the Home, Hospitality, Methods of works, Attention to dress, Religion, Friendships, Mistress and Maid, and many more! In the back is a chapter of "Useful Information" like what to serve the sick, how to get rid of stains, etc.. I don't know if it has every been re-printed, if not it really should.

18 comments:

Trella said...

What a wonderful treasure to have. I wish it was reprinted because I could probably use it:)

Tracy said...

Wow! I'd love to have a copy of that!

Kelli said...

Oh, I love old books and this looks like a beautiful one! I would love to sit down and read it! The picture and graphics are so pretty! What a wonderful treausure!
Kelli

P.s. I saw your question about linking. Here is the code:

There is no place like home

Just copy this into your post and it should work!

Kelli said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kelli said...

I'm sorry for messing up your comment box! Feel free to delete the extra one! If you email me at kwinn@hotmail.com I will give you the code!
Kelli

Lori said...

That sounds like a neat book to have.
Sounds like it has lots of helpful advice in their.

Sharon said...

I love old books! You have a wonderful treasure. I love reading about how women kept house and cooked in past generations.

Susie said...

I love looking through old books. I have a great number of my Grandma's and find very practical homemaking tips from them..
Your book looks so interesting!!
:)

Marci said...

What a neat book to have. I am sure there is some good reading there.

Unknown said...

Antique books are one of my MANY weaknesses. I don't have any about the HOME though! What a treasure. Thanks for sharing!

someone else said...

Fascinating book!!

BTW, I do have those old photos in archive quality pages.

dot said...

What a neat book to have. Wish we could all read it!

Momma Roar said...

What a neat book! I love old books too!

Carole Burant said...

Such a wonderful old book and everytime I hold old books like that I often wonder who held it and who read it, throughout all these years! I Googled the author's name and found a few web sites about the book...apparently it was originally published in 1879 and reprinted in 1903. A treasure indeed!! xo

Barbara H. said...

That sounds like such a wonderful book! I hope it has been reprinted -- I'd love to look through it. I think that illustration is neat, too.

Barbara H. @ Stray Thoughts

Sharon said...

The book is a real antique. I bet you wish you could go back in time and find out all about the person who first bought the book. That would be a story in its self.

Rowan said...

This is just the kind of book that I love too, in fact I have something similar which is a three volume set called The Household Guide printed in 1910 and with the most wonderful Edwardian photographs and colour plates. It covers everything from cookery to dressmaking to managing the servants(!). It's one of my favourite things.

Jodi said...

What a treasure!