Home Economics: Vintage Advice and Practical Science for the 21st-Century Household Hardcover – July 1, 2010

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review.There is a plethora of information on every conceivable topic concerning the home, and not an ounce of it is outdated though it takes its cue from vintage manuals.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.

This book is seriously adorable, but also seriously practical, and helpful for the average 20-something and 30-something year olds who are absolutely flabbergasted on how to run a home. We always go online and try to find ways to take care of ourselves and our homes, but this book helps us in looking at the past and how our grandparents and our ancestors ran their homes many decades ago. This book has everything you can think of in terms of home economics, such as:- How to prepare classic dishes such as milk toast (I have NEVER heard of milk toast until I read this book!).- How to stitch and hem clothing.- How to preserve fruits and certain vegetables.- How to clean your house using natural products such as baking soda, white vinegar, natural scented oils, lemon juice, Borax, Bon-Ami, and natural castille soap. (Which, by the way, are all super cheap and extremely effective at cleansing your home from top to bottom, WITHOUT damaging the environment and making your loved ones sick! Win-win for everybody!)- Baking your own bread from scratch.- How to buy and arrange furniture that will enhance the way your house looks as well as giving everybody the pleasure of being in said house.- How to make your own vegetable garden.- The taking care of a newborn infant.- The joy of home ownership.- Teaching your children good manners and ethics in order for them to become good citizens to society. (Ummmmm let's make this #TRENDY again, thank you!)- How to wash dishes and do laundry with your hands.- How to treat your spouse with love and respect.- How to choose the best meat cuts for your budget. (Oh my God, this SAVED my life!)And so much more!Does the advice in this book sound old fashioned? Yes, I'll admit it. Is it the kind of advice that will make your life easier? Absolutely! I have learned so much in this little book than I have learned from my busy mother during my early childhood, respectively. She was busy, what can I say? With this book, you will learn the invaluable methods of not just cooking and cleaning, but MAKING a real home out of the place that you live in right now. There's a huge difference between a property that a person lives in... and a home. A home is a place of warmth, comfort, health, and love, no matter how small the property or how tight the homemaker's income may be.

After I got married, I realized that keeping a house full-time (or let's face it, even part-time) is a full-time job in and of itself. I remembered when I was a child my mother speaking to me about Home Economics classes she took and how it helped in all sorts of ways when it came to running her own household. After doing research, I discovered back in the early to mid part of the last century, there was a large focus on home economics for women, and one could even major in it in college. It eventually died out in most schools and think that's a shame. I saw that this book had a high rating, so I ordered it and I'm so glad I did! It covers so many topics from elementary cleaning of the house to much more detailed work, how to get stains off of many surfaces, cooking, entertaining, decorating a house, choosing what type of house to buy/rent depending on ones budget and needs, time management, budgeting money, basic bookkeeping and so much more. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning to how to efficiently run a household and not merely keep one.

H I liked Home Ec. It says it's no longer taught in high school. That's too bad. I learned a lot of solid, good info in Home Ec. It's surprising that much of this book still applies today. We have all heard: taking care of a home and family is a full time job. This book proves it! The book refers to a period of time when most women stayed home...a period of time when there wasn't the abundant excess of... everything (!)... we have now and yet the book still has good advice that is relevent to life today. Many of the concerns on how best to provide for your family and your home are still concerns today.

Lots of great practical information. The book is a small size, but it is packed with information.

Good for someone who has very little knowledge.

Very will.written common sense

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Love this book captures the 1950s housewife life