Clean and Decent: The Fascinating History of the Bathroom and the Water-Closet [Mass Market Paperback]

Lawrence Wright (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 16, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0141390352 | ISBN-13: 978-0141390352

Who would have supposed that the Romans had lagged hot-water pipes? that Queen Elizabeth I had a valve water-closet? that Louis XIV had cushions in his bath? that sponges have sex? This book, says the author, "is meant to entertain, even if scholarship does keep breaking through". This book offers an excursion into the household's most private room. Informative and hilarious, it suggests that more may be learnt about the past from bathrooms than battlefields, and that patterns of social history may be mirrored in the bathwater or found locked in the water-closet.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Who would have supposed that the Romans had insulated hot water pipes? That Queen Elizabeth I had a valve water–closet? That Louis XIV had cushions in his bath? That sponges have sex? Clean and Decent, says the author, “is meant to entertain, even if scholarship does keep breaking through.” Engrossing and amusing, this classic illustrated history of the bathroom and water–closet, first published in 1960, suggests that more may be learned about the past from lavatories than from battlefields.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 282 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Global (May 16, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0141390352
• ISBN-13: 978-0141390352
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #340,972 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Completely Hygienic!, January 23, 2003

By 

winterwoman "Sandra" (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Clean and Decent: The Fascinating History of the Bathroom and the Water-Closet (Mass Market Paperback)

Who would have thought there was so much to learn about toilets and bathroom culture? This is a great primer for those who wonder just how people did bathe and perform 'ablutions' before the days of indoor plumbing and water-trapped toilets for all (or at least those of us in western countries). Written in 1960, it assumes a bit more familiarity than most of us have with English-style boilers and toilets, and more knowledge of history than the average high school graduate would have today. The language is a bit old-school, but in a descriptive fashion, and is never difficult to follow. It does contain several quotes in French and Latin without translations, but they are short, and not essential to the enjoyment of the book.

Clean & Decent is at its best when sharing tidbits and historical anecdotes (such as story of a householder how discovered that his royal houseguests had used his hallways, landings and cellars for their toilets). In the Penguin Classic History edition, an old fashioned font has been used, which, along with numerous black and white illustrations (not all of them very well produced or labelled, unfortunately), gives the book a great "old fashioned" feel.

It is sometimes uneven in its technical data. Some diagrams have quite full explanations, and others none at all. However, it never pretends to be a technical book, and provides a very extensive bibliography for anyone who's interested in the how-to's. Some diagrams and drawings also suffer in reproduction, and aren't very clear. The arrangement of the book isn't very intuitive, and it seems to jump back and forth in time, but then, so did humanity's knowledge of and desire for hygiene.

This is enjoyable light reading, especially for anyone interested in 'every day' history who wonders just how people went about at least one aspect of their daily business. It will also provide you with a never-ending supply of did-you-know's. While it's a shame that it wasn't revised and updated to include those other fascinating periods in bathrooms - the 50's and 60's - it's publication as a reprint of the original makes it a great piece of literary history on it's own.