Customer Reviews

The English Housewife

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As an historical reenactor I find this book to be very useful. It has lots of interesting recipes and other useful information. The best part is that this was written in the period, so you get a much better perspective than a book of redactions.

The English Housewife is the primary text from which many other books on Elizabethan Women derive much of their information. First written in 1615, it gives "a moste excellent account of the duties and knowledge of the husewyfe". Of interest to womens and renaissance history buffs, as well as re-enactors.

A truly splendid find, this well-edited edition of Gervase Markham's manual provides vivid insight into household management in the seventeenth century. Topics range from cookery and brewing to home remedies. Excellent introduction and notes. Enjoyable contemporary illustrations.

He used alot of sources that were not orginally his and he actually admits he does a good job of taking information and condensing it and putting it all together, after reading the intro I wonder how much of the work is really his. However the section on how to heal things like, burns is hilarious and I wonder how the poor victims of this cure turned out.