A Medieval Home Companion: Housekeeping in the Fourteenth Century [Hardcover]

Tania Bayard (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

With the continued popularity of Robin Hood movies, many might wonder what life was like in the Middle Ages. Art historian Bayard has translated and edited the household advice of a Parisian citizen of the late 14th century to his young wife, A Medieval Home Companion , and added 40 medieval woodcuts . Although some of the more archaic and, for modern readers, offensive elements are omitted, enough remains to provide an excellent notion of how to maintain a house medievally. While some of the tips are not all suited for modern tastes ("to remove spots of oil or grease from clothes, heat some urine and soak the spot with it for two days"), other advice is more useful, like garden hints and how to deal with workmen and servants. A good human interest book, this history should appeal to a broad audience.
- Robert A. Curtis, Taylor Memori al P.L., Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 139 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins; 1st edition (September 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060166541
• ISBN-13: 978-0060166540
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,339,370 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Incomplete Work, January 30, 2001

By 

Z. P. Smith (Western Washington) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Medieval Home Companion: Housekeeping in the Fourteenth Century (Paperback)

As far as it goes, this is a very good modern version of the mediaeval classic, "The Goodman of Paris". Anyone interested in urban life in the high middle ages would do well to read this. It is illustrated with appropriate woodcuts and is well laid out. I just wish that all of the original material had been used. This is more of a shortcoming for the serious student than for the novice.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!, January 18, 2002

By 

jumpy1 (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: A Medieval Home Companion: Housekeeping in the Fourteenth Century (Hardcover)

This was such a charming translation, I read it in one sitting. Basically covers a small portion of his directions to his young wife as to how to run the house and comport herself in public, and includes a small amount of gardening advice along with some home remedies. He was indeed a good man (for his time), and one can imagine his wife was charming as well. It's too bad Ms. Bayard didn't undertake more of the work of the "Menagier de Paris" -- she said it was because she didn't think people would be interested ... but having read other translations, I certainly am. She has a real gift for this. I hope she comes out with more.