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Mrs.Beeton's Book of Household Management (Oxford World's Classics) [Abridged] (Paperback)

by Isabella Beeton (Author) "As with the COMMANDER OF AN ARMY, or the leader of any enterprise, so is it with the mistress of a house ..." (more)

4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)

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Product details

Paperback: 672 pages
Publisher: Oxford University Press; Abridged edition edition (16 Mar 2000)
Language English
ISBN-10: 0192833456
ISBN-13: 978-0192833457
Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.8 x 4.6 cm

Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 159,240 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
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#86 in Books > Home & Garden > DIY & Home Improvements > Household Hints

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

Mrs Beeton was the Delia Smith of her day. Vastly popular in its time, her great Book of Household Management is scarcely read nowadays in its original form (no offence, Delia). This is a pity, since as a result a distorted picture of the author and her work persists, as an oppressive Victorian materfamilias with a decidedly bossy attitude and a tendency to boil vegetables to a grey pulp. The truth, as Nicola Humble demonstrates in her abridgement of the work for the Oxford press, is quite different. Isabella Beeton was in many ways an unusual person. One of 21 children, she lived for part of her childhood in the grandstand at Epsom racecourse, married Sam Beeton, an ambitious young publisher, worked hard as a journalist and translator, and died of puerperal fever (not, sadly, such an unusual fate in her time) at the age of 28. The Book of Household Management grew out of her own sense, as a new bride, of the lack of such a work of instruction and guidance for young women faced with the daunting business of running a home. It is largely a compilation rather than an original work. Its originality lies in its organisation and purpose; its quality arises from the clarity and decisiveness of Beeton's writing. Behind the period details, there is a wealth of common sense.

Nicola Humble provides a scholarly introduction and notes. Gesturing towards academic fashions, she describes the many facets of the book in terms of modes of discourse--which is perhaps a highfalutin way of pointing out the remarkable range of subject matter and the variety of Beeton's sources. The notes entertainingly combine theoretical commentary with often deadpan remarks on the recipes ("Rock biscuits: so-called for their appearance, not their texture"). The recipes themselves are the principal victims of the abridgement, for Nicola Humble's main aim is to present the book as a kind of exhaustive self-portrait of the expanding and aspirational Victorian middle classes. The representative selection that remains, however, are enough to make this a welcome reissue of a fascinating and important book. --Robin Davidson

Red, August 2000

"sold out in Central London book shops within weeks"

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First Sentence
As with the COMMANDER OF AN ARMY, or the leader of any enterprise, so is it with the mistress of a house. Read the first page

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	46% buy the item featured on this page: Mrs.Beeton's Book of Household Management (Oxford World's Classics) 4.4 out of 5 stars (8)
	26% buy Mrs Beeton's Household Management (Wordsworth Reference) 3.5 out of 5 stars (2) �3.77
	13% buy Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management: Abridged edition (Oxford World's Classics) 3.5 out of 5 stars (2) �4.94
	12% buy The Best of Mrs Beeton's Easy Everyday Cooking 4.7 out of 5 stars (3) �5.97

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Customer Reviews

8 Reviews

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4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
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4.4 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)

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38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Intelligent abridgement of a misunderstood classic., 9 Sep 2000

By A Customer

The vast majority of people assume they are familiar with 'Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management', but those expecting stuffy moralising and instructions to 'first go out and catch your hare' will be disappointed by what they find in Nichola humble's new edition, and probably rightfully so. Written by a comparatively naive girl in her early twenties, who was to die in childbirth a few years later, Beeton's book provides an unparalleled insight into Victorian social customs and domestic situations. It does not so much detail how our ancestors lived and behaved, as how they wanted to be seen to live and behave. In short this book is a vast compendium of social mores, detailing the ins and outs of a wealthy, aspirational society. Though Beeton's book provides a wealth of recipes, these are not her sole concern. The book details codes of conduct in every imaginable social situation, and gives instruction in case of a medical or legal emergencies. Advice to the mistress of the house on how to control servants is placed next to confidential advice to the servants themselves: this is indeed a book aimed at all levels of society. The recipes themselves are a startling mix, as they seem at one moment utterly modern, then at the next evoke a rural british society which was vanishing even as Beeton wrote, in the middle of the nineteenth century. They are also a charming reminder of the fact that the author was neither an experienced nor a professed cook: she frequently omits cooking times and quantities of ingredients! Finally, I would like to mention how important a modern, edited edition of Beeton's book is. The market is swamped with spurious works, such as 'Microwaving with Mrs. Beeton', an example Nichola Humble quotes in her introduction. Seemingly 'original' editions of the book, dating from the late 1800's, are in fact just as unreliable, having been altered almost unrecognisably by Beeton's publishers after her death. This edition is, I believe, the only affordable, available, reliable reproduction of Beeton's vast, encyclopaedic study of Victorian morals, culture and society. It should be read by anyone with an interest in the period, from the advanced student, to the casual reader.

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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A piece of history still useful today, 22 Feb 2004

By	T. Lewcock (England, UK) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Mrs.Beeton's Book of Household Management (Hardcover)

Probably the most famous cook book in the world. This version is the specially enlarged 1st Edition Facsimile. Illustrated with nearly 600 quite detailed engravings (line art drawings) the book exudes history.

For those that have never heard of Mrs Beeton's Book of Household management the book "does what it says on the cover". Providing a huge number of recipes (over 1,350 in this version), approximately 200 pages cover other household management areas such as "Dinners and Dining"; "Bills of Fare"; "Domestic Servants" ("Duties of the": "Butler"; "Footman"; "Valet"; "Nursemaid" and many others); "The Rearing etc,. of Children"; "The Doctor" and "Legal Memoranda".

The book is full of annecdotes about the various ingredients and articles used, which compliment the style very well. There are 13 articles of the "General Observations of" variety, including "Quadrupeds", "The Sheep and Lamb" and "Game". Most articles and recipes are indexed by paragraph number rather than page number but this is ideal because there can be more than one entry on a page and it means that you can find more easily the exact place you require.

Due to the use of imperial measurements throughout the book it is not the ideal cookbook for the modern chef without knowledge of how to convert to or from Metric measurements. Also, although prices for dishes are given they are, of course, in the imperial currency an accurate to the time of the origainal publication data (1861) which although not of much practical use today provide an interesting historical aspect.

Don't expect advice on how to use a wok or traditional Indian cooking, this a book about Victorian English food and everyday tips for that era. An excellent addition to any kitchen shelf or historical collection, just make sure you have dual scale scales.

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An amazing book for its time, 15 Mar 2004

By	"andersonkirol" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Book of Household Management (Hardcover)

Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management was the housekeeping bible of the mid-19th century. It was written by one woman, Isabella Beeton, who didn't realize the enormity of her undertaking until after the book was finished. This guide covers all of the most important information for a housewife of the 1800's, from cooking to hiring the help. There is a section on child-rearing, practical home remedies, (including antidotes for various poisons!)cleaning the home and every popular recipe from that time period. Despite the changes in our views of keeping household staff, medicine and eating habits, the book is a remarkable work. It is a must for anyone studying Victoriana, as it demonstrates the rigidity of that time period and the unwavering etiquette. The recipes are difficult to replicate, due to the lack of familiar measurements (one breakfast cupful of milk?)but if you have a adventurous soul, this may be enjoyable. Some of the ingredients are also difficult to find, and an acceptable solution may not be easy.

Read The Book of Household Managemen for it's historical value rather than for it's practical information and it will be an adventure.

The Book of Household Management

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Still best for basics
No pretty photos and no silly language. Just reliable recipes that i still use, and enjoyable notes about impractical stuff like hiring and firing a kitchen maid. Love it.

Published 12 months ago by Kitchen megillahs

3.0 out of 5 stars The real deal
When Mrs Beeton told readers to put a pan "on the fire" or "half on the fire" she meant "on the heat". Read more

Published 15 months ago by Ms. L. R. Fisher

5.0 out of 5 stars Mrs.Beeton's Book of Household Management
This is NOT a cookbook for today's kitchen!! Do you know anyone who cooks over an open fire.......I THINK not!! Read more

Published on 11 Sep 2007 by Ian Roe

5.0 out of 5 stars not just a cook book
if you are looking for a cookbook then this is probably not the book for you as many of the recipes wouldnt suit todays palate. Read more

Published on 12 Oct 2006 by L. S. Southam

5.0 out of 5 stars Very useful for living history interpreters.
Mrs. Beeton's book is excellent for living history interpreters because she not only gives recipes, but also such useful information as what foods were in season at what time of... Read more

Published on 8 Feb 2001 by annbwass@aol.com

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