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A Meandering History of the Home - And Other Things

Advantages: Very well written and wonderfully researched, makes the mundane interesting
Disadvantages: Isn't particularly well structured

I must be honest and say that having lived in modern homes and in period properties, I have discovered I far prefer modern homes. My late husband used to call me a philistine for feeling this way, but having endured the joys of broken sash windows, dado ...

rosebud2001 05.08.2011 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: exceptional
Review of At Home: A Short History Of Private Life - Bill Bryson

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How one half lived . . . and how the other half lived too!

Advantages: a very informative, highly detailed, well researched look at the home
Disadvantages: might be best suited to those with an interest in social history

...I only acquired this book quite recently, as a birthday present, and must admit that - before I had spotted on Amazon - I hadn’t realised it had even been published. Although I like history in general (I would say At Home is really more of a “history” boo ...

KateHurst 24.10.2010 · Read full review
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Review of At Home: A Short History Of Private Life - Bill Bryson

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'Who else lived in a house like this?'

Advantages: Informative and diverting. Accessible social history.
Disadvantages: Not a particularly light read. Over 500 pages.

Not normally one to read history books, I was slightly taken aback to receive this substantial tome as a birthday present. Previous titles that I’d read by the same author, Bill Bryson, had all been entertaining travel and/or autobiographical wor ...

steves001 22.04.2011 · Read full review
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Review of At Home: A Short History Of Private Life - Bill Bryson

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Bill Bryson: At Home. A fantastical flood of interesting facts.

Advantages: Interesting till the end, easy to get into and easy to stop and start throughtout.
Disadvantages: Only thing I can think of is that the title leads you to believe it might not be for everyone.

I have never read one of Brysons books before and I will admit that there are very few books that I have read by the age of 26. The reason for this, is that I get very board reading a book as I am a slow reader, therefore it takes me a long time to get to ...

Jonny85 11.07.2011 · Read full review
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Review of At Home: A Short History Of Private Life - Bill Bryson

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For the dedicated reader only.

Advantages: Thorough, Informative, Interesting
Disadvantages: Hard to follow, some russian knowledge required

A very challenging book not for the faint hearted. I am an avid reader of similar books, (prison accounts, WWII Camps) and rushed out to buy as soon as available. I noticed after only a couple of chapters that i was having to look back and cross referenc ...

mak_the_judge 22.06.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Gulag: A History of the Soviet Camps - Anne Applebaum

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