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A review by dawnlizreads
If Walls Could Talk: An Intimate History of the Home by Lucy Worsley
3.0
A very interesting overview of the history of the British home - room by room. Makes you realise how often we think we're doing something novel and how often we're not. The "modern" drive towards multi-purpose rooms harks back to medieval times apparently.
I did find that by the time I'd got to the last section "An intimate history of the kitchen", I'd got a little bored. I suspect this is more because I read large chunks of the book in one sitting rather than book itself running out of steam. I am not sure any history book - however, fascinating the topic - is suited to being binge read. After-all, there's only some many facts you can take in without your eyes glazing over.
Another issue I had with the book is the concluding chapter, which Worsley discusses the future of home. She's right to point out that ecological changes are likely to change how we live and that some of the resources we take for granted now may become very limited in the future, but it did seem out of context with book's overall light tone.
I did find that by the time I'd got to the last section "An intimate history of the kitchen", I'd got a little bored. I suspect this is more because I read large chunks of the book in one sitting rather than book itself running out of steam. I am not sure any history book - however, fascinating the topic - is suited to being binge read. After-all, there's only some many facts you can take in without your eyes glazing over.
Another issue I had with the book is the concluding chapter, which Worsley discusses the future of home. She's right to point out that ecological changes are likely to change how we live and that some of the resources we take for granted now may become very limited in the future, but it did seem out of context with book's overall light tone.