Binding: Hardcover
EAN: 9780340950982
ISBN: 0340950986
Label: Hodder & Stoughton
Manufacturer: Hodder & Stoughton
Number Of Pages: 256
Publication Date: October 04, 2007
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Studio: Hodder & Stoughton

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Customer Reviews

Average Rating: out of 5 stars

Rating:

- gentle art of disappointment
This books looks so scrumptious! I guess I was expecting the answers to all my 1950 housewife's dreams. But no. There are a few recipes and that's it. No how tos, no patterns, no much. What I got from it is how lovely (and oh so slighty smug) the author is with her lovely house and lovely life and lovely collection of crinoline ladies.

However, the book is very beautiful to look at.

Rating:

- A rare treat
Read this book if you want to revel in a world of home comforts, colour and simple pleasures. Jane writes beautifully and articulates what many women feel about being at home and the whole range of domestic activities - but perhaps find it hard to express. If you want a practical craft book, as a couple of these reviewers seem to, there are hundreds you can buy. This is not what Jane Brocket is offering - and thank goodness she isn't.

Rating:

- A gentle read, not a DIY manual

I adored this book. In fact I'm still reading it. This is a lazy sunday afternoon book that you want to indulge yourself. I pick it up and put it down and just flick through the pictures or just read a chapter out of order if I fancy.
It is full of wonderful colouful pictures of snuggly quilts and socks that makes me a) want to go make them and b) snuggle in them whilst reading this book.
A lot of people are disapointed by the lack of instruction in the book but I get bored with instruction and lust after beautiful inspirational pictures and musings. I would save this book from a housefire!!

Rating:

- Blog into book doesn't work
I was looking forward to the book as I had frequently visited the blog and enjoyed the photographs...however when I started the book I realised a blog doesn't translate into a book. While a blog is a diary (of sorts), a book is a much more concrete and lasting evidence of one's literary efforts (that cannot be changed, once commited to print). These two concepts somehow clash in the book, giving us a picture and a commentary on privilege and choice (someone else made that comment but I hope they don't mind me using it here). Domesticity is not an art, it's a job, and if we're lucky or priviledged enough we may make pretty things out of beautiful, expensive yarns and beautiful, expensive fabrics!

The term used in the title is repeated so often through the book, it became very annoying and lost the meaning altogether. I must confess that I didn't finish the book, I looked at the pictures and flicked through the last 70-odd pages, but the book just became more of the same to me - rather simplistic and self-centred. I do appreciate the fact that all literary output IS, in fact, subjective, but there could have been a balance somewhere there; so maybe the title of the book should have been "The gentle art of domesticity according to me".

I , too, knit, crochet, sew, quilt, bake, try my hand at different crafts, as this is what they are. They probably amount to domesticity, but I wouldn't call them art.

The 2 points I give the book are for the photographs - very good for a coffee table type book.

Rating:

- Inspiration not instruction
I bought this book in the spirit in which (I think) it was written - as a homage to the gentle arts and an insight into a creative life. I sadly have no talent in those directions but I really enjoyed the book, the colours, the writing and don't think the lack of "instructions" is an issue - it is not a "how to" book. It is inspiring though and I visited Jane's blog for the first time as a result - quite addictive.

Try searching the Internet for "The Gentle Art of Domesticity" or Ebay for "The Gentle Art of Domesticity".

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