Not profound, but a neat book and a helpful one. ( )

Rather warm and fuzzy for a how-to book. Funny, too (the last step in “How to hang a picture” is to walk by and check to see if the eyes follow you). Charmingly illustrated with pen and ink drawings of ideal 50's housewives carrying on in calm, polished style. Not too precious, though – there's good advice in here. Most of the things you can learn from this book are essentials (such as sewing on a button, canning, or using a clothesline), or at the very least, things you've always wanted to be able to do (like mix the perfect Martini or make nice with the neighbors). Advice was drawn from real grandmothers who are profiled just after the introduction. ( )

I loved this book. I grew up not learning a lot of these things and I really enjoyed learning how to do simple things like folding a fitted sheet. I am looking forward to baking my first pie and trying other lessons in there as well. ( )

I liked this, but it was very 101. ( )

This is one of those books that I'm going to have to read again with a notebook next to me so that I can remember the advice! This is one book that I am going to purchase and keep in my home, both to use and to loan. I cannot wait to get ahold of How to Start a Fire and Other Things Your Grandfather Knew. ( )

Useful, but better as a reference than as a cover-to-cover read. I ought to have taken notes on the parts I did read. I did make the baby toy using an old nylon and crumpled paper (success!), and considered starting a compost bin (but didn't). I altered my button-sewing technique, and learned a few other interesting things that I can't remember now. I would check this out of the library again. ( )

When I read the intro my eye-rolling reflex got going. An NYC author (I'm a Chicago girl through and through so yes, there's a small chip on my shoulder) who didn't know how to cook! keep house! bake! clean something!
But I'll admit to my prejudices being wrong. Bried takes a light, yet no nonsense tone and gives some great advice and tips. Admitted even this former country girl didn't know everything and learned some new tricks.
I worried about the quotes from "grandmas" becoming hokey and saccharine but they weren't. They really put into perspective the author's main point that simple really is better, happiness doesn't come from a bank account and having it all starts at home.
( )

When I saw this book mentioned in a library publication, I knew that I wanted to take a look at it at some point. It's really a shortened condensed reference book on doing certain household tasks. Most of it was stuff I learned to do at a young age. The directions are a bit simplistic and occasionally have been updated for the 21st century. The author intersperses humor in the midst of the instructions. I wish I could say that I loved the book, but it was kind of ho-hum for me. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't outstanding. At times, I would have preferred to read the accounts given to her by some of the grandmothers she consulted, particularly the one from Mississippi, whose experiences would have been most similar to my own Mississippi grandmothers. I do, however, think this would be a great thing to thrown into a bridal shower gift package for today's generation. I think I'm probably a little too old to appreciate the book fully, but it is the sort of thing that the younger generation would find useful. ( )

Cute book and cute concept, but I found most everything in here to be a rehash of what my mom taught me as a kid. (Minus how to make dandelion wine and beer, for some reason my mom never taught me that.) I also didn't like how this book seems totally focused on women, and the chapter on loving was all about babies and husbands which sort of annoyed me. Why shouldn't my boyfriend learn how to fold a fitted sheet? What if I don't have any interest in tying his neckties? Maybe it was going for a throwback 1950s feel, but I'm not interested in living a Leave it to Beaver lifestyle. ( )