Great Book for Do-it-yourselfers

How in the world did we figure out how to outfit and maintain our homes before the days of Googling or watching HGTV? This book is a reminder that, in fact, it follows in a long tradition of handy household manuals which at one time were considered essential to running a happy home. Here, editors have combed through such vintage books in search of pearls of wisdom that remain relevant to today’s homeowners. For instance, the reader learns from a 1936 home maintenance manual that grinding rice in a coffee or spice mill will alleviate leftover odor, or that an old broom can be useful for planting bulbs. There’s even the occasional recipe to reward a busy do-it-yourselfer after a day spent caring for the castle.