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The Age of Comfort: When Paris Discovered Casual—and the Modern Home Began
by
Joan DeJean
This remarkable history of late-seventeenth- and early-eighteenth-century France introduces the age when comfort became a new ideal. Home life, formerly characterized by stiff formality, was revolutionized by the simultaneous introduction of the sofa (a radical invitation to recline or converse), the original living rooms, and the very concept of private bedrooms and bathr...more
Paperback, 304 pages
Published
August 31st 2010
by Bloomsbury USA
(first published July 1st 2009)
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I won this book on a Giveaway and was delighted.
This book, about a subject of particular interest to me (history of decoration, lifestyles in the past, fashion of the past, etc.) amply fulfilled my expectations.
It was fascinating to learn the history of the development of bedrooms, flush toilets, and the use of cotton in clothing, to name but a few things.
This book would serve, perhaps, as more of a reference type book than just a read-it-all-at-once book; the style of writing is very understan...more
This book, about a subject of particular interest to me (history of decoration, lifestyles in the past, fashion of the past, etc.) amply fulfilled my expectations.
It was fascinating to learn the history of the development of bedrooms, flush toilets, and the use of cotton in clothing, to name but a few things.
This book would serve, perhaps, as more of a reference type book than just a read-it-all-at-once book; the style of writing is very understan...more
I won this book on a Giveaway and was delighted.
This book, about a subject of particular interest to me (history of decoration, lifestyles in the past, fashion of the past, etc.) amply fulfilled my expectations.
It was fascinating to learn the history of the development of bedrooms, flush toilets, and the use of cotton in clothing, to name but a few things.
This book would serve, perhaps, as more of a reference type book than just a read-it-all-at-once book; the style of writing is very understan...more
This book, about a subject of particular interest to me (history of decoration, lifestyles in the past, fashion of the past, etc.) amply fulfilled my expectations.
It was fascinating to learn the history of the development of bedrooms, flush toilets, and the use of cotton in clothing, to name but a few things.
This book would serve, perhaps, as more of a reference type book than just a read-it-all-at-once book; the style of writing is very understan...more
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This book starts large and works its way down. It details how comfort spread from architecture all the way down to furniture, fixtures and what people wore, but also gives an accurate picture of the personalities who made it more than a trend. The little details about the people, some Royal and some not, really made it for me. The final few chapters from 'The Bedroom' to 'The Fabric of Their Lives' are the most enjoyable as they are the most personal. My favorite picture was of the Marquise de P...more
Enjoyed this book I won. This was very interesting and was well written. It told of the invention of some of our modern conveniences, such as indoor plumbing and some of our more comfortable furniture, & how and why these things were conceived. I certainly learned from it. I had not known that a lot of what we enjoy today came from Paris, or what period of time these things were first designed. Anyone interested in history would find this book a good read. Anyone with an interest in Paris or...more
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This is an informative book by University of Pennsylvania Trustee Professor Joan DeJean that caused me to look at the sofa in an entirely new way. It was not until the turn of the 18th century that the societal desire for comfort and privacy surfaced. People wanted spaces that were less formal and in which they could feel fully at ease. Architecture, clothing, and furniture became more casual. New words describing interior design became part of the lexicon: sopha or sofa from the Arab word for c...more
Won this book on giveaways. Will be my next book.
*
Not the type of book I normally read, but so far (2nd chapter), I am finding the journey into the history and development of the concept of home comfort in 17th/18th century Paris to be quite interesting. My first impression is that the author tends to be a little over repetitive in order to stress her points, but this may just be reflective of the transition from overview to introduction.
**
I did enjoy this book, but the phrase "a picture is wort...more
*
Not the type of book I normally read, but so far (2nd chapter), I am finding the journey into the history and development of the concept of home comfort in 17th/18th century Paris to be quite interesting. My first impression is that the author tends to be a little over repetitive in order to stress her points, but this may just be reflective of the transition from overview to introduction.
**
I did enjoy this book, but the phrase "a picture is wort...more
I received this book for free from the Goodreads first read giveaway. I thought this book was good even though I have no interest in decorating or furniture. The author did some painstaking research. If you want to know about the eveloution of decorating, fashion and lifestyle changes in Europe of the 1700's, this is the book for you!
If you've ever enjoyed an episode of Antiques Roadshow, this is at least an interesting skim. I passed my copy on to my mother, who went through an intense French antiques period and who is going to appreciate this book much more than I. :)
Jan 28, 2011
Elizabeth
marked it as to-read
I've read her book on the influence of Louis XIV on the fashion industry and I'm sure this one will be equally pleasurable!
Sep 17, 2010
Jane from BC
marked it as to-read
Looking forward to receiving this book as I won it in a First Reads giveaway.
I'm very excited! I just won this book and am greatly looking forward to reading it :)
This book fits nicely into period histories of architecture, clothing, and social history, for example the salon. Anyone who wants to find out how the hostesses fitted up their salons, and how having comfortable rather than stately rooms changed how rooms were used, will enjoy this detailed ramble, but be wary of some of her claims; there are some distressing errors, especially about life in the 1400s and 1500s.
Please read my blog for a review: http://notmytypee.blogspot.com/2011/1...
I won my copy through First Reads.
I won my copy through First Reads.
May 16, 2013
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“By then, [1737]...the French were taking advantage of the new "reading rooms" created by architects such as Blondel and of new seat furniture and had begun a practice we now call curling up with a good book.”
—
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