Kristin Holt's Blog, page 12

Vaseline: a Victorian Product?

If you had to guess, would you suppose that petroleum jelly (specifically, Vaseline brand) was a nineteenth century "invention"? Too late? Too early? Pick a year, any year. Then open this article. Prepare to be amazed!

BOOK REVIEW: A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund

Five-star Book Review of Jody Hedlund's A Noble Groom, with historical background, my personal reasons for rating this book so highly, and celebrating the historical accuracy in the setting and conflict of this superior Christian Historical Romance novel.

Would Frontiersmen Pool Resources for Potential Brides?

Would frontiersmen actually pool their financial resources to bring potential brides west? Would they trust one of their own to go East to find brides for them all? One town in Dakota Territory did just that in 1885. A California newspaper, The Petaluma Courier announced the plan.

The circumstances immediately brought to mind the premise behind my series, Prosperity's Mail-Order Brides. Books 2 and 3 are in the queue (with titles!), and all have fancy new covers.

This Day in History: August 30

Two contrasting newspaper articles: August 30, 1860 (Altoona, PA) and August 30, 1876 (Fort Scott, KS), show both the apparently high fidelity of marriage...and the lowest of regard of the institution. Both--published on August 30th (157 years ago today, and 141 years ago today)--illustrate a slice of life from the mid- to late-Victorian Era United States. To amateur historians like me (and many readers of western historical romance fiction), newspaper articles like these allow us to draw conclusions based on the readings. What do you think of these two examples of marriage in 19th century America?

August is Romance Awareness Month

Though we're at the close of August, we still have time to acknowledge the standing observation of Romance Awareness Month. What is romance? I'll suggest my Top 15 ways to observe this month--extra applicable to readers who love romantic fiction!

Victorian America: Women Responsible for Domestic Happiness (1860)

Victorian-era expectations regarding women's province (the home), placed responsibility for happiness, economy (and perceived respectability),  and her husband's "comfort" at home, wholly within her reach--and the consequences (good and bad) entirely on her shoulders. This vintage newspaper article, "Truths for Wives", is a classical example of pervasive attitudes in the nineteenth century. While starkly dissimilar to today's societal expectations, this short article from 1860 sheds much light on Victorian expectations--including winning and keeping a husband's love.

BOOK REVIEW: Choosing Bravery by Jacqui Nelson

PUBLISHER’S BOOK DESCRIPTION: If you enjoy daring quests where trust and tenacity guide the brave to a love of a lifetime, you can’t lose with this Wild West historical adventure. . When legends collide, will the sparks ignite their love or drive them apart? (Oregon Territory – 1868) . After her parents vanished in the […]

BOOK REVIEW: Marriage, a History: How Love Conquered Marriage

,,, When I picked up the audible edition of Stephanie Coontz’s Marriage, a History, I had no idea who the author was, or how uniquely credentialed and prepared she was to write a history book on the subject of marriage and its history. I merely wanted to learn more. I’d heard my well-read son speak […]

For Sale: WIFE (Part 2)

In Part 2 of this blog series, I share 70 newspaper clippings from Victorian America, wherein reports abound that husbands have sold their wives. Prices range from $0.05 (5 cents) to thousands of dollars (US, Victorian). I provided price comparisons, just for impact. Throughout, I provided my opinions regarding TRUTH or JOKE. Ultimately, there had to be some of both. What a bizarre practice!

For Sale: WIFE (Part 1)

Join me for the first of two parts--For Sale: WIFE. Victorian American Newspapers of the mid- to late-nineteenth century (and early 20th century) illustrate the extinct custom of wife selling and wife trading. The newspaper article featured in this blog post showcases this antiquated approach to marriage (and wives as chattel--literally, a man's property) as part of a greater, overarching problem of crumbling morality.