Our Own Snug Fireside: Images of the New England Home, 1760-1860

by Jane Nylander

Offers a detailed look at home life in New England from colonial times to the eve of the Civil War, clears up misconceptions about the period, and looks at gender roles, household economies, prosperity, poverty, and community ritual

Genres: History, Nonfiction

317 pages, Hardcover

First published April 6, 1993

Reviews

[Laurabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taken entirely from eyewitness accounts, Jane Nylander crafts a wonderful glimpse into the not-so-glamorous New England life. I loved it. She carefully distinguishes between the romantic view of life vs. the hard facts of how early Americans lived. The writing is not riveting, but I still enjoyed it because I am in love with the subject matter.

Lord willing if I travel to New England again, I'll now know even more context about the history houses I visit :)

[Mary Beth Frezon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every year about the time January drops the bottom out of the thermometer I think of this book. It takes a realistic look at life during the early years of New England, debunking myths like that of the family gathering around the cozy kitchen fireplace. Full of wonderful diary reports and other information on what it took to survive and how neighbors and family worked together to survive year round, it will leave you grateful for central heating and a thermostat as well as plumbing and hot water tanks.

Sarah Emery recalled that "the winter of 1820 and 1821 was remarkably cold....China cups cracked on the tea table from the frost, before a rousing fire, the instant the hot tea touched them; and plates set to drain in the process of dishwashing froze together in front of the huge logs, ablaze in the wide kitchen fireplace.

[Anne Michaud · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored that book!!! Such vivid images and rich historical knowledge!!!

[Eileen O'Finlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful resource for anyone looking for information on the details of everyday life in mid-18th to mid-19th century New England.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Primary sources fuel this excellent, eye-opening book about domesticity during a 100-year period, mid-18th through mid-19th centuries. Happy to have stumbled across this gem of a history book.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gave a wealth of information on daily living practices of colonial New Englanders, from 1760-1860. Even though the book was full of details, it was incredibly readable. I'm not sure how the author did it, but she wrote a very educational book without it being dry or boring. This is one of my favorite reads of how people actually lived, right up there with Judith Flanders' Inside the Victorian Home: A Portrait of Domestic Life in Victorian England.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title of this book suggests that it's a pretty picture book of happy, cozy times in early New England. It really doesn't represent the book very well. The lives of early New Englanders was often harsh and difficult. And the book is more academic (yet, still very accessible) than the title suggests. I would recommend it to anyone curious about the realities of daily life in New England until the Civil War. Fascinating stuff! It has changed the way I view the land I live on and my understanding of who has come before me entirely.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really wonderful book filled with facts about life at home in New England between 1760-1860. The information was well researched and presented in an interesting way. I borrowed this from my local library but I'll be purchasing it to add to my collection of historical research books. Recommend.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the nitty-gritty of ordinary life in early New England. The descriptions of the miseries of winter (crockery freezing as you take it from the rinse water) made me grateful for central heating. With lots of illustrations and a great bibliography.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful book to help understand what life was like for New Englanders in that time period. Clear, good description, easy to read ~ enjoyed it!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pleasurable summary of middle and upper class domesticity during the period of 1760-1860 with exceptional graphics. The author is to be commended for a fine historical work.