Women at Home in Victorian America: A Social History

by Ellen M. Plante

Book by Plante, Ellen M.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Victorian

242 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1997

Reviews

[Heather]

I think the most important thing I learned form this book was that the perfect number of guests for a dinner party is twelve.

Parts of this were repetitive, and parts were simplified, but in general it was very informative and it was interesting to see what current cultural traditions started in the Victorian era & to learn about other aspects that were short-lived. I would recommend it as a companion to fiction written in or taking place in the Victorian period.

[Brenda Clough]

I could wish this book did hot hop around so widely in the period. An adequate basic summary of American women of the period.

[Susan]

Very enjoyable. I have read quite a few books on the topic and would recommend this as more accessible to beginners. I especially enjoyed the sample response letter to a suitor who has unexpectedly proposed by mail. What a different time.

[Jenna]

I have read this book about 3 times. It is an excellent one-stop source for understanding the life of the middle-class/aspiring upper-class woman in Victorian America. The author gives good excerpts from original sources while also highlighting the contradictions in the life of a Victorian woman. It is also written in an accessible and readable style, yet does not seem to sacrifice scholarship.

[K]

A lot of the information contained is sourced from other books, particularly Louise Stevens' "The Victorian Homefront". However, there are quite a few quotations and sources from helpful, lesser known sources, and the bibliography is pretty great! I would recommend it for someone who is just starting their research. I think the organization is pretty good, and it is brightly written and reads quickly.

[Vikki]

This book was a social history. It is a great account of how life was in the 1800s and early 1900s.

[Rachel]

Very general overview. Some books in the bibliography sound fantastic.