THE AMERICAN FRUGAL HOUSEWIFE by Lydia Francis Child

 

THE AMERICAN FRUGAL HOUSEWIFE by Lydia Maria Francis Child; published in 1833 is now a public domain book meaning there is no copyright protections on it.  I downloaded this  ebook for 99 cents  from Amazon because I am interested in how our ancestors lived, particularly women. 

I am interested in how women managed money, how women dressed, how they maintained the household and so forth.  Not many women today care how they did it back then because, in their eyes, women did not have equal rights- I beg to differ. If you study Scripture and you think about the contents written in this book the reader will understand  how very equal women were- equal but with different task to perform. 

THE AMERICAN FRUGAL HOUSEWIFE contains tips for the young wife on how to manage her household, particularly if you were not wealthy. 

In the 1800’s there was a need to properly preserve foods. This book would have been an asset to the young lady whose mother had not taught her the ins and outs of running a household.

The book contains such recipes as: Egg gruel, Gruel, and Calf’s foot Jelly! None of these things seem appealing to me but it is clear that the theme of the book is: let nothing go to waste! And as you read you will discover this is a true assessment.

In the introduction the author presents her no nonsense approach to running a household, many mothers and fathers today would object to her writings:

“Nothing should be thrown away so long as it is possible to make any use of it, however trifling that use may be; and whatever be the size of the family, every member should be employed either in earning or saving money.”

Continuing in the introduction Lydia Maria Francis Child writes: “A child of six years old can be made useful; and should be taught to consider every day lost in which some little thing has not been done to assist others.”

I could go on and on about this book. Many people would read it from a historical perspective, I think people should read it from a now perspective. One of the last two chapters are: HOW TO ENDURE HARD TIMES and there is also HOW TO ENDURE POVERTY I want a hard copy. Once upon a time in America people did not have the government to help them I believe we were better because of it. 

THE AMERICAN FRUGAL HOUSEWIFE by Lydia Maria Francis Child is both a historical look at the life of a woman in the 1800’s and the transfer of wisdom as many of us try to return to our GOD designed attributes. 

You will not appreciate this book if you are in pursuit of breaking the glass ceiling. You will love this book if you appreciate all things female.  - written by Marsha L F Randolph