The Elements of a Home

LOCAL AUTHOR

Look around your house and you will see things people take for granted — stacking chairs, a simple vase, playing cards, a spoon, tile, a dollhouse, wallpaper, and so much more. Our homes are full of items that seem mundane, but many of them have interesting histories. Dollhouses have been around since the mid-1500s, but they didn’t start out as children’s toys, but for an art-loving duke, and later became a teaching tool before ever becoming a toy. And the lowly napkin started out in a most surprising way, not made of either paper or cloth. Even plates were originally made from something today’s diners would never expect. This fun book has the histories of over sixty everyday objects. Author Amy Azzarito has really done her homework and has packed all kinds of fascinating facts and anecdotes into a neat little compendium complemented by nice illustrations and sidebars with even more fun facts. This is a great book to keep on the bedside table for quick, relaxing reads or to take on a car trip for reading aloud. The writing is lively and the subject matter both entertaining and captivating. This is a real winner.