Gifts to make Easter egg-citing
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Virginia Smith
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Clean: A History of Personal Hygiene and Purity Illustrated Edition, Kindle Edition

by Virginia Smith (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.8 out of 5 stars 22 ratings
Why do we still have nits? What exactly are 'purity rules'? And why have baths scarcely changed in 200 years?

The long history of personal hygiene and purity is a fascinating subject that reveals how closely we are linked to our deeper past. In this pioneering book, Virginia Smith covers the global history of human body-care from the Neolithic to the present, using first-hand accounts and sources.

From pre-historic grooming rituals to New Age medicine, from ascetics to cosmetics, Smith looks at how different cultures have interpreted and striven for personal cleanliness and shows how, throughout history, this striving for purity has brought great social benefits as well as great tragedies. It is probably safe to say that no-one who reads this book will look at his or her body (or bathroom) in quite the same way again.
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  1. ISBN-13
    978-0191579936
  2. Edition
    Illustrated
  3. Publisher
    OUP Oxford
  4. Publication date
    24 July 2008
  5. Language
    English
  6. File size
    2.1 MB
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Product description

Review

This is a fascinating account of cleanliness, from BC to MRSA. ― BBC History Magazine.

This is a fascinating cornucopia of cleanliness. ― P. D. Smith. The Guardian.

Smith's book, filled with offbeat erudition, is a fascinating journey through centuries. ― Sunday Times.

About the Author

Virginia Smith is a freelance historian who specializes in the history of personal hygiene. She was previously a Fellow of the Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, under the supervision of the late Roy Porter, and is currently an honorary fellow of the Centre for History in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Her current research interests include the history of cosmetics, spas, and nudity.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000SEUTLS
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ OUP Oxford; Illustrated edition (24 July 2008)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.1 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 470 pages
  • Customer reviews:
    3.8 out of 5 stars 22 ratings

About the author

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Virginia Smith

Virginia Smith

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Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
22 global ratings

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Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • GIULIO GUIZZI storico del cleaning ha scritto il libro
    4.0 out of 5 stars An inyeresting description
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 May 2013
    Verified Purchase
    This book gives a good description of personal hygiene.-
    I will put it in my library dedicated to cleaning and sanitation
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Lovborg
    4.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive History
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 April 2008
    It's a great study of the topic, touching on sociology, theology and psychology - but chiefly (as you'd expect) - on history. It takes us pretty much up to date, but I have to confess to feeling that the ending was both a little rushed and a little cursory. That said, the writing is intelligent, the examples plentiful and the scope of the work is unprecedented: so there's not much to argue with.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Serge Berthier
    1.0 out of 5 stars a disappointment
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 March 2011
    That review was created in November 2009 but was only published on the US site
    Maybe I was expecting too much. The topic was an interesting one, but Virginia Smith drawns us into endless repetition ending either with a lieu commun or a far-fetched idea. As for the chronology, after of history implies some sort of chronology, it is just chaotic. The book lacks clarity of purpose.
    At the end, I gave up and did not finish it
    6 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Lee M
    4.0 out of 5 stars history of hygiene
    Reviewed in the United States on 12 July 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Book was fine. Interesting subject if you like that sort of thing. Wish I could just submit a rating without having to write a justification.
    Report
  • Ian Archibald
    2.0 out of 5 stars Too much quoted and generally irrelevant material
    Reviewed in Canada on 16 July 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Loses focus by going too deep on many marginal areas
    Report
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on 13 May 2015
    Verified Purchase
    The book was in excellent condition and very enjoyable reading.
    Report
  • Vittorio De Alfaro
    4.0 out of 5 stars Italy since 1796 and the rest
    Reviewed in the United States on 27 January 2010
    Verified Purchase
    I am sorry; I entered this item - and the next one - without knowing exactly
    Report
  • Serge Berthier
    2.0 out of 5 stars A disappointment
    Reviewed in the United States on 17 November 2009
    Verified Purchase
    Maybe I was expecting too much. The topic was an interesting one, but Virginia Smith drawns us into endless repetition ending either with a lieu commun or a far-fetched idea. As for the chronology, after of history implies some sort of chronology, it is just chaotic. The book lacks clarity of purpose.
    At the end, I gave up and did not finish it
    Report

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