We each of us strive for domestic bliss, and we may look to Delia and Nigella to give us tips on achieving the unattainable. Kathryn Hughes, acclaimed for her biography of George Eliot, has pulled back the curtains to look at the creator of the ultimate book on keeping house.

Mrs Beeton has provided practical help and advice to many generations in their first attempts at running their own homes. The Best of Mrs Beeton's Household Tips brings together a selection of her wise advice, fully updated for the modern household. Here you will find guidance on everything from cleaning, laundry, home maintenance, health, childcare, first-aid, social custom and etiquette to money management.

Isabella Beeton's Book of Household Management is both an entertaining curiosity and an important social document, providing an invaluable insight into the day-to-day workings of a Victorian household.

"As with the commander of an army, so is it with the mistress of a house". Isabella Beeton was only twenty three years old when she penned these words in Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, first published in 1861. She could not have predicted how they would resonate with the women of England, nor could she have imagined how her name would become synonymous with culinary expertise and domestic bliss for generations to come. Mrs Beeton Says... is a charming and vibrant musical examining the life and legacy of this extraordinary woman: a spirited journalist, a tireless entrepreneur, and if not a perfect homemaker, then certainly a queen of organization. In a world where a woman could not vote, own a house, nor even ride a bicycle, Mrs Beeton's book gave the women of England something they desperately wanted: a bit of control.