Being a complete encyclopaedia of domestic and social economy and forming a guide to every department of practical life

In the closing years of the fourteenth century, an anonymous French writer compiled a book addressed to a fifteen-year-old bride, narrated in the voice of her husband, a wealthy, aging Parisian. The book was designed to teach this young wife the moral attributes, duties, and conduct befitting a woman of her station in society, in the almost certain event of her widowhood and subsequent remarriage. The work also provides a rich assembly of practical materials for the wife's use and for her household, including treatises on gardening and shopping, tips on choosing servants, directions on the medical care of horses and the training of hawks, plus menus for elaborate feasts, and more than 380 recipes. The Good Wife's Guide is the first complete modern English translation of this important medieval text also known as Le Ménagier de Paris (the Parisian household book), a work long recognized for its unique insights into the domestic life of the bourgeoisie during the later Middle Ages. The Good Wife's Guide, expertly rendered into modern English by Gina L. Greco and Christine M. Rose, is accompanied by an informative critical introduction setting the work in its proper medieval context as a conduct manual. This edition presents the book in its entirety, as it must have existed for its earliest readers. The Guide is now a treasure for the classroom, appealing to anyone studying medieval literature or history or considering the complex lives of medieval women. It illuminates the milieu and composition process of medieval authors and will in turn fascinate cooking or horticulture enthusiasts. The work illustrates how a (perhaps fictional) Parisian householder of the late fourteenth century might well have trained his wife so that her behavior could reflect honorably on him and enhance his reputation.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the air in our houses is up to five times more polluted than air outside--so it's clear that our homes have become fundamentally unhealthy places. But there is hope! With this guide, you'll learn the immediate changes that make your home--and your life--healthier and safer by neutralizing the toxins, radiation, and chemicals that threaten the average house. Inside you'll find: Instant-fix checklists that will immediately make your home, workplace, and school safer Room-by-room explorations of the most common and avoidable threats Special tips designed to protect vulnerable infants, children, and pets With detailed checklists that are ranked by the projected health impact of making the fix, you'll be able to make real, concrete improvements to the health of your home. Whether you make every change or just a targeted few, the decisive steps in this guide will result in a safer, more comfortable, and more livable home for you and your family.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1869.

FIND MEANING AND PURPOSE IN THE DAILY CHAOS OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD Parenting happens in habits. We make meals, shuttle our kids to events, answer their questions, discipline them, and do bedtime. But did you know that even these ordinary routines can serve as extraordinary opportunities to live out God’s love in profound ways? In Habits of the Household, you will discover simple practices you can implement around your daily routines and seemingly mundane moments that will lead to a lifetime of growing closer to God—both for you and everyone in your home. Each session includes practical examples of prayers, liturgies, and activities that you and your family can put into practice right away. As you create rhythms around your everyday routines, you will find your family has a greater sense of peace and purpose as your home becomes a place where you learn how to love each other and love God. This study guide includes: Individual access to five streaming video sessions Schedule for using as a weekend retreat A guide to best practices for leading a group Video notes and a comprehensive structure for group discussion time Personal study for deeper reflection between sessions Includes plans for hosting a weekend retreat for your group or church