A Visitor's Guide to Victorian England by Michelle Higgs

A Visitor's Guide to Victorian England
by Michelle Higgs

ISBN-13: 9781781592830
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Pen & Sword
Released: February 28th 2014

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
HAVE YOU EVER IMAGINED what it would be like to visit the Victorian era? How would you find the best seat on an omnibus, deal with unwanted insects and vermin, get in and out of a vehicle while wearing a crinoline, and avoid catching an infectious disease? Michelle Higgs answers all these questions. Drawing on a wide range of sources, this book blends accurate historical details with compelling stories to bring the period to life.


My Review:
A Visitor's Guide to Victorian England is an overview of various aspects of life in Victorian England. It's written as if you're going to time travel back to visit England and need advice on how to fit in. The author covered various topics like temporary lodgings (inns, hotels, etc.), men's and women's clothing, food and drink (from street vendors, inns, etc.), transportation (taking the stagecoach, railway, etc.), shopping and making up clothes, hazards to the health (from food, disease, etc.), courting customs and marriage laws, sports and entertainment (theater, horse racing, etc.), and customs around mourning the dead, going to church, different holidays, and such. At the end, she also gave a timeline of significant events and examples of costs and of wages.

There were some quotes from people who lived during that time period (especially from the late 1800s). The author also referred to information found in other books about life in Victorian England. I've read many in-depth books about the period, so not a lot of this information was new to me. This book was more of a survey of a variety of topics about the time period and would be a good introduction to the subject.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Christopher Hobbs's Medicinal Mushrooms by Christopher Hobbs

Christopher Hobbs's Medicinal Mushrooms by Christopher Hobbs ISBN-13: 9781635861679 Paperback: 272 pages Publisher: Storey Publishing Released: March 30, 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Mushrooms have been used as medicine for thousands of years and their value in boosting immunity, improving memory, and even fighting cancer is being recognized and documented in scientific research. Christopher Hobbs, a mycologist and herbalist at the forefront of contemporary research, profiles the most powerful medicinal mushrooms and explains the nutritional and medicinal compounds in each one. Detailed instructions cover how to select, store, and prepare each variety for use. Whether readers are growing or foraging their own mushrooms, or sourcing them from a local provider, this essential handbook will guide them in making health-boosting medicine.


My Review:
Christopher Hobbs's Medicinal Mushrooms is a detailed guide about foraging, buying, and using medicinal mushrooms. The author included information about how to identify medicinal mushrooms in the wild (including information about dangerous look-alike mushrooms) and how to harvest and process them. He also talked about buying medicinal mushrooms as fresh or dried fruit bodies, powdered extracts, and tinctures, and what to look for in these products. He described the different ways to use them, like in food or as a tea, and provided step-by-step, illustrated directions on how to make your own extracts, powders, and tinctures. He covered details about the different health benefits of the most popular medical mushrooms as well as some lesser known mushrooms and psychedelic mushrooms. In each mushroom's profile, he talked about health-related research findings, gave a summary of traditional uses, provided suggested dosages, and what to look for in commercial products. He also described how to cultivate various mushrooms at home. Overall, I'd recommend this very informative book to anyone interested in medicinal mushrooms.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.