Cigarettes to cure asthma? Crushed strawberries to remove freckles? Old advice can be peculiar or even downright dangerous, as this eye-opening, enjoyable treasury of misinformation proves. Drawn from such tomes as Ladies' Indispensable Assistant (1852), Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management (1861), and Dr. Chase's Recipes (c. 1884), it offers a sampling of the most alarming remedies, unusual tips, and outdated theories from the late eighteenth to early twentieth centuries. The unwise guidance covers everything from curing alcoholism to lacing corsets. Complete with revealing information on the popularity of opium, history of bathing, and nineteenth-century version of the Atkins' diet, A Book of Curious Advice provides a rare and hilarious glimpse into our ancestors' heads and homes.

Author Biography

Born in Toronto, Ruth Pepper Summers raised her family in Burlington, Ontario and still lives there happily with her husband. Despite no formal education after tenth grade, she has had a myriad of successful careers, including freelance writing for various newspapers. Ruth now enjoys compiling obscure and arcane trivia with the invaluable help of the Internet, her computer, and a vast collection of antique books.