At Home: A Short History of Private Life

Summary

In "At Home: A Short History of Private Life," Bill Bryson invites the reader on a fascinating journey through the rooms of his own Victorian house, transforming familiar walls and everyday objects into a living encyclopedia of human civilization. Each chapter is a heartfelt account of how our notions of comfort, coziness, and safety were shaped, how architectural solutions, habits, and even tastes have changed over the centuries. With his characteristic irony and attention to detail, Bryson uncovers unexpected connections between the history of daily life and great events, telling the stories behind furniture, traditions, and inventions that have quietly woven themselves into the fabric of our lives. This book is not just a tour of a house, but an exquisite stroll through the labyrinths of time, where every door opens onto a new page in the history of humanity.