“The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in that house all that cold, cold, wet day.” -Dr. Seuss
Whether you’re looking for something to relax or inspire on any given rainy day, we’ve got you covered!
Necessary Rules for Children in Pennsylvania Dutch Country by Christopher Dock
Parents may take some comfort in this on a rainy day when the kids are stir crazy (if they get a moment). Mennonite schoolmaster Christopher Dock first published his A Hundred Necessary Rules of Conduct for Children in 1764. It instructed children how to keep their belongings tidy, behave in public and stay awake in church. Schoolteacher Paul Breon brings the rules into context for today’s children and parents. You can find this book here!
The New England Cook Book by Marion Harland, et al.
This book features both an entertaining collection of recipes (which quickly become stories in themselves) and a fascinating slice of life from a century ago. Egg yolks are “yelks,” there are not one, but two “mock turtle” recipes that require the scalding and cleaning of a calf’s head (don’t ask about the tongue) and everything is cooked over fire—live, wood-burning fire. You can find this book here!
Classic Cookbooks that Define
American Culture
When you think of classic American cookbooks, there’s a good chance that the ones you consider essential parts of the American cooking canon aren’t American at all. After all…READ more on the blog.
A Cades Cove Childhood by Margaret McCaulley
J.C. McCaulley offers an exclusive glimpse into a childhood in the Cove (Great Smoky’s National Park in TN). His stories, compiled by his wife, Margaret, are a testament to a way of life long abandoned—a life before automobiles, television and perhaps too much exposure to the outside world; a life of hard work and caring for your neighbors. You can find this book here!
The Corpsewood Manor Murders by Amy Petulla
If you’re craving the truly creepy on a rainy day, check out this tale of a grisly murder in the woods. Author Amy Petulla uncovers the curious case that left two men dead and the incredible story still surrounded by controversy, speculation and myth. You can find this book here!
Want more? Check out The Curse of Corpsewood on Crime Capsule.
Mr. Selfridge in Chicago by Gayle Soucek
Follow Selfridge’s astounding rise through the ranks of the Windy City’s merchant princes, his tumultuous attempt to challenge Field’s mastery of Chicago and his triumphant introduction of the American department store to London. You can find this book here!
A History of Smuggling in Florida by Stan Zimmerman
With stories of drug runners and prostitute pushers alongside the exploits and follies of Florida’s elite, we are able to see why throughout its long history, Florida has always been a true “smuggler’s paradise.” You can find this book here!
Hooked Rugs of the Midwest by Mary Collins Barile
The story of hooked rugs in the Midwest is a ragbag blending of romance, folklore, myth and common sense told through the colors of barns and sky, golden wheat, farm ponds, red clay, red brick, steel, glass and fountains. In this vividly illustrated history, Mary Collins Barile shakes out the dust from the Midwestern hooked rug with the vigor its unique blend of utility and imagination deserves. You can find the book here!
