Rating: 
Summary: Loved it.
Review: I love this book. As a matter of fact, I purchased the book a second time after my puppy took a bite out of my first copy.First, let me say that this book is a great reference for all the housekeeping how-to's. Amazingly enough, it is still an entertaining (albeit lengthy) read! I have bought copies for several friends moving into their first homes. I think that many of those who negatively reviewed this book are missing a simple point. The author is not trying to offend anyone, or imply that we all must have the same budgeting that she has. She is simply lacing a VERY informative book on housekeeping with her own opinions on the subject of homemaking. She presents an ideal model. Of course, most of us have normal situations and resources, not ideal. This is obvious. What is not so obvious is that many people become defensive when confronted with standards that are clearly above their own...and Mrs. Mendelson has very high standards. Our society as a whole has, sadly, lowered the standard of what constitutes a comfortable home, and I find it refreshing to read a book by an author who realizes this and isn't condescending to the population who go on the defensive, many of whom would probably benefit more from books with "tips" and "hints" to make things faster or cheaper, but not more homey and comfortable. That said, I am not a top-notch housekeeper...yet. I was never taught how to keep a house...my mother relies on a housekeeping service. But I wanted something more than a bimonthly housekeeper and dinner-out-of-a-can for my own family--something I could take pride in. And, impractical Martha Stewart-esqe crafts and decorating are no substitute for a clean, comfy, and well-managed home. This book presents me with something to work toward. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Great information...
Review: A practical reference on par with Joy of Cooking and Fannie Farmer. Would make a great gift for a working single with a "secret life" or a young couple starting out. It's actually a fun read, too.
Rating: 
Summary: Home of the Obvious
Review: This book was touted to have all sorts of insightful information, but instead it is just many many pages of the obvious. The writing is good and the author is sometimes entertaining, but the purpose of the book is not met. I don't think anyone needs a book to tell them to use tile cleaner for tile, soap scum cleaner for soap scum and a dust mop for dust.
Rating: 
Summary: Good topic but BAD book.
Review: My husband and I both have careers, and we both could use this kind of information for ways to keep our house better. However, this weighty tome is extremely difficult to use. You can't simply turn to a section and get the tips you need. Also, the author, who (to be honest) (...)has no background in this area, writes about herself, and, to be honest, I don't care about her thoughts or her life. I just want the information. I mean, if I have a stain in a sink or want some information on where to put the dessert spoon when I set the table, I don't want to wade through irrelevant ramblings from the writer. So, the bottom line is this: This is a good topic. But this is a BAD book.
Rating:
Summary: Wordy and hard to use
Review: I received Comforts Of Home as a shower gift, and I have found it to be very hard to use. It's so wordy and comes off as hard to read and hard to use textbook. Just try to find something quickly-----you can't. The information could have been boiled down into a much smaller book if it wasn't so wordy in the first place. I also don't know who this author is, so her credentials are questionable. I hate to sound like an ad, but I also received Making a Home (by the Better Homes and Gardens magazine staff) as a shower gift, and it's great. Really useful and comprehensive. I can find the info I want quickly, and the writing is concise and to the point. Making A Home is far better than Comforts Of Home, because I like the looseleaf binder style with its tabs (just like my favorite cookbook). I'm keeping Making a Home on the kitchen shelf by the phone book because I know I'll keep referring to it.
Rating:
Summary: Adult leadership
Review: When my wife ended our marriage in time for our 25th Anniversary,
I realized that I had no idea what to do at home on my own. My only previous instruction in sewing, ironing, etc, was in the 82nd Airborne Division ("Use blue thread on the airborne part of your patch, read thread on the AA, black on the Ranger tab"...."Iron the backs of your shirts with the creases running this direction...",etc.) Though I had cleaned, ironed and generally helped out around the house, I had no idea where to start, how to proceed, when to finish. There was no one to ask, and lots of contradictory information available. What I needed was adult leadership, and Cheryl Mendelson provided it. I use this book several times a week, and have bought copies for friends and relatives. Never has so much useful information been available in an organized, non-patronizing manner. Though she does assume most of her readers are female, this has got to be the most useful how to book for males since the renaissance. When I read all the accomplishments of Ms.Mendelson, I realized she had to be superbly organized just to keep all those juggled balls in the air: lawyer, author, wife, and mother among others. She is easy to read, offers as much or as little as you care to use, and her advice is for use rather than ostentation. She is clear, intellegent, experienced and willing to share for a reasonable price. If the Republicans ever change their policy on cloning, Cheryl Mendelson ought to be the first one cloned. She knows more than my former wife and top sargeant combined, and her book contains and dispenses sound advice without demanding pushups or awkward telephone calls to friends. It ought to be given to every graduating senior, high school, college, and grey-haired. Get this book now. What are you waiting for?
Rating:
Summary: Great Reference Book
Review: The author is a Philosopher, but she is not above the practicalities of housekeeping. She can tell you how to clean and maintain and care for any of the items that you may have in your house, or ought to have in your house. This is a great reference book.
Rating:
Summary: I have owned this book for a year and I refer to it often!
Review: Cheryl Mendelson's "Home Comforts" is a wonderful volume which I refer to frequently for it's highly useful information. After owning this book for a year, I have decided to update my review. Not only is this book a prized "use and care" manual for my home, I have to confess: It's also a good read! I'm known to curl up with this book and a steaming cup of hot tea to relax in my favorite chair by the window. For me, after a stressful day at work, this book is delightful to read just for pleasure. It is a book that I will pass on to my children, when I finally get around to having some (Mom!) (...)I love "Home Comforts." This book is organized into a very logical and easy to read format. It covers in detail every aspect of planning for, running, and organizing a home. It does not matter if you are renting an apartment, own a house, live in a mobile home, studio apartment or on a boat, you will find something you can use in this book. I think "Home Comforts" is an ideal gift for people who are setting up house on their own for the first time, are newly married, or for someone (like me) who just really needed a guide and some effort to get their house in order. Housekeeping is a very personal thing, indeed, and you will find that Ms. Mendelson is very good at making suggestions on how to fit daily, weekly, and monthly routines into your own schedule without sounding bossy. I have also found that this book really inspired me to make the most out of my surroundings. Even on my limited budget, turning my house into a home has become my favorite ongoing project since I've owned this book. With that said, I want you to know that "Home Comforts" is not just a "housecleaning how-to" manual. It is indeed full of very useful information on all aspects of maintaining a home, from the day-to-day tasks which we all do, such as laundry, cooking, dishes and neatening. However, the book also contains indepth information on planning meals, marketing, fiber care and stain removal, the care of natural and man-made materials, and a detailed discourse on traditional home skills like basic home sewing and caring for fine china and silver. (...) Several chapters of this book deal with the jobs that nobody wants to do: unclogging a stopped up drain or toilet, how to clean moldy ceilings, and how to deal with the unwelcome infestation of lice, nits or fleas in the home and in your child's bedding. The chapter on stain removal has been a blessing to me, as I'm an avid connoisseur of red wine, but have chosen to decorate my home in with cream-colored furniture and light colored carpeting! I have referred to chapter 6 of this book time and time again, and have found it not only interesting but endlessly useful. The chapter is titled "Serving Meals" and covers how to serve food graciously, in a style that would have Miss Manners beaming appreciatively. This chapter has directly influenced me in my selection of a proper set of china, silver service and crystal, and also covers the mysterious art of proper table settings. As a person who likes to hold dinner parties, I have also found this chapter imminently useful as a guide on how to serve meals with elegance and grace. There are two very important sections in "Home Comforts" which contain invaluable knowledge: the sections titled "Safe shelter" and "Formalities" discuss being prepared for anything. Chapters on home safety, fire prevention, electrical safety measures, home records (insurance papers and wills), and valuable papers and jewelry all inspired me to make sure I had everything in order. The sections on domestic employment laws and regulations and state labor laws might keep you out of trouble later on if you have a large household that requires additional hands to keep it running smoothly. One of the last sections in "Home Comforts," titled "Notes," is a really good reference section in which Ms. Mendelson gives further information and other sources that she recommends to use for all subjects dealing with the home. There isn't enough space here to write about all the useful subjects contained in this book. You'll just have to buy it for yourself. I have given a rating of 5 stars, but I strongly feel that it deserves more. Anyone who is aspiring to make a proper home should have a copy. This book unashamedly celebrates the art and effort that goes into making a home in a time when these efforts are sometimes looked down upon. I proudly display this book on my coffee table, and as a single working woman of 26 years of age, I sometimes get odd looks from my contemporaries when they see it. But I'm not ashamed to be a budding homemaker - I feel there should be no stigma attached to someone who is working hard to make a comfortable place for themselves in the world. I highly recommend this book to anyone who cares about making a home. I deeply feel that a "house" is just a building, but a "home" is someplace that you feel nourished, protected and loved. Even if you live alone, you can make a home for yourself. This book details in many ways the special touches and routines which you can use to start the traditions that will make any house, apartment, mobile home or small studio a home. I feel this book is worth every penny, and every time I refer to it in my own home, its value increases to me. - Theresa Amelia Sweeny
Rating:
Summary: Everything our grandmothers knew and forgot to pass down....
Review: As an avid collector of antique housekeeping and etiquette books, I have long wished for a single, encyclopedic source of homemaking how-tos. Cheryl Mendelson has given us just that with _Home Comforts_. This book has quickly become my housekeeping companion, helping me figure out everything from how to read garment care labels to the proper care and cleaning of pianos. Mendelson has not overlooked the tinest detail of caring for hearth and home. Some may feel overwhelmed by the sheer size and scope of this volume, but it is good to keep in mind that this is a reference tool, not the 1001 commandments of homemaking. My mother reminds me constantly that "everything doesn't have to be done at the same time," but that you should "do what you are doing now to the very best of your ability." With this commonsense approach in mind, _Home Comforts_ becomes a fantastic help as you order your life, make home a welcoming haven and learn to serve the needs of your family in the best way possible. Every housekeeper will have her own ways of doing things, but Mendelson's compilation of facts, tips and methods can be a tremendous help as you navigate the ins and outs of daily homemaking challenges. Tremendously fun, inspiring and creative, this book will remain in my home library as long as I live!
Rating:
Summary: a useful book for the analytical, concerned housekeeper
Review: While, at first glance, this book could either offend you or make you feel guilty (as the author notes in her introduction), this book is good for those of us who hate to do things 'just because'. The author explains the history of keeping house, the whys and wherefores of each of her suggestions, and includes a lot of anecdotal information - which makes this tome much more interesting, quite frankly, than one of those '104 lists for life' type books. If a book (as is this one) is interesting, I'm far more likely to use the information contained in it - but if you don't like to read, don't buy this book. If you're easily offended, don't buy this book. If you consider yourself a top-notch housekeeper, don't buy this book - 'cause you probably won't follow any of the advice. Quite frankly, I know many young people who could use this book, because like me, their mothers were too busy working and raising their kids to teach us to discern the difference between denim and linen in the dryer, or the different sanitizing uses of bleach and alcohol in cleaners, or the difference between frozen green beans and canned green beans in vegetable soup. BUT, if you're not prepared to keep this book handy, and to spend some time learning about the information contained in it - this, like any reference work, is useless. In short, this is an excellent casual reference book, and has the good and bad qualities associated with the genre.
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