Clean: A History of Personal Hygiene and Purity

In this pioneering book, Virginia Smith combines archeology, psychology, biology, and sociology to reveal how and why standards of cleanliness have come to exist today. Using hundreds of first-hand accounts and sources, Smith bring us from the Neolithic age to the present, peppering her engaging prose with enlightening and often surprising details. Subconscious cleanliness has been with us since the first cell ejected a foreign invader. Even at the earliest stages of human development, our bodies produced pleasure-giving chemical opiates when things smelled or felt clean, inducing us to do things like bathing and removing dirty clothes. The need to be clean led directly to socialization, as we turned to our fellows for help with those hard to reach spots. In Eurasia during the Bronze Age, an emerging hierarchy of wealthy elites turned their love of grooming into an explosion of the cosmetic and luxury goods industry, greatly effecting the culture and economy of a vast area and leading to advances in chemistry and medicine. The history that follows, from Greece and Rome, where citizens focused much of their leisure time on perfecting, bathing, or just writing about the model athletic body, through Europe in the middle ages and the following centuries, is full of intriguing customs, convoluted treatises, and many reversals. Baths were good for you, baths were bad for you, baths were good again--but only if they were quite cold. Even the enlightened medical knowledge of modern times could not stop an onslaught of health remedies, treatments, spas, and New Age nature cures that were to follow. While today we are immeasurably closer--perhaps too close--to knowing just what "clean" means to our bodies, we are still just as far as we ever were on agreeing what it means to our souls. This engrossing and highly original work will introduce you to the customs and ideas of a myriad of cultures from centuries of human history. Not only will you gain a new perspective on the wonderful diversity of the world, but you'll never look at your toothbrush the same way again.

Smith, Virginia

History

Oxford University Press

In this pioneering book, Virginia Smith combines archeology, psychology, biology, and sociology to reveal how and why standards of cleanliness have come to exist today. Using hundreds of first-hand accounts and sources, Smith bring us from the Neolithic age to the present, peppering her engaging prose with enlightening and often surprising details. Subconscious cleanliness has been with us since the first cell ejected a foreign invader. Even at the earliest stages of human development, our bodies produced pleasure-giving chemical opiates when things smelled or felt clean, inducing us to do things like bathing and removing dirty clothes. The need to be clean led directly to socialization, as we turned to our fellows for help with those hard to reach spots. In Eurasia during the Bronze Age, an emerging hierarchy of wealthy elites turned their love of grooming into an explosion of the cosmetic and luxury goods industry, greatly effecting the culture and economy of a vast area and leading to advances in chemistry and medicine. The history that follows, from Greece and Rome, where citizens focused much of their leisure time on perfecting, bathing, or just writing about the model athletic body, through Europe in the middle ages and the following centuries, is full of intriguing customs, convoluted treatises, and many reversals. Baths were good for you, baths were bad for you, baths were good again--but only if they were quite cold. Even the enlightened medical knowledge of modern times could not stop an onslaught of health remedies, treatments, spas, and New Age nature cures that were to follow. While today we are immeasurably closer--perhaps too close--to knowing just what "clean" means to our bodies, we are still just as far as we ever were on agreeing what it means to our souls.

The beautiful piano sitting in the corner of Jill King’s apartment begs to be played. For over a year, it has sat untouched, ever since a terrible accident shattered Jill’s ambition of becoming a concert pianist. The ragged scar on her left hand is a cruel and constant reminder of the death of her dream.But another dream is about to come to life―an unexpected, horrifying dream that will present Jill with a responsibility she never wanted. And choices she never wanted to make. Hundreds of lives depend on Jill’s willingness to warn her small, oceanside town in Nova Scotia of a nameless, looming disaster. But doing so could cost Jill her reputation, jeopardize the political career of the man she loves, and ruin their plans for a future together.The fate of an entire community hangs in the balance as Jill wrestles with the cost of heeding one still, small voice.

Lost Melody: A Novel

Literature & Fiction

Copeland, Lori

United States

Zondervan

Serving up murderous munchies at a church potluck social wouldn'twin any popularity contests, as Jackie Hoffner discovered. Someonehad laced the casserole she brought with poisonous mushrooms…and the deadly dish had fellow churchgoer and town fussbudgetAlice Farmer pushing up daisies. Now the gossip-hungry townsfolksuspected Jackie of foul play. To prove her innocence, she decided toconduct her own murder investigation, and Trooper Dennis Walsh'shelpful efforts and boy-next-door charm were welcome.Meanwhile, the town's mysterious poisoner seemed tohave more victims in mind….

Murder by Mushroom (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense #63) (A Cozy Mystery)

Love Inspired Suspense

WHO KILLED HER BOSS? Local police had tagged single mom Becky Dennison as their prime suspect. But she'd only been in the wrong place at the wrong time… admittedly, with her boss's lifeless body. Sure, it looked bad, but Becky had no motive for killing the man—even if she had opportunity. Then, Scott Lewis, handsome assistant manager of a nearby horse farm, entered Becky's life. Soon the amateur detectives were hot on the trail of the murderer…even as their feelings for each other deepened. And for Becky and Scott, this race on the Kentucky tracks had the greatest stakes of all: life or death.

Bluegrass Peril (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense #82)

Romance

Who murdered a small-town beauty-pageant judge—in a very strange way? Jasmine Delaney must find out. Because she's taken the victim's place. She came to the Kentucky Bar-B-Q festival for a wedding, eager to meet the bride's handsome brother, Derrick Rogers. Yet she's suddenly surrounded by pint-size contestants whose competitive parents will do anything to ensure the crown. Even kill? Derrick fears she's the killer's next target and promises to keep a close eye on her. Yet someone is already watching Jazzy's every move. Someone who's had a taste of murder. And is hungry for more.

A Taste of Murder (The Classical Trio Series, Book 1) (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense #121)

A romantic ski resort seems the perfect place for a wedding. Until a murder on the slopes turns everyone on Eagle Summit into suspects. Liz Carmichael, the bride's cousin, saw a shadowy figure on a chairlift in the middle of the night. But was it the victim or the killer? Liz goes to the police—and finds herself giving the report to her ex-fiancé, Deputy Tim Richards. After a three-year estrangement, she could finally make things right—unless the killer finds her first….

Murder at Eagle Summit (The Classical Trio Series, Book 2) (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense #145)

Everything is going wrong for Caitlin Saylor. Her boyfriend has left her. Her musical trio is disbanding. And for their trio's swan song? They'll be playing another wedding: a chance to watch someone else's happy ending. And then, unexpectedly, Chase Hollister enters the scene. The candle factory owner is handsome, charming and very interested in Caitlin. His gift of a special candle proves it. But there's something more to the candle than Caitlin or Chase suspect. Something that puts Caitlin at risk. To keep Caitlin safe, Chase must face a haunting crime from his past—and a deadly killer in the present.

Scent of Murder (Love Inspired Suspense)

When Ben Dearinger got hold of a flash drive carrying deadly secrets, the scuba diver did the only thing he could. He buried it—fathoms deep. Now a drug cartel wants the evidence back, and they're willing to threaten Ben's ex-girlfriend Nikki Hoffman to get it. Although Nikki caused him no end of heartache, forgetting her has been impossible, and Ben would risk anything to protect her. But what will he do when he discovers her secret—that he's the father of her child?

Into the Deep (Love Inspired Suspense)

After discovering her boss's dead body, Susanna Trent receives an unusual package from him filled with strange metal tokens and odd clues. Then Susanna, who is the guardian of her three-year-old niece, starts getting anonymous phone calls taunting her with thinly veiled threats. Worried for her life and that of her sister's child, Susanna struggles to trust the one man who can help: wealthy executive Jack Townsend. As they work together to solve the mysterious puzzle, Jack and Susanna are led into a dangerous game neither knows how to play. But they do know the stakes—life or death.

A Deadly Game (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense)

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Smith, Virginia. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Smith, Virginia

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Smith, Virginia. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Clean: A History of Personal Hygiene and Purity

Clean: A History of Personal Hygiene and Purity

Lost Melody: A Novel

Murder by Mushroom (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense #63) (A Cozy Mystery)

Bluegrass Peril (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense #82)

A Taste of Murder (The Classical Trio Series, Book 1) (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense #121)

Murder at Eagle Summit (The Classical Trio Series, Book 2) (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense #145)

Scent of Murder (Love Inspired Suspense)

Into the Deep (Love Inspired Suspense)

A Deadly Game (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense)