At Home: Part One

 In his latest book, At Home: A Short History of Private Life, Bill Bryson describes the history of the modern home and all its comforts. And how long we had to wait to enjoy these comforts! Bryson regales his readers with stories about the stench, disease, and pain our ancestors endured before brilliant minds invented machines, modes, and systems which are today considered commonplace and common sense.

As a fan of Bryson's humorous and ever-informative prose,  I've decided to share how this latest book inspired me in three different ways, in three different posts.

Part One: Joseph Paxton

Much of At Home is filled with the lives and accomplishments of famous architects, gardeners, and engineers, so Bryson understandably mentions Joseph Paxton quite a bit.  

I first became aware of Joseph Paxton when I visited Chatsworth in Derbyshire in 2008. Here are some photos from that adventure (....It truly was an adventure, involving a ride on the tube, train, bus, and finally a two-mile walk to arrive at the gates...):

Paxton created several features at Chatsworth that are worth studying, like the Conservative Wall and the Cascade, but his most famous work was a temporary structure: The Crystal Palace, of which only the gates remain.

 Want to learn more about Joseph Paxton? Read At Home!