If Walls Could Talk

An Intimate History of the Home

By: Lucy Worsley

Narrated by: Anne Flosnik

Why did the flushing toilet take two centuries to catch on? Why did medieval people sleep sitting up? When were the two "dirty centuries?" Why did gas lighting cause Victorian ladies to faint? Why, for centuries, did rich people fear fruit?In her brilliantly and creatively researched book, Lucy Worsley takes us through the bedroom, bathroom, living room, and kitchen. She covers the history of each room and explores what people actually did in bed, in the bath, at the table, and at the stove-from sauce stirring to breastfeeding, teeth cleaning to masturbation, getting dressed to getting married-providing a compelling account of how the four rooms of the home have evolved from medieval times to today.

©2011 Silver River Productions and Lucy Worsley (P)2012 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Who could not be enthralled by the history of toilet paper? Anyone who lives in a home with a kitchen, living room, bathroom and bedroom will delight in reading this history of the development of home life." ( Kirkus)

Another great domestic history

Where does If Walls Could Talk rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I love nonfiction, particularly histories about everyday things/ people-- so this was right up my alley. I have to say, it's VERY similar to Bill Bryson's At Home (which I found ten times more entertaining)-- although had I not read that book, I would have liked this one even more.

What did you like best about this story?

The information. There's a ton of history packed into each chapter-- very enlightening and fun.

Have you listened to any of Anne Flosnik’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

She did a great job, but I could have done without all the accents-- began to get on my nerves very early.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Not really. Not because it was dull-- just unnecessary with nonfiction books.

Any additional comments?

I wish I had turned it off at the end of the last real chapter-- before the author went on a bizarre soapbox rant about the horrors of the future.

Enjoyable and informative.

As with all of Lucy Worsley’s material, I enjoyed the educational, practical and interesting facets of history she included. Her ability to mix information, candor and supreme use of language is superb. I recommend this to any Lucy Worsley fan, as well as anyone who lives in a house, eats food, or uses the restroom!

Immensely Interesting & Entertaining

From the configuration of rooms and how people used them through the ages to a discussion of tableware, and so much more including where common expressions came from, “upper crust” from how bread was baked and served, each chapter is a delight of information. Easy to listen to. If you have an interest in history, sociology, trivia, you’ll find this perfect.

Interesting, but…

I wanted to enjoy this book, however, the author made the choice to mention Monica Lewinsky in a derogatory way. This is so crass and shows the authors lack of empathy. Lewinsky was a youth groomed and targeted by a much older man. She should not be made fun of. Make fun of the man who abused her! This had no place in this book. I couldn’t enjoy the book after.

Yet another amazing Lucy Worsely book

As always Lucy Worsely is deeply insightful, knowledgeable and educational while being entertaining. I loved how it discussed how the home has changed through history how trends and styles of homes return over and over and opining where home construction will go in the future. The narrator was excellent, though of course I would've preferred for Lucy Worsely narrated it because her words are always even better when spoken by her. I highly recommend it!