The Housewares Story

I discovered this gem at my library's book sale the other day: The Housewares Story: A History of the American Housewares Industry, by Earl Lifshey, published in 1973 by the National Housewares Manufacturers Association. It covers the history of housewares from pretty much the beginning of recorded history, through 1973. The really cool thing about this book is that it's not just a history of eating, drinking, and cooking implements, but of the industry itself. It discusses the advent of trade shows, how housewares were sold, major developments in manufacturing, and lots lots more. There are a ton of pictures and charts, making this a fun book to browse through. Well worth the dollar I paid for it.