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How to Boil a Flamingo: And 49 Other Lessons in the Lost Art of Being a Lady
An elegant tome fit for all ladies, this volume provides necessary advice, wisdom, and guidance on the essential art of being a lady. For those unfortunate enough not to be a lady by birth, authors Allison Vale and Alison Rattle offer the assembled wisdom of generations of women for the benefit of such poor lost souls. They suggest that after a perusal of the pages herein, and with practice and dedication, anyone can conduct themselves with elegance and poise—a term at a Swiss finishing school is no longer key to becoming a real lady and attracting the eye of a gentleman. From essential bedroom conduct (How to avoid the parental consequences of marital relations), to the aesthetic (How to enhance the profile of your nose), the necessary (How to hire a lady in waiting or identify a witch), and the bizarre (Enjoy the "Indian weed" with propriety), this is an essential purchase for all aspiring young ladies.
- GenresNonfictionHumorCultural
208 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 20, 2020
I enjoyed this book immensely! It was filled with hilarious, tongue-in-cheek do's-and-donts for ladies from times gone by. I had so much fun with it that I took pictures of certain passages to share with my best friend and we both had a good laugh.
I do have some complaints, though. First of all, the effect of a Victorian handbook of manners is somewhat spoiled by the constant notes of "inspired by" or "adapted from" at the end of each article. These ought to have been placed all together at the very end of the book, as reference sources traditionally are in works of nonfiction.
Secondly, the articles should have been collected in categories, such as "Cooking", "Family", "Health" "Fashion and Beauty", "Rules of Conduct" etc. As is they were just placed randomly, in no coherent order. This was somewhat interesting and lended a certain element of spontaneity but was not very professional and, again, spoiled the effect of a handbook.
Third, many of the articles were anachronistic, and this was jarring. The book claims to be "A Victorian Self-help Guide for Modern Women" but contains tips and fashions from the Georgian period and the Elizabethan, too - haphazardly arranged, with no regards to order. Ideally, the book ought to have been called not a "Victorian" guide, but something like "A Guide From The Olden Days", perhaps. As for the articles, they might have been arranged in order of the time period they drew their information from.
In short, I found The Lost Art of Being A Lady to have excellent content, but unprofessional structure.
I do have some complaints, though. First of all, the effect of a Victorian handbook of manners is somewhat spoiled by the constant notes of "inspired by" or "adapted from" at the end of each article. These ought to have been placed all together at the very end of the book, as reference sources traditionally are in works of nonfiction.
Secondly, the articles should have been collected in categories, such as "Cooking", "Family", "Health" "Fashion and Beauty", "Rules of Conduct" etc. As is they were just placed randomly, in no coherent order. This was somewhat interesting and lended a certain element of spontaneity but was not very professional and, again, spoiled the effect of a handbook.
Third, many of the articles were anachronistic, and this was jarring. The book claims to be "A Victorian Self-help Guide for Modern Women" but contains tips and fashions from the Georgian period and the Elizabethan, too - haphazardly arranged, with no regards to order. Ideally, the book ought to have been called not a "Victorian" guide, but something like "A Guide From The Olden Days", perhaps. As for the articles, they might have been arranged in order of the time period they drew their information from.
In short, I found The Lost Art of Being A Lady to have excellent content, but unprofessional structure.
March 8, 2013
Well, this looked awesome from the cover.
It was an inedible menagerie of tips and tricks ranging from the middle ages to the Edwardian era. If you read any historical fiction you already know them, and if you don't read historical fiction, they are of zero use to you.
They try to pass this off as a real historically accurate self-help book, which is ruined in two ways. One, they cite actual historical sources at the end of each 'lesson' which kills the effect ("Inspired by the murder trial of so-and-so...", etc.), and two, the book is awkwardly anachronistic (Again, 'lessons' range over several hundred years. Culture changed a lot in several hundred years.). The writing is sometimes funny and more often overly cutesy, and bordering on the tone of that mean cliquey girl you never liked in high school.
I read this over lunch because it was this or the old Ikea catalog, but I didn't finish it.
It was an inedible menagerie of tips and tricks ranging from the middle ages to the Edwardian era. If you read any historical fiction you already know them, and if you don't read historical fiction, they are of zero use to you.
They try to pass this off as a real historically accurate self-help book, which is ruined in two ways. One, they cite actual historical sources at the end of each 'lesson' which kills the effect ("Inspired by the murder trial of so-and-so...", etc.), and two, the book is awkwardly anachronistic (Again, 'lessons' range over several hundred years. Culture changed a lot in several hundred years.). The writing is sometimes funny and more often overly cutesy, and bordering on the tone of that mean cliquey girl you never liked in high school.
I read this over lunch because it was this or the old Ikea catalog, but I didn't finish it.
September 2, 2011
Based on the title, I expected a tongue in cheek tone-sort of a grace under pressure handbook, but it is quite literally a collection of instructions on how to be a lady in the past. There is a reason hobble skirts got tossed on the rubbish heap, such contraptions/conventions slowed us down. Although I do often wish I was not expected to acknowledge persons to whom I have not been introduced!
April 2, 2025
A collection of views and humor stemming from the Victorian period, Gregorian period, and Elizabethan period. Some of the tips, tricks, and humor is written for the modern day lady while others seem a bit more old school. I enjoyed reading through this book but overall it’s just not my cup of tea.
“A perfumed body and an ambrosial home say much about the health and good taste of a true lady.” (55)
“On no account hire a red-headed governess, least of all one with naturally coiled red hair. Both are indications of an iniquitous and licentious character.” (77-78)
“It is imperative that a lady be seen at the opera at least once a week.” (171)
“A perfumed body and an ambrosial home say much about the health and good taste of a true lady.” (55)
“On no account hire a red-headed governess, least of all one with naturally coiled red hair. Both are indications of an iniquitous and licentious character.” (77-78)
“It is imperative that a lady be seen at the opera at least once a week.” (171)
June 9, 2011
I now know I how to boil a flamingo! Hooray! Now I just need a flamingo to boil.
This is a tongue-in-cheek look at years gone past on how to act and look like an upper class woman. It focuses predominately on the late-16th to mid-19th centuries, taking its advice from books written during the periods. Each chapter details where the advice came from.
It would have been better, I believe, if the chapters were put into some kind of order. We have housekeeping, then birthing babies and finding a husband. Some kind of order, whether it be theme or supposed chronological order or even advice by social year, would work better.
But still. Flamingos!
This is a tongue-in-cheek look at years gone past on how to act and look like an upper class woman. It focuses predominately on the late-16th to mid-19th centuries, taking its advice from books written during the periods. Each chapter details where the advice came from.
It would have been better, I believe, if the chapters were put into some kind of order. We have housekeeping, then birthing babies and finding a husband. Some kind of order, whether it be theme or supposed chronological order or even advice by social year, would work better.
But still. Flamingos!
December 6, 2015
Ok, I have to admit it: I have bought this book because of its cover, and it wasn't exactly what I had signed up for.
I expected it to be sparkly and bubbly and ironic, but it's merely a collection of dos and donts for Victorian ladies. Admittedly it had some bits and pieces. Good starting point for research and for a reality check for wannabe ladies.
I expected it to be sparkly and bubbly and ironic, but it's merely a collection of dos and donts for Victorian ladies. Admittedly it had some bits and pieces. Good starting point for research and for a reality check for wannabe ladies.
May 23, 2011
rather pretentious, somewhat tedious
September 3, 2016
Very Silly
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews