What do you think?
Rate this book
Strange Red Cow: and Other Curious Classified Ads from the Past
Came to my plantation, in Springfield township, Philadelphia county, near Flour-town, the 26th of March 1776, A STRANGE RED COW. The owner may have her again, on proving his property, and paying charges. PHILIP MILLER. —May 1, 1776, The Pennsylvania Gazette
To sift through classifieds from any era is to uncover the practical needs or urgent desires of a community during a particular period of time. By definition, the classified advertisement is released for public consumption, yet often it tells a very private a precious keepsake misplaced, an intimate relationship sought, even a young child kidnapped. At times shocking, often amusing, and always enlightening, these brief notices offer rare glimpses into who we are, what we value, and where we’re going. And yet they have always been the most ephemeral of artifacts, tossed and forgotten without a second thought. Until now.
While researching a historical documentary, Sara Bader stumbled upon something that transported her back in an eighteenth-century classified ad about a lost red cow. Authentic and evocative, this discovery inspired a search for more of these vivid scenes from everyday life, past and present. In Strange Red Cow , Bader presents a sampling of ads from as far back as 1704 up through contemporary Internet postings, sorted and assembled thematically. She places these micro messages in a broader context, revealing intimate stories of American history and popular culture.
By turns humorous, heartbreaking, and insightful, Strange Red Cow offers a new lens through which to observe our evolution as a nation and a people.
From America’s first newspaper classified in 1704 to today’s online postings, Strange Red Cow captures, in colorful detail, scenes of everyday life in the first-ever overview of the nation’s unofficial history the classified ads.
“If we strain to identify with those who commuted in horse-drawn carriages and depended on candles to light their corridors, these ads can personally introduce us. They had good days and bad days; they got distracted, disorganized, and like us, left important things be-hind. That our collective ancestors forgot their books in carriages, left their capes on battlefields, and dropped their keys and their cash is oddly reassuring. We are still losing our stuff today, though what we own and wear and carry with us—and what we decide to return and retrieve—inevitably changes over time.” —From Strange Red Cow
To sift through classifieds from any era is to uncover the practical needs or urgent desires of a community during a particular period of time. By definition, the classified advertisement is released for public consumption, yet often it tells a very private a precious keepsake misplaced, an intimate relationship sought, even a young child kidnapped. At times shocking, often amusing, and always enlightening, these brief notices offer rare glimpses into who we are, what we value, and where we’re going. And yet they have always been the most ephemeral of artifacts, tossed and forgotten without a second thought. Until now.
While researching a historical documentary, Sara Bader stumbled upon something that transported her back in an eighteenth-century classified ad about a lost red cow. Authentic and evocative, this discovery inspired a search for more of these vivid scenes from everyday life, past and present. In Strange Red Cow , Bader presents a sampling of ads from as far back as 1704 up through contemporary Internet postings, sorted and assembled thematically. She places these micro messages in a broader context, revealing intimate stories of American history and popular culture.
By turns humorous, heartbreaking, and insightful, Strange Red Cow offers a new lens through which to observe our evolution as a nation and a people.
From America’s first newspaper classified in 1704 to today’s online postings, Strange Red Cow captures, in colorful detail, scenes of everyday life in the first-ever overview of the nation’s unofficial history the classified ads.
“If we strain to identify with those who commuted in horse-drawn carriages and depended on candles to light their corridors, these ads can personally introduce us. They had good days and bad days; they got distracted, disorganized, and like us, left important things be-hind. That our collective ancestors forgot their books in carriages, left their capes on battlefields, and dropped their keys and their cash is oddly reassuring. We are still losing our stuff today, though what we own and wear and carry with us—and what we decide to return and retrieve—inevitably changes over time.” —From Strange Red Cow
- GenresNonfictionHistory
210 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
3 people are currently reading
144 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 6, 2023
I started this book a couple times previously, but it's not the kind of book that lends itself well to being read before bed, as it is a bit on the dry side. Bader takes a trip through the microfilm section of her library in a study of the history of the classified ad, focused primarily on 18th and 19th century ads. With the ads themselves shown as printed in the book, readers get to experience them in their original form, with spelling and grammar of the times being as much a part of the reading as the content of the ad.
In the early days of classifieds, they were mainly 'lost and found' ads for things that today might not warrant an ad, like missing gloves, saddlebags, and boat oars, but back then were prized and valued possessions. The titular ad was from another common feature in early classifieds, escaped livestock, where branding helped somewhat, but owners still relied on the eyes of others to help scour the vast open spaces for what might have been a key piece of their livelihood before it escaped. Similarly, a landowner finding an unknown animal on their land risked damage to crops or their own livestock, so getting it home was important.
There were also the personal ads, which in the early days were often immigrants seeking other family members who came to the U.S. at some time before or after they did, but eventually evolved into a place for singles to spell out who they were and who their ideal spouse would be. Some were also the 'missed connections', where an attractive person caught the eye of another in a public place, but with little to go on and no such thing as social media, a newspaper ad was the best option of finding them again, aside from returning to the original place and hoping they pass by as well.
Also covered thoroughly was the subset of ads that fit under both the commerce and personals section, that of the slave trade, where an owner may place an ad offering up one they no longer had use for or seeking one with a specific skill set. When it came to escaped slaves, it was telling that the reward for safe return of a runaway slave was often less than the reward offered for a missing cow, and descriptions of them often focused on their faults, lest the finder either decide the slave was skilled enough to work for him instead or that he should demand more than the slave's owner offered as a reward. A touchy subject, but Bader's coverage of it is well done and adds a layer to what they teach in schools about that era.
Overall, an interesting book, probably best enjoyed in spurts, so as not to find your mind wandering if you hit a dry patch. Also, I often had to remind myself that the typefaces of the old ads replaced 's' with elongated 'f', so 'found' might actually be 'sound' and similar instances.
In the early days of classifieds, they were mainly 'lost and found' ads for things that today might not warrant an ad, like missing gloves, saddlebags, and boat oars, but back then were prized and valued possessions. The titular ad was from another common feature in early classifieds, escaped livestock, where branding helped somewhat, but owners still relied on the eyes of others to help scour the vast open spaces for what might have been a key piece of their livelihood before it escaped. Similarly, a landowner finding an unknown animal on their land risked damage to crops or their own livestock, so getting it home was important.
There were also the personal ads, which in the early days were often immigrants seeking other family members who came to the U.S. at some time before or after they did, but eventually evolved into a place for singles to spell out who they were and who their ideal spouse would be. Some were also the 'missed connections', where an attractive person caught the eye of another in a public place, but with little to go on and no such thing as social media, a newspaper ad was the best option of finding them again, aside from returning to the original place and hoping they pass by as well.
Also covered thoroughly was the subset of ads that fit under both the commerce and personals section, that of the slave trade, where an owner may place an ad offering up one they no longer had use for or seeking one with a specific skill set. When it came to escaped slaves, it was telling that the reward for safe return of a runaway slave was often less than the reward offered for a missing cow, and descriptions of them often focused on their faults, lest the finder either decide the slave was skilled enough to work for him instead or that he should demand more than the slave's owner offered as a reward. A touchy subject, but Bader's coverage of it is well done and adds a layer to what they teach in schools about that era.
Overall, an interesting book, probably best enjoyed in spurts, so as not to find your mind wandering if you hit a dry patch. Also, I often had to remind myself that the typefaces of the old ads replaced 's' with elongated 'f', so 'found' might actually be 'sound' and similar instances.
December 19, 2017
With a title like, Strange Red Cow, I expected this book to be funnier than it was. Reading the classified ad the title came from, though, I realized almost instantly it wasn't going to be that kind of book. It's an exploration of classified ads as a view to American History. If you're into Americana, this is probably a fascinating read. I found it very informative, and so I did read the whole thing. Don't get me wrong, some of the ads are a bit funny at times. Others, like the entire chapter of runaway slave notices, are sobering.
My biggest problem with the book was the layout. I wasn't sure if I ought to read the ads inserted in each page, or just read Bader's text, which sometimes referenced specific ads, and sometimes didn't. That really slowed me down and took away from the narrative.
My biggest problem with the book was the layout. I wasn't sure if I ought to read the ads inserted in each page, or just read Bader's text, which sometimes referenced specific ads, and sometimes didn't. That really slowed me down and took away from the narrative.
August 6, 2019
So I thought this book was going to be way funnier than it was. It was also very dry. I would describe this book to people as: people in the past, their just like us! Almost fell asleep a couple of times reading this.
September 5, 2020
An interesting look at ads of the past, some for items or services no longer used or needed, others have changed and evolved with the computer age.
January 27, 2015
This isn't just a collection of ads themselves, it's tied together with stories from back when the ads were published. It's a fascinating look through early American (and pre-American) history, through the pages of classified ads. Occasionally, the antique ads are juxtaposed with modern ads. People In History: They're Just Like Us.
Interesting things I learned from this book:
-People used to make and wear jewelry made out of hair!
-During the Civil War, there were classified ads posted for lost-and-found items on battle grounds.
-Even in cities, people used to own livestock (i.e., pigs), which roamed freely!
-Kitty litter wasn't invented until 1947 - and with this, cats became much more popular pets.
-People used to have (and carry, and lose) bags full of gold dust as money.
-People posted lost-and-found ads for runaway slaves.
-Slaves were more likely to run away on Sundays; they had the day off to visit family or go shopping, so their walking around without their owners was less likely to raise eyebrows.
-The first ransom note in America was in the 1870s, in the infamous Charley Ross kidnapping case in Philadelphia.
-People placed personal ads for wet nurses! Preference was given to nice married ladies whose own babies had died - though lots of single moms got in on the deal as well. People held a belief that old milk (when a woman had been nursing for >6 months) was not as good for babies as "fresh" milk.
-Starting in the 1850s, people responded to personal ads by exchanging daguerreotypes.
-The story of Belle Gunness, female serial killer who also cashed in on insurance payouts.
-in 1933, a group of school children in Roanoake County, Va. did a huge food drive. The food collected was swapped for surgery for 18 children who would not be able to afford surgery otherwise.
Interesting things I learned from this book:
-People used to make and wear jewelry made out of hair!
-During the Civil War, there were classified ads posted for lost-and-found items on battle grounds.
-Even in cities, people used to own livestock (i.e., pigs), which roamed freely!
-Kitty litter wasn't invented until 1947 - and with this, cats became much more popular pets.
-People used to have (and carry, and lose) bags full of gold dust as money.
-People posted lost-and-found ads for runaway slaves.
-Slaves were more likely to run away on Sundays; they had the day off to visit family or go shopping, so their walking around without their owners was less likely to raise eyebrows.
-The first ransom note in America was in the 1870s, in the infamous Charley Ross kidnapping case in Philadelphia.
-People placed personal ads for wet nurses! Preference was given to nice married ladies whose own babies had died - though lots of single moms got in on the deal as well. People held a belief that old milk (when a woman had been nursing for >6 months) was not as good for babies as "fresh" milk.
-Starting in the 1850s, people responded to personal ads by exchanging daguerreotypes.
-The story of Belle Gunness, female serial killer who also cashed in on insurance payouts.
-in 1933, a group of school children in Roanoake County, Va. did a huge food drive. The food collected was swapped for surgery for 18 children who would not be able to afford surgery otherwise.
April 17, 2009
I have to say that I do not look at Craigslist on a regular basis. This isn't, however, out of any avoidance of the topic of classified ads as it is that the ads will draw me in for hours if I don't simply stay away from the site altogether. Newspaper classifieds don't have quite the same draw for me, but then I never got in the habit of reading a newspaper anyway.
This book was certainly an enjoyable way for me to spend a few hours reading. Loosely separated into various topics (the same way you'd find the classifieds in your newspaper sorted), and drawn from every time period from the first classified ads in the American Colonies to Craigslist at the year of publication, this book is a tour not only of Americans' wants, needs and desires but also of the minutae of years past. By reading between the lines of classifieds, the smallest of details considered common knowledge in previous years, and forgotten today, can become apparent - what a traveller typically carried in their purse, what a slave was usually dressed in, what was considered worthy barter for a bicycle, what was desireable in men and women.
The most fascinating chapter in this book for me was the one on missing slaves. Just as you'd post a notice for runaway livestock or pets, queries about lost slaves were commonplace in years past - with the major difference being that slaves faced jail while they awaited return to their master, and severe punishment. What I found most interesting was the level of detail about slaves that their masters were aware of. Slave-owners noticed things about their slaves that I thought people only knew about their spouses and children. All the better to ensure they got their rightful property back, I suppose.
This book was certainly an enjoyable way for me to spend a few hours reading. Loosely separated into various topics (the same way you'd find the classifieds in your newspaper sorted), and drawn from every time period from the first classified ads in the American Colonies to Craigslist at the year of publication, this book is a tour not only of Americans' wants, needs and desires but also of the minutae of years past. By reading between the lines of classifieds, the smallest of details considered common knowledge in previous years, and forgotten today, can become apparent - what a traveller typically carried in their purse, what a slave was usually dressed in, what was considered worthy barter for a bicycle, what was desireable in men and women.
The most fascinating chapter in this book for me was the one on missing slaves. Just as you'd post a notice for runaway livestock or pets, queries about lost slaves were commonplace in years past - with the major difference being that slaves faced jail while they awaited return to their master, and severe punishment. What I found most interesting was the level of detail about slaves that their masters were aware of. Slave-owners noticed things about their slaves that I thought people only knew about their spouses and children. All the better to ensure they got their rightful property back, I suppose.
March 23, 2009
Much can be learned about the life and times of a people by viewing classified advertisements in newspapers, both past and present. The title of this book, Strange Red Cow refers to a published notice for a cow that had gone astray in colonial Pennsylvania. From ads posting runaway slaves to the desire for an intimate relationship, the reader catches a glimpse of the seemingly mundane in a way that a history book could not portray or convey. But, such advertisements reveal typical daily needs and requirements in a rather unique approach to everyday life in America.
August 11, 2008
Very bad formatting, difficult to read. A few interesting facts that I hadn't known before. All in all, not as revealing as I had hoped. I wouldn't advise against it but neither would I recommend it.
December 13, 2007
Very VERY interesting for those of you who like history - history of what everyday life was like, that is!
December 13, 2007
This is a funny little book and an interesting read.
March 30, 2015
For those who love to read the classifieds.
February 2, 2010
Fabulous, quick read
April 30, 2012
weird read about the classified.
Currently reading
January 12, 2011A very interesting history of classified advertising.
April 2, 2017
A good bathroom book - you can pick it up, read a few pages, set it down until tomorrow.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews