English spas have a long and steamy history, from the thermal baths of Aquae Sulis in Bath to the stews of Southwark, the elegant pump rooms of Cheltenham and Buxton to the Victorian mania for hydrotherapy and Turkish hammams. 'The Secret History of English Spas' is an informative but light-hearted social and cultural history of our obsession with drinking and bathing in spa waters. It tells the stories of the rich, the famous, the poor and the sick, all of whom visited spas in hopes of curing everything from infertility to leprosy and gonorrhoea. It depicts the entrepreneurs who promoted these resorts - often on the basis of the most dubious scientific evidence - and the riotous and salacious social life enjoyed in spa towns, where moral health might suffer even as bodies were cleansed and purged. And yet English spas also offered an ideal of civility and politeness, providing a place where social classes and sexes could mingle and enjoy refined entertainments such as music and dance - all part of the fashionable pastime referred to as 'taking the waters'.
The British spa came into its own in the Georgian period, with thousands flocking to take the waters at Bath, Cheltenham and Tunbridge Wells as well as numerous other towns. As these towns grew, their reputation as fashionable destinations became as or more important than the benefits of bathing, which in any case often involved immersion in water tainted by dirt and diseases from fellow bathers. Ian D. Rotherham here traces the story of the British spa back to Roman and medieval times, through their heyday in Georgian and Victorian Britain and right up to their decline in the twentieth century and recent revival. With a wealth of colourful illustrations, this book is a perfect introduction to changing attitudes to public bathing and health, and describes the rise of some of Britain's most famous towns.
Beginning in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, members of the English nobility and gentry made a practice of taking relaxation at the country's inland spas. This account shows the spas to have been not only centers of healing and recreating but also venues of intrigue extending to political, religious, economic, and social issues.
"In a sweeping historical analysis, Gary Cross explains why affluence in America has not freed more time from work and why free time is often frustrating"--
How does one summarize a life? Could one truly cut it all down to actions done, or words said? Zachary Lawson narrates a few months of his life with complete honesty. From a shattered past, to the creation of new memories written on napkins in the smoking section at Denny's, he enlightens the reader to the realities of a life lived in a generation quickly destroying itself. Zachary Lawson isn't the protagonist, he isn't a hero, he's just a man trying to get there. This book won't warm hearts, but it just might open a generation's eyes to its alcoholism induced genocide. Desperation may be contagious, but it isn't the end.
Delve into the history behind the glamorous baths and spas of Europe to reveal the hidden past of alternative treatments. Popular with people from Romans to royalty and hypochondriacs to holiday-makers, natural water spas have been a common feature in society since the first century. Even today, we periodically abandon the cities to 'take the waters'. In their heyday, Europe's spas were the main meeting places for aristocracy, politicians and cultural elites. They were the centres of political and diplomatic intrigue, and were fertile sources of artistic, literary and musical inspiration. The spas epitomised style and were renowned for their cosmopolitan atmosphere in a glittering whirl of balls, gambling and affairs, as much as for their healing waters. Health, Hedonism and Hypochondria reveals the hidden histories of traditional spas of Europe, including such well-known resorts as the original Spa in Belgium; Bath, Buxton and Harrogate in Britain; Baden-Baden and Bad Ems in Germany; Vichy and Aix-les-Bains in France; Bad Ragaz in Switzerland; Bad Ischl and Baden bei Wien in Austria and Karlovy Vary and Mariánské Lázne in the Czech Republic. At once luxurious sanctuaries of relaxation and resorts of the upper classes, these spas were also the haunts of melancholics, scoundrels and those seeking escape and excitement.
Sisters Aly and Brooke launch a nail service for kids at their overworked mother's salon only to discover that their brilliant idea needs a bit of polish.
What common condition can be treated with cow dung? How do crushed oystershells ease heartburn? Can eels cure deafness? And how do you stop a stubborn case of the hiccups? If someone was struck down by illness or injury in the late eighteenth century, the chances are that they would have referred to William Buchan's Domestic Medicine - with the result that they might have found themselves drinking a broth made from sheep brain or administering drops of urine in their ears. The book's author, a Scottish physician, published his self-help manual in 1769 specifically for the benefit of people who were unable readily to access or afford medical assistance. Copies could be found in coffee-houses, in apothecary shops and private households, and in 1789 Fletcher Christian and his fellow mutineers took the sensible precaution of grabbing the copy from HMS Bounty before they fled to Pitcairn Island. Much of Dr Buchan's advice on how to live a healthy life and avoid disease is still sound and relevant today, such as eating a varied and healthy diet, breathing plenty of fresh air, and taking exercise. Many of his prescriptions are amusing when viewed in retrospect, such as his fondness for powdered Spanish fly and genital trusses. Other recommendations - bleeding a woman experiencing a difficult childbirth or administering mercury to treat numerous ailments - were downright dangerous. This edited selection of entries from one of the first medical self-help manuals gives a fascinating insight into popular treatments of the eighteenth century, derived both from folklore and the emerging medical science of the day.
“Infused with sacred practices, meditations, and rituals, Celtic Goddess Grimoire is a must read for anyone seeking to cultivate a meaningful relationship with the divine feminine across the Celtic landscape.” —Danielle Blackwood, author of The Twelve Faces of the Goddess Welcome to the world of the Celtic feminine divine! Within these pages, you will meet great goddesses such as Brigid, the Morrigan, Sulis, Rhiannon, Rosmerta, and Elen of the Ways, as well as faery women like Melusine and Morgan Le Fae. Celtic Goddess Grimoire introduces you to goddesses of magic like Cerridwen, Arianrhod, and Blodeuwedd, as well as goddesses of justice, healing, and sovereignty. This book also explores the Ladies of the Lake, including the original Lake Lady from The Mabinogi. It shines a spotlight on the most prominent Celtic female divinities but also includes a section devoted to lesser-known goddesses of the Celtic world, such as the mysterious Nehalennia, who was nearly lost before her shrine was recovered from the depths of the North Sea. A practical guide to working with these sacred beings, this book includes exercises for celebrating, honoring, and serving them. Author Annwyn Avalon provides chants, rituals, spells, and meditations. Learn how to build altars, craft charms, and actively invoke these Celtic goddesses so that they become a living, vital presence in your spiritual life. Annwyn also provides information about the meanings of the names of these sacred beings, their sacred symbols and creatures, as well as their personal powers, realms of strongest influence, and historical context. Annwyn Avalon, a water priestess and Celtic witch, is the founder of Water Priestess Training, the Water Priestess Confluence, and Triskele Rose Witchcraft, an Avalonian witchcraft tradition. She has devoted her life to the study of esoteric water mysteries, art, witchcraft, and magic. The author of Water Witchcraft and The Way of the Water Priestess, she has written for The Magical Times magazine and Witchology Magazine and has contributed to other publications, such as Brigid’s Light and The New Aradia. Annwyn writes the Patheos blog, The Water Witch. She lives in Glastonbury, as the sacred steward of Chalice Orchard, the former home of acclaimed occultist Dion Fortune. Annwyn serves as a keeper at the White Spring, one of Glastonbury’s sacred springs. Find her at annwynavalon.com. Follow her on Instagram @annwynavalon
How did German intelligence agents in the First World War use dead fish to pass on vital information to their operatives? What did an advertisement for a dog in The Times have to do with the movement of British troops into Egypt? And why did British personnel become suspicious about the trousers hanging on a Belgian woman's washing line?During the First World War, spymasters and their networks of secret agents developed many ingenious - and occasionally hilarious - methods of communication. Puffs of smoke from a chimney, stacks of bread in a bakery window, even knitted woollen jumpers were all used to convey secret messages decipherable only by well-trained eyes.Melanie King retells the astonishing story of these and many other tricks of the espionage trade, now long forgotten, through the memoirs of eight spies. Among them are British intelligence officers working undercover in France and Germany, including a former officer from the Metropolitan Police who once hunted Jack the Ripper. There is also the German Secret Service officer, codenamed Agricola, who spied on the Eastern Front, an American newspaperman and an Austrian agent who disguised himself as everything from a Jewish pedlar to a Russian officer.Drawing on the words of many of the spies themselves, Secrets in a Dead Fish is a fascinating compendium of clever and original ruses that casts new light into the murky world of espionage during the First World War.
