Barbara BurmanThe Pocket: A Hidden History of Women's Lives, 1660–1900

This book was full of wonderful images and insights! The writing was fascinating and engaging. I have just finished it and feel sad that it is over. As a woman, I deeply appreciated the attention to women's history, women's lives, and women's daily experiences. I see ME in this book. I carry a bag around my waist (a waist pack instead of a shoulder bag) every day and it is full of the same types of things listed for the pockets in this text. I sometimes wear it over my clothes and sometimes under a coat, it is indispensable in my everyday life. I think it is nuts to place asymmetrical strain on one's shoulders with a shoulder bag when you can carry a waist pack without any strain, and the contents are safer at the waist than in a dangling bag that can get left , misplaced, or easily stolen. The last chapter in this book says that pockets worn around the waist are no longer a "thing" but I disagree. I think the Pocket never died and I am living proof...

Yes, THE POCKET is scholarly--it's published by Yale University Press. Those who are seriously interested in women's history, social history, art history, needlework, history of costume, and the like will find THE POCKET to be a treat. I personally haven't been able to put it down since it arrived; I've even been reading it while I'm on my elliptical since it is so fascinating! The gorgeous full-color images are wonderful as well. As another reader mentioned, I noticed that the concept of the "tie on" pocket to be enduring as well: I routinely sling a waist pack across my torso or wear it on my waist because contemporary women's clothing is generally devoid of useful pockets--an acquaintance called the pathetic shallow pockets on women's jeans "mockets" and it is so true! Anyway, I highly recommend this book.

I’ve barely done more than flip through and be captivated by the illustrations and in-depth history I’m finding. This book is everything I could have wished for regarding pockets. I’m going to be reading this for a while and have great plans for future pockets for myself!

As a Christmas treat for myself I purchased this book, and I am so happy I did! Such a lovely book with exceptionally good illustrations and images- quality you would usually see in large expensive tabletop books. Now, the best thing about the book is how the authors tie the threads of women's lives into the history of pockets. Pockets appear as such simple things at first glance, but for centuries they have held the stuff of life for women- the minutia of their day to day world, such a private article of clothing that could even hold a dream or two. This book made me see a connection with the women that lived before us, showing how we are so very different, but in so many ways still the same.

This book is exactly what I had hoped: an in-depth, very well researched discussion of what women have carried around their “stuff” in for the last few centuries. As a participator in historical re-enactments, I find it indispensable and fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Was a goft- recipient loved it.

This is a wonderful book, with lots of history. The sellers took great care in packaging, something other used booksellers don't always do. I will be buying from them again!

So. I went by the Title with the Subtitle of " A Hidden History of Women's Lives". This lead me to believe I would learn about the histories of Women's Lives, not wat they carried in their pockets. 🤷🤦‍♀️ Sadly, it really IS about The Pocket, what they were made of, what they carried in them. And as one review stated, this is a very tedious read in small print. Considering the price gave of $18 new? I'm about to slap myself! I have already written my name in it, which is my habit, so there is no returning it. Lesson learned; read the reviews and Know What You Are Buying. You really cannot judge a book by its cover! A great deal of money was spent on this time and honestly it is quite astonishing to me that these two women were so extremely interested in the topic of women's waist pockets. This is extensive research in the extreme. The photos are nice. Pockets are nice. It's a beautiful book. I simply "don't get it" I suppose. One review called it a sewing book. That, it is not. It is a literal history of the waist pockets women made by hand and what they used them for. Right down to newspaper articles and court cases, you will learn everything about the history of these pockets for a two hundred year period. These are serious writers and researchers people. If this is your thing, by all means buy it. Mine is going in the bookcase as a reminder to slow down when shopping. 🤦‍♀️I am giving it three stars though their work is a five star feat, it's the topic I can't fathom. So Merry Christmas to them, enjoy your 9$ each! ☃️🌲🎅🎄