The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in Colonial America: From 1607-1783

Writer's Guides to Everyday Life

by Dale Taylor

Discusses food, fashion, family life, and more

Genres: History, Writing, Nonfiction, Reference, American History, Research, 18th Century

296 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1997

Reviews

[Kedavra Mandylion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent resource. It took me a long time to read because it sparkled my curiosity to further research almost every paragraph; I have also studied some of it.

This is a very handy book if you write about Colonial America. My novels are set in the American Revolution and history books don't usually give you a real grasp of everyday life in the past. This volume covers most topics you are bound to write about. It's not especially detailed but covers a lot of different subjects.

I find myself thinking about things I have learned from this book almost every day as I write. The chapters about food and drinks were particularly valuable to me, but also those about army movements, forts, value of money, types of dyes used in the textile, and how the Navigation Acts influenced production of pottery and clothing in the colonies. Loved the parts about the typical colonial houses: so useful! This really added color to my books and prompted me to research in depth.

Good reference book altogether.

[Mitzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this from the library to check out how helpful it would be, and I think I will likely be buying a copy. It provides a great overview of life in Colonial America, and is a useful jumping off point for deeper research. It doesn't answer all the questions, but if you are coming from a place of knowing very little, it provides a good first step to help you on your researching journey.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

While hardly my idea of a "page-turner", this was an excellent book. It was written to help those writing about the colonial period. I read it to give me a better idea of the lives of my Maryland and Pennsylvania Colonial ancestors, and for that it was very helpful.

[Penelope Marzec · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good, readable reference book. While not everything is covered in depth, the overview is thorough and bibliographies provide the basis for further study. The timeline is helpful as well.

[Richard Subber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyday Life in Colonial America is a handy book indeed.
Taylor has thoughtfully organized his comprehensive guide to the lives and times (and clothing and bedroom delights and card games and commerce and social spaces and…) of the European colonists and later the hardy Americans who fill up the early pages in all those big fat family bibles.
The Writer’s Guide to Everyday Life in Colonial America: From 1607-1783 is seriously chock full of information, and at the same time it’s a pleasantly appealing read about how all those folks did the tough work to survive and figured out how to have some fun from time to time.
This is a hefty resource for writers in all disciplines who want some authoritative context and color and colloquial vocabulary to add an attractive extra measure of authenticity to their work.
The index is thin, but the sectional bibliographies that abound in Everyday Life make up for that.
Read more of my book reviews and poems here:
www.richardsubber.com

[Fraser Sherman · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5. This was a series of guides for writers using Colonial America, Victorian England, Elizabethan England etc. as a setting, covering clothes, politics, religion, food, transportation, etc. If that's what you want, this is excellent, but it's more for browsing than reading (though I did read it). It does skate past slavery and blacks in the colonies (rationalized as slaves, during this early era, not having a life that different from indentured servants) and some other topics, but it's still very good as a reference source.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Look, there is no reason to read this unless you are just wanting context on life in Colonial America. If you are writing about the time period this should be mandatory reading. I found this book extremely helpful and will be using it the entire way through my WIP. Well well-researched, has lots of bibliography at the end of each chapter, and is easy to navigate. This is a book that knows how to serve its purpose.

[Kathy Dobronyi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting collection explaining colonial government, food, clothing, laws, apprenticeship, slavery, family life, economy, etc. Gave me quite a bit to chew on and led me to further research subjects where I needed more understanding. Taylor also addressed many of the differences between the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies.

[Ronnda Pagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great reference book about Colonial life in America.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writer's Digest has published a series of these "Everyday Life" books, covering many historical periods and "genres" (e.g., the American West). Even if you have no interest in writing yourself, if you enjoy reading historical fiction chances are you'll find them diverting and even educational.

You can look up others here, with the keywords Writer's Digest + Everyday Life

[Nic · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, really. Different author from Everyday Life in the Middle Ages, but similar setup. I did enjoy some of the little details, but found much of the book a bit dense.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very clear and descriptive as a writer's resource book. Some details could have been more finely adjusted, would not recommend this book for younger readers.

[Natasha Blackthorne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good first step research book. It helps you learn what you need to learn more about.

[Hunter McCleary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good resource but the chapter on farming was a little weird. Needed focus.

[Ayana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not super engaging, but a reasonable resource for writing or setting a scene. Some info in sections was incorrect, however, be warned…