Toilets, Bathtubs, Sinks, and Sewers: A History of the Bathroom

From School Library Journal Grade 5-8?A well-written book that provides interesting tidbits about the history of personal cleanliness and hygiene. Among other things, readers will learn that the first flush toilet was found at the palace at Knossos on Crete; that citizens of Babylon had to build stairs down to reach their houses because the streets rose higher and higher with successive layers of garbage and sewage topped with clay; and that the early Christians considered bathing sinful. The catchy chapter titles, e.g., "Ugh, Gross!," are not always indicative of the material covered; the index, however, is detailed and more than makes up for this lack of concreteness. The text is well illustrated with black-and-white photographs and reproductions on almost every page. Unfortunately, there are no maps or timeline to pinpoint the locations and periods of the various accoutrements discussed. This title might inspire further forays into the cultures mentioned, and at the very least is an entertaining addition.?Kate Hegarty Bouman, Susquehanna Valley Junior High School, Conklin, NYCopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. From