Don'ts for Wives

By Blanche Ebbutt

More than 900,000 copies sold!

Don'ts for Wives is a facsimile of the original 1913 edition, containing hundreds of snippets of entertaining advice for a happy marriage. While some are quirkily of their time, and rich with fascinating insights into the history of relations between the sexes, many contain wisdom that rings true more than 100 years after they were written.

Inside you can find advice on topics such as evenings at home, jealousy, food or even household management. There is much wisdom to be taken from this little book to ensure matrimonial bliss:

'Don't permit yourself to forget for a single instant that nothing is more annoying to a tired man than the sight of a half-finished laundry work.'

'Don't let him have to search the house for you. Listen for his latch-key and meet him on the threshold.'

'Don't nag your husband. If he won't carry out your wishes for love of you, he certainly won't because you nag him.'

This charming pocket-sized edition is perfect as a Christmas stocking filler, or as a gift (along with the matching Don'ts for Husbands) for newly-weds, engagements and anniversaries.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
• Release date: Jun 1, 2010
• ISBN: 9781408133521

Blanche Ebbutt

Blanche Ebbutt (née Berry) was born in 1866 in Hyde, Cheshire. Her two successful advice manuals, Don'ts for Wives and Don'ts for Husbands were published in 1913.

Book preview

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Reviews for Don'ts for Wives

[sharlenehsmith · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

For a book that was written almost 100 years ago, it's doing pretty well in keeping up with the times.

Stay light hearted and don't take things to literally, like he is working for you , he earns the money for the both of you. Back in those days I guess it was normal for the wife not to work and look after the house & their belongings.

Some wives can take a page of two from this book and really learn something.

[pepperwings · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a tiny little book, about 2 x 3" and I expected it to be full of outdated and silly information, with perhaps some household tips that would be useful.I was surprised to find it has a lot of fairly practical advice for getting along in a partnership--with some sexist views, but not that many overall. It's pretty easy to think of the terms in a broader sense, and it could apply to different types of people rather than "the husband" or "the wife" in the way it's presented.There are a few amusingly dated items, but again, it isn't the general trend.

[seldombites · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

In 1913, women were expected to wear smotheringly hot full length dresses in order to be considered decent. Most women did not work outside of the home, being expected to be happy in their role as wife and mother. In most of the world, women didn’t even have the right to vote. Surely any marital advice given at this time would seem incredibly outdated or, at the very least, charmingly quaint, in the year 2011? It was with this attitude that I first opened the pages of Don’ts For Wives by Blanche Ebbutt. It did not take me long to realise just how wrong I was. While some of the tips are no longer relevant to the average reader – those having to do with how to deal with servants, for example – much of the wisdom within this volume is as relevant today as it was then. I found myself taking note of many pieces of advice, with the intention of attempting to remedy my behaviour within my own marriage.Much chastened, I moved onto Don’ts for Husbands with a more open mind. Once again, I was surprised at how relevant much of Ms Ebbutt’s advice is to today’s relationships and the progressiveness of some of the points, considering the era in which the book was written.It is a shame that these books have been so unknown for so long, as I feel that the advice in them is more relevant to a newly married couple than a dozen books of the Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus persuasion. I would venture to go so far as to state that a copy of each of these books should be given to the happy couple as a wedding present (or perhaps a housewarming gift for those in less formal arrangements). Certainly anybody in a permanent relationship should consider reading them. You will be surprised at just how much you are doing wrong.