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The Persistence Of The Open Flame: Work And Waste In The Healthy, Modern Home, William Braham

William W. Braham

Historical accounts of the modern house report the progressive elimination of work as the household evolved from a site of production to one of consumption. Ruth Cowan has explored the ironies of that development, demonstrating that women of the late twentieth century actually engage in “more work” than their predecessors despite such labor-saving tools as the vacuum cleaner, microwave, and automobile. In contrast to both claims, there are other versions of this tale that glorify the waste of time, labor or energy. The modern household contains numerous sites and occasions where the inefficient and laborious are specifically cultivated in the …