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Description
The Dirt on Clean: An Unsanitized HistoryA spirited chronicle of the West's ambivalent relationship with dirt The question of cleanliness is one every age and culture has answered with confidence. For the first century Roman, being clean meant a two hour soak in baths of various temperatures, scraping the body with a miniature rake, and a final application of oil. For the aristocratic Frenchman in the seventeenth century, it meant changing your shirt once a day and perhaps going so far as to
A spirited chronicle of the West's ambivalent relationship with dirt
The question of cleanliness is one every age and culture has answered with confidence. For the first-century Roman, being clean meant a two-hour soak in baths of various temperatures, scraping the body with a miniature rake, and a final application of oil. For the aristocratic Frenchman in the seventeenth century, it meant changing your shirt once a day and perhaps going so far as to dip your hands in some water. Did Napoleon know something we didn't when he wrote Josephine I will return in five days. Stop washing? And why is the German term Warmduscher--a man who washes in warm or hot water--invariably a slight against his masculinity? Katherine Ashenburg takes on such fascinating questions as these in Dirt on Clean, her charming tour of attitudes to hygiene through time. What could be more routine than taking up soap and water and washing yourself? And yet cleanliness, or the lack of it, is intimately connected to ideas as large as spirituality and sexuality, and historical events that include plagues, the Civil War, and the discovery of germs. An engrossing fusion of erudition and anecdote, Dirt on Clean considers the bizarre prescriptions of history's doctors, the hygienic peccadilloes of great authors, and the historic twists and turns that have brought us to a place Ashenburg considers hedonistic yet oversanitized.Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: St. Martins Press-3PL
Published: 10/28/2008
ISBN: 9780374531379
Pages: 358
Weight: 1.20lbs
Size: 9.00h x 5.90w x 0.90d
Review Citations: New York Times Book Review 01/04/2009 pg. 20
Books & Culture 07/01/2009 pg. 10
Accelerated Reader Quiz #/Name: 123776 / Dirt on Clean: An Unsanitized History
Reading Level: 9.7 / Interest Level: Upper Grade / Point Value: 14
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4.3 ★★★★★
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★★★★★ 5
Not expensive
Gets the job done
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Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2026
★★★★★ 1
Initially defective poor quality
This item was initially defective and I needed one so I ordered another thinking it was a fluke. Both devices would not turn on. The second one briefly turned on for about 30 seconds and died. The major inconveniences that I can't return it in the normal way. I have to bring it to UPS and there isn't one near my house. I am very disappointed with this item and also with the return policy
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Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2026
★★★★★ 5
Came in skeptical, but it's GREAT!
I read all the bad reviews I could on this thing and considered it an acceptable risk considering the price.
Assembly was easy and the instructions were fair. Not amazing, but once you handle the edger, the gist is clear.
I was skeptical overall that the horsepower and plastic guard weren't going to be enough. I ran it for nearly 45min stopping every 5 or so to check the blade and guard. It stayed tight and I was able to manually turn the blade to make sure it was working right. My front yard and sidewalk have been neglected for a few years. I would sometimes edge it out with the weed Wacker, but couldn't get it as clean as I wanted without breaking a LOT of line.
When I was done, I noticed the guard had a lot of soil and grass buildup that I was able to take out easily with my fingers. There were a few times I scraped the sidewalk edge, but the blade is still solid and ready for more!
I was surprised at the quality and as you're going over an area, it feels solid and not squirly or out of control. My uses are going to be mostly suburban maintenance on my own yard. If I had more land or something bigger, I would consider something larger. For my yard and purposes, this edger is going to work just fine!
Did not notice any issues with the blade getting loose, but stayed aware of it. There is a lock nut that keeps it in place. I imagine over time and switching blades, this is going to lose its locking function, but I already see amazon has replacement blades that come with new lock nuts!
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Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2025
★★★★★ 5
Works great, easy assembly and no issues!
Using the weedeater for edging was too hard, so I purchased this. It works great! It was easy to assemble and easy to use. My lines are perfect, but the size, durability, and power of this gem get the job done, and it's lightweight enough that I can easily maneuver it around the yard. I chose a corded one so I don't have to deal with battery life or charging.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2025
★★★★★ 5
Beautiful
Color: Red, Size: Queen
Beautiful and soft. Very comfortable. Keeps you warm. I love it.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2026