Review of "Wiped: The Curious History of Toilet Paper," by Ronald H. Blumer

Review of

Wiped: The Curious History of Toilet Paper,  by Ronald H. Blumer, ISBN 9781489573865

Five out of five stars

A history of intimate cleanliness

It is impossible for humans to complete the grunting squat action without there being some residue. In the need for cleanliness and overall health, humans have found it necessary to wipe afterward. It is only recently that toilet paper as we know it has been widely available, so over the years, other items have served the purpose.

  Stones, leaves and even seashells have served the purpose, with the obvious wide differences in comfort. The author is somewhat of a pioneer in that he found the background research difficult as there was very little written about cleaning oneself after losing a load. I was reminded that the use of toilet paper is more recent than at first thought. My great-aunt lived on a farm with her husband, and they struggled to make ends meet. They used corncobs to wipe.

 This book is a rare one in that it is amusing, educational and contains original historical research. The topic is one that does not often appear in historical literature. This is one of the most amusing books that I have ever read. It is well written with a lot of double meaning words and phrases. Which is as it should be for there are many euphemisms for the act being described.

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