The Bathroom: A Social History of Cleanliness and the Body

This book gives a complete history of the American bathroom and describes how the smallest yet most complex room in the American house is at the nexus of personal behavior and public investment.

The Bathroom: A Social History of Cleanliness and the Body is the first scholarly treatment of the American bathroom-as a space in the house, through nearly two centuries. After a brief nod to precedents set by other countries and to elements of the bathroom that may be placed in different parts of the house, this book traces the development of the bathroom in the American house since the Civil War, when the bathroom began to take shape.

The bathroom is considered in light of many socially relevant themes, such as cleanliness, sanitation, technology, and consumerism. Taken as a whole, the book bridges the gap between the public and private infrastructure of the bathroom and reveals the ways in which the space transforms its occupants into consumers. Its language is jargon-free, making it ideal for students, general readers, and researchers.

Offers a comprehensive overview of the history of the American bathroom

Provides a detailed look at the material culture of the bathroom

Focuses on the bathroom as a social space of consumers

Includes chapters that connect the bathroom with the public infrastructure (e.g., sanitation, technology) that surrounds it

Features 20 images that show the historical progression of the bathroom in American homes