Books, Arts & Manners: By the Book

A FEW years ago I came across a book on how to clear the clutter out of one’s life. I stopped reading at the point where the author ordered his readers to get rid of all their cookbooks, on the grounds that no one uses cookbooks anyway. If he’s that wrong about my kitchen, said I, why should I trust him about any of my other possessions?

My colleague Digby Anderson has a far more sensible reason for urging readers to get rid of (most of) their cookbooks: not that they don’t use them, but rather that they do, searching for new (or, worse, easier) dishes instead of perfecting the ones they know. His is a good, conservative approach, rather like that of the Boston matron who was asked where she got her hats. “Get my hats? I have my hats.”

About the Author

Linda Bridges

Ms. Bridges is the former editor-at-large of National Review.

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A FEW years ago I came across a book on how to clear the clutter out of one’s life. I stopped reading at the point where the author ordered his readers to get rid of all their cookbooks, on the grounds that no one uses cookbooks anyway. If he’s that wrong about my kitchen, said I, why should I trust him about any of my other possessions?

My colleague Digby Anderson has a far more sensible reason for urging readers to get rid of (most of) their cookbooks: not that they don’t use them, but rather that they do, searching for new (or, worse, easier) dishes instead of perfecting the ones they know. His is a good, conservative approach, rather like that of the Boston matron who was asked where she got her hats. “Get my hats? I have my hats.”