"The true economy of housekeeping is simply the art of gathering up of all the fragments, so that nothing is lost. I mean fragments of time, as well as materials. Nothing should be thrown away so long as it is possible to make use of it, however trifling that use may be; and whatever be the size of the family, every member should be employed either in earning or saving money. So begins The American Frugal Housewife. First published in 1828, it went through many editions and proved to be an extremely popular nineteenth century manual for homemakers. Interesting recipes and remedies, advice on parenting and the myriad responsibilities of housekeeping are all put forth in straightforward, no-nonsense,Yankee prose. Mrs. Lydia Maria Child was an early feminist and abolitionist who supported her family through her various literary activities as a writer of many books, a pamphleteer, and a magazine editor."