Do you ever wonder how people lived in the past? What did they eat, what kind of underwear did they wear, how often did they bathe, what was life like for them? Here is a list of titles that will answer questions you didn't even know you had, and  perhaps some questions that you did wonder about. These books will give you a picture of how people lived, and what daily life was like throughout history. Take a peek through a window into the past, and enjoy some very entertaining history. All of the books on this list are available as e-books or e-audiobooks.
 

Corsets and Codpieces: A History of Outrageous Fashion, From Roman Times to the Modern Era by Karen Bowman

Take a fresh look at history's hidden fashion disasters and discover the stories behind historical garments: How removing a Medieval woman's headdress could reveal her as a harlot, why Tudor men traded in their over-sized codpieces for corsets, the ridiculous roof-raising results of four-foot high Georgian headgear, how the crinoline caused a spate of shoplifting among Victorian ladies. Karen Bowman charts our sartorial history from the animal skins first used to cover our modesty and show off hunting skills, right up to the 20th century drive for practicality and comfort.

Gladiator: The Roman Fighter's (Unofficial) Manual by Phillip Matyszak

So you think you'd like to become a Gladiator? Find out how to get thousands to idolize you as the strongest, meanest fighter in the Roman empire. Win fame and fortune in one of Rome's most glamorous locations in the presence of the emperor himself. Who wouldn't kill for a job like that?

Only available as an e-book.

A History of Food in 100 Recipes by William Sitwell

A riveting narrative history of food as seen through 100 recipes, from ancient Egyptian bread to modernist cuisine. A book you can read straight through and also use in the kitchen.

How to be a Victorian: A Dawn to Dusk Guide to Victorian Life by Ruth Goodman

A British historian vividly describes the intimate and charming details of everyday life—from leisure activities and fashion to education and even contraception during the Victorian period, including doing calisthenics, putting on a corset and giving a little opium to the children before bedtime.

If Walls Could Talk: An Intimate History of the Home by Lucy Worsley

Jubilee: Recipes From Two Centuries of African American Cooking by Toni Tipton-Martin

Throughout her career, Toni Tipton-Martin has shed new light on the history, breadth, and depth of African American cuisine. She's introduced us to black cooks, some long forgotten, who established much of what's considered to be our national cuisine. After all, if Thomas Jefferson introduced French haute cuisine to this country, who do you think actually cooked it? IACP award finalist, named one of the best cookbooks of the year by The New York Times Book Review, The New Yorker, and NPR.

Medieval Tastes: Food, Cooking, and the Table by Massimo Montanari

The Time Traveler's Guide to Elizabethan England by Ian Mortimer

This popular history explores daily life in Queen Elizabeth's England, taking us inside the homes and minds of ordinary citizens as well as luminaries of the period. Organized as a travel guide for the time-hopping tourist, Mortimer relates in delightful (and occasionally disturbing) detail everything from the sounds and smells of sixteenth-century England to the complex and contradictory Elizabethan attitudes toward violence, class, sex, and religion.

The Time Traveler's Handbook: 19 Experiences from the Eruption of Vesuvius to Woodstock by James Wyllie, David Goldblatt, Johnny Acton

Ungovernable: The Victorian Parent's Guide to Raising Flawless Children by Therese Oneill

Feminist historian Therese Oneill is back, to educate you on what to expect when you're expecting...a Victorian baby! In Ungovernable, Oneill conducts an unforgettable tour through the backwards, pseudoscientific, downright bizarre parenting fashions of the Victorians, advising us on: How to be sure you're not too ugly, sickly, or stupid to breed. What positions and room decor will help you conceive a son. How much beer, wine, cyanide and heroin to consume while pregnant. How to select the best peasant teat for your child. Which foods won't turn your children into sexual deviants. And so much more.

Unmentionable: The Victorian Lady's Guide to Sex, Marriage, and Manners   by Therese Oneill

Unmentionable is the hilarious, illustrated, scandalously honest (yet never crass) guide to the secrets of Victorian womanhood, giving you detailed advice on: what to wear, where to relieve yourself, how to conceal your loathsome addiction to menstruating, what to expect on your wedding night, how to be the perfect Victorian wife, why masturbating will kill you, and more!

Available as a book or e-audiobook only.

The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook: From Lady Mary's Crab Canapés to Mrs. Patmore's Christmas Pudding: More than 150 Recipes from Upstairs and Downstairs by Emily Ansara Baines

A collection of recipes for traditional English dishes from the Edwardian era inspired by the television program, Downton Abbey.

Don't forget to "return" your e-books and e-audiobooks when you're done—the sooner you return them, the sooner someone else can use them.

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!