Fireplaces are almost a novelty now, but once upon a time, they were the heart of the home. Much of the know-how and culture related to fireside gatherings has accordingly faded from memory, and so this intriguing collection explains the architecture of the hearth, details what woods to burn, looks back on bygone parlor games and songs, and provides recipes for fireside feasts and patterns for quilts to sew and rugs to knit. Along with extracts from literature in which the fireside is a central theme, here are stories about the sweeps of yesteryear who cleaned our chimneys, and the gods and goddesses who were believed to inhabit the fireplace.