"The House Book," or, "The Greatest Book of All"

The House Book, first published in 1974, has much to teach us about the ways and wherefores of the nineteen-seventies.

The proud people of this era loved texture:

and plenty of it:

 "Fun with nomads" was real and viable decorating option:

And intimacy with the natural world was expressed in complex and varied ways:

Stripes were a very popular motif:

And, well-dressed children standing in doorways hadn't yet acquired the stigma that they received in Stanley Kubrick's The Shining:

Other hallmarks of this innocent time include an oh-so-open attitude towards nudity,

plenty of opportunities for convivial lounging,

and well constructed venues for pursuing other modern amusements: