Brenda Reviews Books 








Man with Farm Seeks Woman with Tractor:
The Best and Worst Personal Ads of All Time
by Laura Schaefer

As an on-line dating advisor with 10 years experience in the biz, and with about 300+ dating/relationship books piled high in my office (sent in by publishers to review), I looked forward to adding this book to my collection. And after reading it, it was the first review I've felt compelled to write on Amazon – so the author could read my comments.

To be honest, this book, (although a great premise), does in no way contain the best and worst personal ads of all time, not even close - but more a collection of hundreds of repetitive Victorian era ads, maybe a dozen from the twenties-seventies, and a whopping half a dozen ads written past the year 2000.

I didn't even see the famous ad that sparked the whole phenomenon - from lonely spinster Helen Morrison, who, in 1727, became the first woman to place a Lonely Hearts advertisement. It appeared in the Manchester Weekly Journal. The mayor promptly committed her to a lunatic asylum for four weeks.  Source: The People's Almanac #2

 

EXAMPLES FROM THE BOOK: The Young and highly accomplished daughter of an American millionaire desires to contract an early aristocratic marriage. A title (English, if possible) is preferred, but is not essential. Means a secondary consideration, but ancestry is sine qua non. Ample settlements. Address with editor. - The Marriage Gazette (England) Reprinted November 1895, The New York Times

A gentleman of culture and refinement is desirous (for the romance of the affair) of corresponding with a lady who can appreciate a loving disposition and luxuriant home. Lack of money no objection whatsoever, as only a warm, unfettered heart is asked for one as good in return. Address G.D.E. Station D. New York.

- July 17, 1866, The New York Times

As someone who reviews hundreds of ads a week, there is so much more that could have been added to this book - if even for balance. My guess is that the author has written a few dating articles and therefore considers herself an on-line dating authority. I don't mean to sound harsh, but it's obvious that the author has never been up until 4am editing and researching thousands upon thousands of our more modern pleas for love, painstakingly studying the psychology of what makes some ads work and what makes them fail. That kind of understanding would have helped her select really meaty content for a book that not only would have been entertaining, but actually educational.

So, if you think you might gain some insight when writing your own ad, don't count on it. This book is just an interesting glimpse at a very distant past, which is fine, but is about as honest a title as your date showing up at the restaurant after posting pics of themselves a much attractive ten-fifteen years younger. I think that's why I felt so deceived, but then again, I'm a total geek when it comes to this kind of subject matter. 

I would rename this offering: 'A Collection of Quaint Personals from a Past Era' - because that is what this book is really about.



Buy this book: Man with Farm Seeks Woman with Tractor: The Best and Worst Personal Ads of All Time

Paperback: 149 pages
Publisher: Thunder's Mouth Press (April 10, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN: 1560256869

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