Katherine Ashenburgová je oceňovaná autorka, ktorá sa venuje nebeletristickej literatúre a písaniu stoviek článkov na rôznorodé témy od cestovania cez smútočné zvyky až po architektúru. Svoje diela často zameriava na skúmanie ľudských zvyklostí a histórie s nečakaným náhľadom. Ashenburgová sa ponára do ambivalentných vzťahov spoločnosti k rôznym aspektom života a smrti, do svojich textov vnáša elán a prenikavú analýzu. Jej štýl je obratný a pútavý, čím čitateľov nabáda k novým pohľadom na známe aj menej známe fenomény.
Exploring the complexities of unexpected relationships, this novel follows a journalist who finds herself in an unusual bond with her ex-husband's wife. Blending humor and emotional depth, it captures the nuances of love, friendship, and the entangled lives of modern women. With a style reminiscent of Nora Ephron, the story offers a fresh perspective on family dynamics and personal growth, making it both relatable and entertaining.
'I return to Paris in five days. Stop washing.' So wrote Napoleon to Josephine in an age when body odour was considered an aphrodisiac. In stark contrast, the Romans used to bath for hours each day. Ashenburg's investigation of history's ambivalence towards personal hygiene takes her through plague-ridden streets, hospitals and battlefields. From the bizarre prescriptions of doctors to the eccentricities of famous bathers, she presents us with all the twists and turns that have led us to our own, arbitrary notion of 'clean'.