A highly engaging and beautifully presented book, "Fireside, A Family Companion" is an intriguing collection of information on all things related to the fireside, from the architecture of the hearth, what woods to burn, to recipes for fireside drinks and dishes and patterns for quilts to sew and rugs to knit. There are stories about the gods and goddesses who inhabit the fireplace, the sweeps of yesteryear who cleaned our chimneys, parlour games that were played around the fireside, songs that were sung and stories that were told. Amongst all this are peppered poems and extracts from literature in which the fireside is a central theme.