"There is a certain fascination connected with the remodeling of a farmhouse. Its low, raftered interior, its weather-beaten exterior, never fail to appeal. Types vary with the period in which they were built, but all are of interest. In this collection, which has been pictured with great care, pains have been taken to show as many different types as possible, so that the student will be able to find numerous interesting details that can be incorporated into his contemplated remodeling." [opening lines of Preface]

Fanny Kemble was a British actress who married mega-plantation owner, Pierce Butler of Georgia. During her marriage she kept journals of everyday life, and after some years grew to detest the institution of slavery and the things Butler stood for. Kemble eventually divorced him, but it wasn't until after the Civil War had started that she published her journal about her observations and the experiences of the hundreds of African American slaves owned by her ex-husband.