Chock-full of advice that's stood the test of time, ASK THE PAST is the tongue-in-cheek compilation of hilarious and true answers to life's questions, drawn from actual antique sourcebooks by a historian and bibliophile. Based on the popular blog, ASK THE PAST offers absolutely serious, yet now uproariously funny, advice culled by Yale University-trained historian Archibald from the rare books she's uncovered in her research. Whether it's 18th century tips for ridding your abode of bedbugs (sprinkle bed with gunpowder and let smolder) or a 16th-century guide on how to score (do not pass gas), ASK THE PAST is a wildly entertaining take on classic advice books, a post-millennial Miss Manners for the over-educated, over-read, and overly ironic. Illustrated throughout, ASK THE PAST is the perfect gift full of tips, tricks, and curiosities that no one can resist.