Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Reviews of Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures

Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures
Other People's Dirt A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures
Author: Louise Rafkin
ISBN-13: 9780452280816
ISBN-10: 0452280818
Publication Date: 5/1/1999
Pages: 208
Rating:
  • Currently 3.2/5 Stars.
 58

3.2 stars, based on 58 ratings
Publisher: Plume Books
Book Type: Paperback
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

24 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

nascargal avatar reviewed Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures on + 352 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
This is a hilarious and also somewhat sad view of what housecleaners go through.
Chesara avatar reviewed Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures on + 153 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Interesting memoir of a housecleaner,the houses she has cleaned and the people who own them.
reviewed Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures on + 8 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Interesting and funny but writer seems to have a chip on her shoulder - among other things, who ever heard of a cleaning person who won't make beds? Anyway, she was an aspiring writer looking to do something she could write about and got into cleaning to make ends meet - thus this book. She is a good writer -- I did keep reading even as I kept thinking how critical, self-centered and lacking in empathy thw writer is.
ilovebooksanddogs avatar reviewed Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures on + 359 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
this book was hilarious! a really good fun read!
reviewed Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures on + 4 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Very funny and insightful. Rafkin is a refreshing voice and her stories of tackling other people's dirt range from infuriating to hilarious.
reviewed Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures on + 12 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This book is about a house cleaner who really digs up the dirt of some famous people
reviewed Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures on
Helpful Score: 1
Very enjoyable light reading. Well written with some research done by the author in addition to her own experiences.
amoebastar avatar reviewed Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures on + 43 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This was a quick read, compelling, though more about how cleaning shaped the views of the author, Rafkin. The reader doesn't get "sucked into" her life of cleaning, but the story is entertaining and generally well-written. It's good leisure reading for a mellow day.
reviewed Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures on + 38 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
doesn't have as much "dirt" as i was hoping for, but some nice insights. the writing seems to improve as the book progresses.
reviewed Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures on + 58 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Seems to be more about the author's depressing, and often disgusting, life than about interesting adventures in housecleaning. Don't read if you get grossed out easily!

(I'm trying to give it only 1/2 star, but the review system isn't working.)
reviewed Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures on + 132 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Something of an intellectual tease. Rafkin brings up many, many interesting points but seldom goes into any depth about them. Still, for a lightly philosophical conversation, it's a quick and pleasant read.
mistressbatty avatar reviewed Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures on + 25 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
decent book. funny and interesting looks at cleaning
harmony85 avatar reviewed Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures on + 982 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Pretty good read!
reviewed Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures on + 88 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This was a good book.. not what I thought it was going to be.. I guess I was hoping it would be more stories about different houses she had cleaned but it wasnt. It was still good and very informative in an entertaining way!
Rebemdee avatar reviewed Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures on
Housecleaner extraordinaire Louise Rafkin reads her own work as efficiently as she cleans bathtubs and snoops through the letter pile. Rafkin's voice is pleasantly modulated and well suited to her dry humor in Other People's Dirt, a parallel tale of her cleaning habits and socio-spiritual explorations.

Entertaining, read in one sitting. Not particularly deep or meaningful, but jaunty and fun. I liked the tips on what to do if you hire a housecleaner; that's worth the price of the book.
FamFatale avatar reviewed Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures on + 369 more book reviews
An interesting take on the "other side". Since I am everything opposite - a cluttered bibliophile who hates to clean... nuff said.
reviewed Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures on + 3 more book reviews
INTERESTING LITTLE BOOK... FAST READ...
reviewed Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures on + 42 more book reviews
A very cute and interesting book.
reviewed Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures on + 213 more book reviews
I loved this book. Louise Rafkin is such a great writer. She had me laughing constantly. I highly recommend it.
reviewed Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures on + 19 more book reviews
Interesting book.
reviewed Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures on + 74 more book reviews
Funny look at the many ways to clean for money and as psychological compulsion.
Mom2EmNAbby avatar reviewed Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures on + 49 more book reviews
This was a fun read....I did think the author rambled a bit & some of her thoughts seemed to be pretty randon & unconnected to the previous paragraph but overall I still enjoyed this book.
reviewed Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures on
Mildly interesting book on the insights of a professional house cleaner. Very quick read.
L avatar reviewed Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures on
A fun read!