Are there any aspects of life in 1914 you wish had survived?

From horse-drawn wagons to carrier pigeons, the norms of 1914 obviously no longer exist today. Are there any aspects of life in 1914 you wish had survived?

Yes, the closeness of family and the simplicity of life. These are not specific to 1914 but were present then.

I think I really like the idea that family needed to take care of family.

I guess I would respectfully disagree that families were closer and life simpler in 1914. This family was shaped by the absence of a father and their mother's strange way of isolating them and controlling them, which led to the family secret to begin with, so that the closeness is in part built on a lie. Some families are close, some not, in any era, I imagine. And for mill workers, or others living in such conditions, or in poverty, life was not simple.

My reaction is that I'm glad we are not in 1914, given the limited roles for women, the sexual double standard, and the lack of a safety net, or laws to regulate motor vehicles, or protect workers. Mostly though I'm struck by how much our present day resembles 1914: while our justice system might appear to have evolved from an era where a rich man might be merely fined for a felony (or several!), the reality is that there is still a different standard for the wealthy and the rest (the "affluenza" teen, e.g., or Wall Street manipulators not going to jail) and for whites vs. minorities. And increasingly workers are being treated the way the mill workers were (lack of a living wage, payday loan ripoffs, etc.)

1914 was not a year in which I'd have chosen to live--WWI, the influenza epidemic, lack of unions to protect workers (of course, we have returned to those pre-union conditions so all the struggle that improved life was destroyed), lack of woman's rights, and the great divide between have nots and the haves--oh, that is still the same. Tenement living ----cold water flats. Bias against immigrants. Wait, we were speaking of 1914, right?
The more things change the more they remain the same and progress only goes so far before there is regression. So, here we are 102 years later and in some ways none of us have survived.

The entire dependence of family on family and friends is something that is sorely missed in today's society. There is too much "all about me" and isolation due to online activities. People just don't spend enough time socializing in person these days and that is leading to further chaos, crime and prejudices. Unfortunately for the Kopp sisters, they were kept isolated and learned to depend more on one another than seeking help from friends. I am hoping that as the series progresses their circle widens to bring in others to assist them from time to time.

Yes, the importance of the family and the point of view that family members are responsible for each other's welfare and looked after by other family members. When decisions had to be made about Constance's situation with Fleurette, there was no question from Norma's standpoint that they would return home and as they got older all three "sisters" continued to be supportive and united in their efforts for each other. I think this sense of responsibility or obligation is not as strong as in circa 1914.

Was 1914 a simpler time to be desired? I'm not sure. I think families were closer and more dependent on each other. Children grew up knowing how to work and respected their elders. There was discipline in the home and schools. (I don't think you need corporal punishment to have adequate discipline.) Faith was valued. Those things I like. However, I don't want to live without our conveniences or my computer. I also like the fact that girls are now told they can "become" any occupation they desire. There is good and bad in any year.

I don't think I would wish for the type of life the Kopp sisters lived. They had been raised to be very isolated from society and had been taught by their mother to be fearful and distrustful of outsiders.
As a rule, families of that time were much closer and looked out for one another. Whether the family was poor or wealthy, the family united was more dependent on each other. In 1914, many hard times come to mind, though. There was the horrible flu epidemic that took so many people, from babies to the elderly. We often do not realize how fortunate we are that we live in the age of antibiotics. My grandmother died in 1937 from pneumonia - antibiotics were a few years away. WW1 brought hardships and sorrow to many families. In NYC there were many, many cases of poverty and hunger. Many families could not afford to feed their children and gave them up to be sent to the Midwest to be adopted by farm families (the Orphan Trains).

Nope. I can't think of a single thing that I would've liked to have lived thru as a woman in 1914. I need & value my independence. I also enjoy all of the free time I have each day as a result of modern technology.

I really cannot think of anything I would have wanted from 1914. Farm work was very hard without modern machinery. Families were closer, but they did not have a lot of extra time to enjoy that closeness. They did not know it, but a war was coming, which would change their lives. Women did not have much of a chance without a husband. There were not many jobs available for women on their own. They would end up living with family

Not many. It is a fascinating time though, as women fought for the right to vote, and I loved the fashions of the era 1910 through 1919. On the other hand, toilet paper - and flushing, indoor toilets can't be beat by Downton Abbey dresses!!!!!!!
Some others have already commented above on the similarities between the turn of the 20th and the turn of the 21st centuries. I remember commenting to a friend in the early 2000s that there was a queen on the British throne, the Balkins were in an uproar, and America suffered from the rich being too rich and the poor being too poor with politicians taking great advantage of their positions - so what happened in that hundred years????

reenactments of old customs, dress, architecture, etc....horse-drawn carriages, there are places reserved for the ancient but there could be more, like the old cars shows, we could have horse drawn buggies and carriage competitions for retro styles, I haven't been a part of an actual movie set or reenactment however where I imagine this is taking place

I think the time is romanticized in the minds of many. Take the illness, the oncoming World War I, the plight of immigrants and women, farming by hand and horse and mule... NO! Give me my right to work, my IPAD to join a book club, marvelous public transportation, fruit year round, education for all and medicine for what ills us. No, the world, the country and people are not perfect, but progress.... God bless ya!

I, too, am SOOOOOO grateful for modern conveniences! I wouldn't have wanted to live through it, but I am fascinated to read about it!
One thing that piqued my curiosity from this novel was the automobile vs. horse and buggy. Sheesh, could you imagine what the streets were like in those days? How traffic flowed?

I have long been fascinated by the Edwardian period ( including late VictorIan and on into early George 5th as well ). So much was assaulting the senses and the intellect. The modern world was being invented right before their eyes. On the other hand, so much was similar to today. Wars, epidemics, cultural upheaval, social unrest - not repeated exactly but recirculated. Getting inside the head of a woman who instinctively recognizes this 100 years earlier is fascinating and very well done by the author.

I don't think I would want to live in 1914 for anything. We have medicines that they did not have available at that time. People worked unbelievably long hours so they didn't have quality time with their families.

Closeness of extended family is somewhat missing today. Personal connections are Aldo going by the wayside. Having a great aunt in a similar situation to Constance and having it handled the same way was an interesting connection to me. I'm not sure if the two involved in real life ever knew the truth although others in the family did. I wonder if this series will continue in this same vein