Modern cookery, in all its branches vs The cook's oracle: Which Should You Read?

Both live on shelves: English Cooking, Cooking

Cover of Modern cookery, in all its branches

Modern cookery, in all its branches Eliza Acton · 1845 ★★★★☆ 3.9 608 pages · ≈ 11 h 16 m · Demanding Find on Amazon

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Cover of The cook's oracle

The cook's oracle William Kitchiner · 1821 ★★★★☆ 3.8 428 pages · ≈ 7 h 56 m · Challenging Find on Amazon

The verdict

Ratings are close: 3.9 vs 3.8 — either is a safe pick by score.
The cook's oracle is the quicker read — about 7 hours vs 11 for Modern cookery, in all its branches.
The cook's oracle is the easier read (Challenging), Modern cookery, in all its branches more demanding (Demanding).

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