Living a Beautiful Life: Five Hundred Ways to Add Elegance, Order, Beauty, and Joy to Every Day of Your Life

Interior designer Stoddard (Style for Living, etc.t believes that ""only by paying careful attention to the simple details of daily tasks and to our immediate surroundings can we live vitally and beautifully all the days of our lives.'' Her syrupy, repetitious prescription for gaining control over life and uplifting the ordinary into restorative events is mostly commonsensical: i.e., making morning lists, using perfumed stationery, special china and bedding, finger bowls, massages, fresh produce, good lighting. But some readers will balk at bathing with citrus fruit slices, opening mail with a silver George III meat skewer or making the inside of the refrigerator ``a feast for the eye'' with flowers, and may be at a loss as to where they can purchase a ``Fragrance on the Line'' plastic disc of pure extract of perfume for insertion into a telephone mouthpiece. Unimaginative drawings are included. First serial to McCall's; BOMC alternate. (October 10)