Panati's Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things

By Charles Panati

Book Overview

For lovers of facts, students of popular culture, history buffs, and science enthusiasts, the foremost specialist on everything tells how and why hundreds of the everyday items, expressions, and customs we take for granted came into existence. Learn the fascinating discovery stories behind over 500 phenomena, including: -How chewing gum and Silly Putty began as substitutes for rubber. -How the potato chip emerged from an act of pique on the part of an Indian named Crum. -How a socialite invented the dishwasher because servants too frequently broke her expensive china. -Why April Fool's Day started out as New Year's Eve, a joke in itself. -How the song 'Happy Birthday to You' began as a kindergarten jingle titled 'Good Morning to All.' -How the zipper was one man's attempt to make obsolete, not buttons... but shoelaces. -How the newlywed husband came to the aid of his accident-prone bride with the invention of the Band-Aid. -How the hot dog began as an outlawed Roman sausage and received its name at a New York baseball game. -How a pot-and-pan salesman who baited customers with soapy steel wool pads launched the S.O.S empire. -How Drs. Fallopius and Condom made strides in inventing and popularizing a male means of birth control. -How the original Goldilocks was a disgruntled, gray-haired crone, tortured by the three bears.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0785834370
• ISBN13: 9780785834373
• Release Date: August 2016
• Publisher: Book Sales, Incorporated
• Length: 480 Pages
• Weight: 2.27 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 6.3" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Indispensable!

My old copy is worn down to no covers! Time to order another copy!

My All-Time Favorite Book

This was a gift to me from my parents well over ten years ago and is a book I still read occasionally. Believe it or not, it represents the single most important positive influence in my education. I realize that most first time readers will not be impressionable elementary-school children like I was, but I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't be able to find this book an enjoyable read.

wonderful book

I have bought this book 3 times in many years and lose it to friends. It is educational and fun to pop out the origins when at work and someone is wondering where something came from or how a phrase got started. You can read for days if you could keep yourself up that long and then go back and read again.

Excellent reading.

I didn't learn this much history in school. It is amazing to learn that customs we practice today have their roots hundreds, even thousands of years ago. Ages high school to 100 will enjoy this book.