Further Details

Title: An Uncommon History of Common Things
Condition: New
Author: Patrick Bethanne
Format: Hardback
ISBN-10: 1426204205
EAN: 9781426204203
ISBN: 9781426204203
Publisher: National Geographic Society
Genre: Technology & Engineering
Topic: History, Language & Reference
Release Date: 17/11/2009
Description: Sometime about 30,000 years ago, somebody stuck a sharp rock into a split stick—and presto! The axe was born. Our inquisitive species just loves tinkering, testing, and pushing the limits, and this delightfully different book is a freewheeling reference to hundreds of customs, notions, and inventions that reflect human ingenuity throughout history. From hand tools to holidays to weapons to washing machines, An Uncommon History of Common Things features hundreds of colourful illustrations, timelines, sidebars, and more as it explores just about every subject under the sun. Who knew that indoor plumbing has been around for 4,600 years, but punctuation, capital letters, and the handy spaces between written words only date back to the Dark Ages? Or that ancient soldiers baked a kind of pizza on their shields—when they weren’t busy flying kites to frighten their foes? A lively, incomparably browsable read for history buffs, pop culture lovers, and anyone who relishes the odd and extraordinary details hidden in the everyday, it will inform, amuse, astonish—and alter the way you think about the clever creatures we call humans.
Language: English
Country/Region of Manufacture: US
Item Height: 246mm
Item Length: 193mm
Release Year: 2009

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