The fascinating and funny origins of everyday objects-bliss for history hounds, language lovers and trivia buffs.
In this delightful volume, Harry Oliver reveals the most unusual and unexpected stories behind the household necessities, toys, common objects, technological advances, and everyday items we all take for granted. Who hasn't wondered:
?Whether Thomas Crapper really invented the toilet
?What accident led to the invention of the microwave
?Why it took nearly twenty years for someone to finally decide to slice bread
?How laziness resulted in the...

Cross your fingers, knock on wood, and clutch your rabbit's foot a little tighter.
In this charming and endlessly diverting book, Harry Oliver delves into the stories behind the traditions and superstitions that permeate our everyday lives, unearthing the fascinating histories of these weird and wonderful notions. So before you search for any more four-leaf clovers, worry about the next Friday the 13th, or avoid walking under any ladders, dip into this amazing tome and discover:
*Why breaking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck.
*The best day of the week to ask for...

Let's "cut to the chase" and "make no bones about it"-this book will have you "pleased as punch."
Sowing your wild oats, throwing in the towel, painting the town red...Harry Oliver reveals the fascinating stories behind these and other strange turns of phrase steeped in the weird and wonderful history and traditions of everyday life. From quirky terms to street and city names and more, this book answers the questions you never thought to ask.
? What ancient empire coined the phrase "green with envy"?
? Who was the first person to "get someone's goat"?
? Which writer first...