Describes the origins of over 400 everyday items, arranged in alphabetical order.

"The Origins of Everyday Things" traces the evolution of customs, manners, and commonplace objects through the twists and turns of time to uncover their history-making roots.

Relates facts and information about a host of ordinary things ranging from safety pins to negligees.

The stories behind the invention and development of everyday objects in home and offices.

For anyone who ever wanted to know the history of the chocolate chip cookie, earmuffs, and Daylight Savings! Firsts, history through the milestones of human achievement, are fun. And Wilson Casey, trivia expert, has collected over 500 firsts in nearly every major category of culture: from fashion to food, politics to science, entertainment to art to architecture. Each 'first' is a full explanation of the topic at hand, written in a humorous yet authoritative style. It includes: ?The true history of the golf tee ?How a blind man came up with cruise control ?The myth behind the origins of the Caesar salad ?Why and how the first dieter dieted

For lovers of facts, students of popular culture, history buffs, and science enthusiasts, the fascinating stories behind 500 everyday items, expressions, and customs--from Kleenex to steak sauce, Barbie Dolls to honeymoons.

The daily lives of ordinary people are replete with objects, common things used in commonplace settings. These objects are our constant companions in life. As such, writes Soetsu Yanagi, they should be made with care and built to last, treated with respect and even affection. They should be natural and simple, sturdy and safe - the aesthetic result of wholeheartedly fulfilling utilitarian needs. They should, in short, be things of beauty. In an age of feeble and ugly machine-made things, these essays call for us to deepen and transform our relationship with the objects that surround us. Inspired by the work of the simple, humble craftsmen Yanagi encountered during his lifelong travels through Japan and Korea, they are an earnest defence of modest, honest, handcrafted things - from traditional teacups to jars to cloth and paper. Objects like these exemplify the enduring appeal of simplicity and function: the beauty of everyday things.