The Evolution of Useful Things: How Everyday Artifacts-From Forks and Pins to Paper Clips and Zippers-Came to be as They are

The Evolution of Useful Things: How Everyday Artifacts-From Forks and Pins to Paper Clips and Zippers-Came to be as They are List Price: $14.95 Offer Price: USD $2.28 See Latest Price & Discount Author Henry Petroski Binding: Paperback Publication Date: 1994-02-01 ISBN 0679740392 Publisher:Vintage Features:    ISBN13: 9780679740391    Condition: New    Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed Editorial Reviews: Product Description Petroski tells fascinating stories about the arduous processes that resulted in paper clips, Post-its, Phillips-head screwdrivers, Scotch tape, and fast-food "clamshell" containers. "Petroski . . . an examines the simplest . . . tools in our lives with an appraising eye."--Washington Post Book World. 45 illus. Amazon.com Review This surprising book may appear to be about the simple things of life--forks, paper clips, zippers--but in fact it is a far-flung historical adventure on the evolution of common culture. To trace the fork's history, Duke University professor of civil engineering Henry Petroski travels from prehistoric times to Texas barbecue to Cardinal Richelieu to England's Industrial Revolution to the American Civil War--and beyond. Each item described offers a cultural history lesson, plus there's plenty of engineering detail for those so inclined. Customer Reviews: Review #1: The Evolution of Useful Things 2009-07-12 Interesting book- lots of history on various everyday items. Can be read through or just in bits as interest dictates. Fun source book. Review #2: the evolution of many everyday items should be more interesting than this 2008-11-02 The concept is interesting: take a deep look at some of the most common items in our home and consider how they came into their current form. His main thesis is that form does not follow function, but rather that form follows failure. When presented with a tool that doesn't do quite what you want it to do, the inventor figures out a solution to the problem. Great idea. Bad execution. The author keeps on circling back to the same points, over and over and over again. The worst is the discussion of forks. I'm still not sure how I slogged through that section, talking about the number of tines and the length of the tines and the width of the individual tines and the handle. There was some interesting information in there, but it could have been covered in a couple of pages, not the unending pages upon pages that this went on. There was so much information in this book. and there were some great design stories found in the pages here. But it got buried in too many details and too many repetitions of the authors main thesis. Review #3: Did not meet expectations 2008-07-09 I expected this book to be a collection of "stories" about the development of everyday items. Instead I read about how and why inventors invent new things. Although this is somewhat interesting, the book has not been work the purchase. Review #4: Fascinating insights, a little dry 2008-04-07 Henry Petroski writes an indepth look at how everyday items evolve. He thesis, which he rarely tires of repeating, is that the form of an object follows its failure. He rejects the saying "form follows function" as being quaint and incomplete. He uses numerous examples of the evolution of the paperclip, fork, scotch tape and other common items to illustrate that objects change not due to far sighted design, but instead to users finding fault with how the object does its job and trying to improve it. The book can be a little dry and repetitive at times but offers fascinating insights into why a fork has four tines or why the paperclip looks the way it does. Review #5: So INTRIGUING 2008-03-26 this book is so intriguing and offers such great insight into the world of design, patents, and the evolutionary history of some of the most "mundane" objects in our everyday lives! definitely worth a read! then pass it on to a friend!