How did the table fork acquire a fourth tine? What advantage does the Phillips-head screw have over its single-grooved predecessor? Why does the paper clip look the way it does? What makes Scotch tape Scotch?
In this delightful book Henry, Petroski takes a microscopic look at artifacts that most of us count on but rarely contemplate, including such icons of the everyday as pins, Post-its, and fast-food "clamshell" containers. At the same time, he offers a convincing new theory of technological innovation as a response to the perceived failures of existing products—suggesting that irritation, and not necessity, is the mother of invention.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
-- Hilton Kramer, Newsday
"So engrossing that I read it through in one sitting...An utterly absorbing history."
-- Martin Gardner, Raleigh News and Observer
"Beguiling...surprising, entertaining, informative. One could scarcely ask a book to be more!...Using the story of the pencil as a paradigm, Petroski shows us how the process of engineering unfolds and [how] the pencil is the end result of a process that parallels those by which products of much greater sophistication -- computers, for example -- are invented, designed, manufactured and improved."
-- Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post Book World
"A serious and charming history...Petroski argues his case with wry humor and an amplitude of anecdotage drawn from many centuries and continents. The Pencil is that great rarity, a book that will appeal to ordinary readers and yet seems destined as well to become a minor classic in academe."
-- Cullen Murphy, The Atlantic
"You will never feel the same about the pencil after you read this terrific book."
-- Larry King, USA Today
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. How did the table fork acquire a fourth tine? What advantage does the Phillips-head screw have over its single-grooved predecessor? Why does the paper clip look the way it does? What makes Scotch tape Scotch? In this delightful book Henry, Petroski takes a microscopic look at artifacts that most of us count on but rarely contemplate, including such icons of the everyday as pins, Post-its, and fast-food "clamshell" containers. At the same time, he offers a convincing new theory of technological innovation as a response to the perceived failures of existing productssuggesting that irritation, and not necessity, is the mother of invention. A look at the origin of everyday household items examines the Phillips-head screwdriver, paper clips, Post-its, fast-food "clamshell" containers, and other items. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780679740391
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