On Time: How America Has Learned to Live Life by the Clock

Have you ever wondered who came up with time zones, or why we adjust our clocks at daylight savings time? This entertainingly written, generously illustrated book, drawn from a popular exhibit at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, provides the answers to these and dozens of other questions about time. ON TIME showcases unusual timepieces from the museum's collection, such as Helen Keller's pocket watch and the earliest bedside alarm clocks, and brings to life some of the lesser-known characters and events that have shaped the way we think about time today.

Carlene E. Stephens is a curator in the History of Technology Division, National Museum of American History, Behring Center, Smithsonian Institution. She lives in Washington, D.C.