C. M. reviewed The Evolution of Useful Things: How Everyday Artifacts -- From Forks and Pins to Paper Clips and Zippers -- Came to be as They Are on + 15 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 6
Interesting insights into the development of everyday objects - I really enjoyed it.
Donna E. (impossible) reviewed The Evolution of Useful Things: How Everyday Artifacts -- From Forks and Pins to Paper Clips and Zippers -- Came to be as They Are on + 3352 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
The author has researched deeply and gives much info about inventors, history, and inventions such as nails and spikes, wheelbarrows, beds, can openers, puzzle jugs, and a lot more.
H M. (anchovy) reviewed The Evolution of Useful Things: How Everyday Artifacts -- From Forks and Pins to Paper Clips and Zippers -- Came to be as They Are on + 296 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
"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 paperclip look the way it does? What makes Scotch tape Scotch?" From the author of "The Pencil"; also includes information on how zippers, Post-it notes, the pop-top can and industrial design itself came into being.
Rather than taking a "form follows function" approach, Petroski proposes a theory where artifacts evolve because of annoyance - the most annoying shortcomings of a tool lead people to correct those particular problems, and the successive identification and elimination of faults found in any given thing will fashion and re-fashion its form...
Rather than taking a "form follows function" approach, Petroski proposes a theory where artifacts evolve because of annoyance - the most annoying shortcomings of a tool lead people to correct those particular problems, and the successive identification and elimination of faults found in any given thing will fashion and re-fashion its form...
BARBARA D. (TINKER) reviewed The Evolution of Useful Things: How Everyday Artifacts -- From Forks and Pins to Paper Clips and Zippers -- Came to be as They Are on + 354 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
INTERESTING FACTS.
Carol L. (vagabondiam) reviewed The Evolution of Useful Things: How Everyday Artifacts -- From Forks and Pins to Paper Clips and Zippers -- Came to be as They Are on + 5 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
a microscopic look at the artifacts that most of us count on but rarely contemplate.......written by an engineer
John O. (buzzby) -
It's good to know that I use post-it notes only for their true, original purpose.
Thomas F. (hardtack) -
Way too much time spent on the discussion of forks, but I loved the chapter on metal food cans and the evolution of glass and metal drink cans.
While I've used many forms of paperclips I never knew that there were so many forms over their evolution.
While I've used many forms of paperclips I never knew that there were so many forms over their evolution.
