Origins of everyday things

From the languages we speak, to the cars we drive, to the sports we play, there's so much we take for granted, but there's a fascinating story to be told about each and every one.
320 pages of lively text and colourful illustrations reveal the extraordinary secrets behind the origins of ordinary things. How did the ancient Etruscans make false teeth? Why do we shake hands? Discover just how old a joke can be.
Settle arguments and help with homework projects: Raleigh didn't make tobacco fashionable in Britain, it was Sir John Hawkins, and smoking was first recommended as a cure for disease.
Be amazed at just how long some of our 'modern' conveniences have been around. Did you know that the safety pin was invented in the 2nd millennium BC or show more even that the first lawn mowers were produced in 1832? show less