The Evolution of Useful Things: How Everyday Artifacts-From Forks and Pins to Paper Clips and Zippers-Came to be as They are | 
|  | | | Title: | The Evolution of Useful Things: How Everyday Artifacts-From Forks and Pins to Paper Clips and Zippers-Came to be as They are | | Author: | Henry Petroski | | Publisher: | Vintage | | Type: | Book / Paperback | | Publication Date: | 01 February, 1994 | | ISBN / ISBN-13: | 0679740392 / 9780679740391 | | List Price: | $14.95 | | You Save: | $4.78 | | Amazon Price: | $10.17 | |
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| Editorial Review / Publisher's Information:
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.
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Customer Reviews:
• Boring Book 07 January, 2008
This book draged on and on on the history of the fork. Poorly written and hard to follow.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A1A0G9RM5A3AIJ
• Fascinating Insights, A Little Dry 07 April, 2008
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.
- Reviewed by customer ID: ADCGK1DOSHI6P
• Did Not Meet Expectations 09 July, 2008
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.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A2MXP0KP1HNO7H
• So Intriguing 26 March, 2008
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!
- Reviewed by customer ID: A24IEUC80D2PGS
• The Evolution Of Many Everyday Items Should Be More Interesting Than This 02 November, 2008
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.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A26KSBC3315A3O
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