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Product Description
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.
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First Sentence
The eating utensils that we use daily are as familiar to us as our own hands. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
The eating utensils that we use daily are as familiar to us as our own hands. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Things get improved because in their current form, they do not work properly. Henry Petroski's book, The Evolution of Useful Things, traces the development of objects in our everyday life, including detailed histories of the development of the staple, the zipper, silverware, and hand tools. The book is interesting, although Petroski does tend to shy away from offering a theory of development, and instead offers a conjectures about how things might have developed. He explains, but he does not offer a theory or an argument that explains everything. Overall, though, a goos book, well researched, well illustrated, and interesting on many levels.
Format:Paperback
The idea is good the execution is dull. I did manage to read this to the end (just) but it did literally send me to sleep several times. There is a lot of detail of the evolution of a few everyday objects and there are a few interesting points (which is why I persevered). The main theme of the book is that, people will find fault in an object and innovate to make it better.... Well, the fault with this book is the writing style, it's dull and unnecessarily wordy. The fix, read something else; unless you love Paperclips, Staples, Hammers, Pins, Zips, Cutlery or Wooden bed frames.
Format:Paperback
Ok, although it's true this book has very few illustrations, I strongly recommend it to industrial designers. Even if Petroski can't forget his engineer point of view, he has written good material here. After reading Donald Norman, you should give this book a try. (Ok, and after Giedion, Munari, Alexander, etc)... but do read it!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Interesting in the detail but oddly naive hypothesis...
This book makes a fascinating read for how commonplace items such as zips, forks and paperclips came to be of their current form. Read more
Published on 19 Jun 2005 by Odibus
Detailed evolutionary history of several everyday objects
Emphasis is on historical development of objects which is very detailed. I suggest that Donald Norman's "The design of everyday things" is a better read and gives more... Read more
Published on 13 Nov 2000 by peter25929
Redundant and Boring
If you like to read the fine print in contracts, you'll find this book interesting. If you're a fan of "How Things Work" and similar titles, steer clear of this... Read more
Published on 27 July 1999
Promising book but...
This book contains snipets of information about the development of everyday items. Is generaly easy to read and informative, but it could have been better.
Published on 19 Feb 1998
an over elaborated dull story
There is a lot of interesting information and many good insights buried in this book. But I only recommend it to speed readers or the truly determined.
Published on 4 Feb 1998
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