The Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things Discover the fascinating stories behind the origins of over 500 everyday items, expressions, and customs such as Kleenex, Barbie dolls, and the Boy Scouts; Slinky, the can opener, and Mother Goose; Tupperware, nail polish, safety pins and Uncle Sam... Browser's Book of Beginnings Origins of Everything under, and including, the Sun Discover the beginnings of the universe, the emergence of bacteria and bony fish, soap, loaded dice, ethnic slurs, hypnosis, comic strips, the piano and clarinet, the telephone, Morse code, domestic dogs and cats, books, writing, the library and literature and the modern Circus... Parade of Fads, Follies and Manias The Origins of our most Cherished Obsessions Discover the stories behind lava lamps, jukeboxes, pet rocks and zoot suits; dance crazes like the twist, the moonwalk, the jerk; popular songs, hit TV sitcoms, best selling books; from Little Egypt to Little Richard, from Amos n Andy, to Mork and Mindy... Browser's Book of Endings The End of practically Everything and Everybody Discover the last word on how people, places, and things of all sorts have met their ends through the centuries. From famous presidents to frightening epidemics, from ancient extinctions to vanished vogues, from bizarre last wills to the death styles of the rich and renowned, plus predictions on the end of the world... Sacred Origins of Profound Things The Stories behind the Rites and Rituals of the World's Religions Discover the origins of religious rituals, customs, and practices in many faiths, the reasons for religious holidays and sacred symbols, and the meaning of vestments, sacraments, devotions, prayers, the Star of David, Christian cruxifix, the Pope and the Buddha... Sexy Origins and Intimate Things The Rites and Rituals of Straights, Gays, Bi's, Drags, Trans, Virgins, and Others Who invented the condom? Has there ever been a gay Pope? What is history's first love poem? Why do men have nipples? How did "drag" come to mean cross-dressing? Who was the first prostitute? How long have people been giving the finger?... Words to Live By The Origins of Conventional Wisdom and Commonsense Advice "Honesty is the best policy," "Absence makes the heart grow fonder," "Mind your P's and Q's," "Don't cut off your nose to spite your face" - the origins of gems of wisdom that have found their way into American culture, from Aesop to the Bible, Ben Franklin to Broadway... Back