Why Didn't I Think of That?: 101 Inventions that Changed the World by Hardly Trying [Paperback]

Anthony Rubino Jr. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 18, 2010

Why Didn't I Think of That? proves not all successful inventions are the greatest thing since sliced bread (not even sliced bread, which is literally just a precut loaf for lazy loafs). This humorous guide to ?mind-blowing? inventions deconstructs just how complex these can't-live-without necessities really are, while providing some insightful(ly funny) lessons to future inventors, such as:

• Yo-yos: Deadly weapons do make great kids' toys.
• Soccer: Boredom is the stepmother of invention.
• Bottled water: There is no such thing as a stupid idea.

Complete with useful trivia--like the fact that 100 trillion paperclips have been sold--readers will be able to impress their friends by hardly trying.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Anthony Rubino, Jr. (New York, NY) is a writer and cartoonist who combines humor, art, and pop culture to create nonsense of the highest quality. And as a contributor to MAD, Cracked, and National Lampoon, Rubino knows a lot about nonsense.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Adams Media (April 18, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 144050010X
• ISBN-13: 978-1440500107
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #840,673 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Anthony Rubino Jr., was born in New Jersey, to a first-generation, Italian-American family. Needless to say he developed a sense of humor at an early age... and then felt guilty about it. Channeling his confusion, he now combines humor, art and pop culture, to create drivel of the highest quality.

Never a stickler for math, Tony wrote, 'Life Lessons from Your Dog' as the fifth installment of his Life-Lessons book trilogy, which includes 'Life Lessons from Your Cat,' 'Life Lessons from Elvis," 'Life Lessons from the Bradys,' and 'Life Lessons from Melrose Place.' Before that he displayed his steely work ethic by penning, '1001 Reasons to Procrastinate.' And his fear of the discomfort of eternal damnation is reflected in his recent tome, 'The Get Into Heaven Deck: Or Your Money Back.' Along the way Tony has contributed his articles and cartoons to publications such as: MAD Magazine, Cracked, National Lampoon, the Chicago Tribune, and Opium Magazine.

He is currently under contract with Creators Syndicate where he is developing a daily cartoon strip. His other cartoon syndication credits include, national distribution by King Features and Tribune Media Services.

Tony's designs, comics and words can also be found on greeting cards and other product lines such as calendars, posters, and apparel sold in stores and catalogs worldwide.

When not working on his writing and art in New York City he spends his time not working on his writing and art in New York City.

Visit: www.rubinocreative.com for more information and big, big fun.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Science Teacher Loved It!, May 13, 2011

By 

Mark W. Hall (Adams,, TN, US) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Why Didn't I Think of That?: 101 Inventions that Changed the World by Hardly Trying (Paperback)

I teach 8th grade science and this book is a great way to demonstrate how great the inventive spirit is. With new standards centered around STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math), this book is simply a fun way to make the students think about things in a different way!

3.0 out of 5 stars Rather boring..., July 11, 2011

By 

J. Fuller "I'm full of answers, but they migh... (NY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Why Didn't I Think of That?: 101 Inventions that Changed the World by Hardly Trying (Paperback)

Barely even read this book, as isn't as informative as I had hoped it would be, nor is it all that well written. Not to mention some of the "101 Inventions" aren't even that interesting.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Witty introduction to inventions, July 16, 2010

By 

F. G. Nobrega "Francisco G. Nobrega" (SJ Campos - SP - BRASIL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Why Didn't I Think of That?: 101 Inventions that Changed the World by Hardly Trying (Paperback)

The book presents the author's choice of inventions and is a basic introduction to the subject. The presentations are usually funny and one learns some interesting facts. But don't look for in-dept explanations about the inventions. Some concepts are unusual like presenting the theory of evolution and gravity as inventions. Here and there dates are lacking. But if you want to read more about the subject, there is a handy list of related sites and resources for the apprentice inventor.