or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
More Buying Choices
121 used & new from $0.01
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Express Checkout with PayPhrase
What's this? | Create PayPhrase
Sorry!
X
Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things
 
 
Share your own customer images
Look inside this book
Tell the Publisher!
I’d like to read this book on Kindle

Don’t have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here.
 
  

Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things (Paperback)

~ (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
List Price: $16.00
Price: $10.88 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $5.12 (32%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Want it delivered Tuesday, November 10? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
26 new from $8.79 93 used from $0.01 2 collectible from $16.00

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
  Hardcover -- -- $0.60
  Paperback $10.88 $8.79 $0.01
  Audio, Cassette, Audiobook -- -- $4.99
  Unknown Binding -- -- $9.94

Frequently Bought Together

Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things + Ever Wonder Why? + I Didn't Know That: From "Ants in the Pants" to "Wet Behind the Ears"--the Unusual Origins of the Things We Say
Price For All Three: $25.79

Some of these items ship sooner than the others. Show details

  • This item: Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things by Charles Panati

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • Ever Wonder Why? by Douglas B. Smith

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • I Didn't Know That: From "Ants in the Pants" to "Wet Behind the Ears"--the Unusual Origins of the Things We Say by Karlen Evins

    Usually ships within 1 to 3 weeks.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Sacred Origins of Profound Things: The Stories Behind the Rites and Rituals of the World's Religions (Compass)

Sacred Origins of Profound Things: The Stories Behind the Rites and Rituals of the World's Religions (Compass)

by Charles Panati
3.8 out of 5 stars (16)  $12.24
I Didn't Know That: From "Ants in the Pants" to "Wet Behind the Ears"--the Unusual Origins of the Things We Say

I Didn't Know That: From "Ants in the Pants" to "Wet Behind the Ears"--the Unusual Origins of the Things We Say

by Karlen Evins
4.8 out of 5 stars (9)  $7.92
Encyclopedia Idiotica: History's Worst Decisions and the People Who Made Them

Encyclopedia Idiotica: History's Worst Decisions and the People Who Made Them

by Stephen Weir
3.0 out of 5 stars (11)  $14.95
Panati's Extraordinary Endings of Practically Everything & Everybody

Panati's Extraordinary Endings of Practically Everything & Everybody

by Charles Panati
4.5 out of 5 stars (6) 
The Greatest Stories Never Told: 100 Tales from History to Astonish, Bewilder, and Stupefy

The Greatest Stories Never Told: 100 Tales from History to Astonish, Bewilder, and Stupefy

by Rick Beyer
4.5 out of 5 stars (36)  $13.64
› Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

For lovers of facts, students of popular culture, history buffs, and science enthusiasts, the fascinating stories behind 500 everyday items, expressions, and customs--from Kleenex to steak sauce, Barbie Dolls to honeymoons.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 480 pages
  • Publisher: Harper Paperbacks (September 27, 1989)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0060964197
  • ISBN-13: 978-0060964191
  • Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #21,816 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

    #15 in  Books > Entertainment > Puzzles & Games > Trivia
    #27 in  Books > Reference > Fun Facts > Trivia
    #50 in  Books > Reference > Fun Facts > Curiosities & Wonders

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

More About the Author

Charles Panati
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

› Visit Amazon's Charles Panati Page
Look Inside This Book
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover
Citations (learn more)
88 books cite this book:
See all 88 books citing this book

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(5)
(3)
(3)
(2)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
See all 19 tags...

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more
 

Customer Reviews

30 Reviews
5 star:
 (20)
4 star:
 (8)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (30 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars trivia at its finest, September 14, 2001
If you enjoy trivia and unusual
facts, then Charles Panati's
Extraordinary Origins of
Everyday Things, is the perfect
book. I have read other trivia books and I can say without
hesitation that Mr. Panati produces the best of the genre.
Many trivia books list a dry and uninspired fact sheet.
Panati, however, avoids this common pitfall and instead
entertains us with unusual and well researched trivia about
the history or origin of many everyday items and customs.
His books are formatted into logical chapter groupings
that easily flow from one topic to another. The book
is a pleasure to read and it teaches you in a pain free
style, answering questions that until now you couldn't find
answers for! Panati's words will both enlighten and
enchant you.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Really should get six stars, February 5, 2000
By A Customer
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
A supurb traveling or gift book, with excellent informative pieces of information which will please almost anyone. His other books are equally well written, but this is probably the best due to its diversity of information. This time, I'm getting three copies, since when it is lent out it rarly comes home!
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent reading., November 19, 1998
By A Customer
I didn't learn this much history in school. It is amazing to learn that customs we practice today have their roots hundreds, even thousands of years ago. Ages high school to 100 will enjoy this book.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for Speakers
This book is terrific for anyone who has to come up with an interesting anecdote once in a while. Loaded with interesting information from the invention of the napkin to the... Read more
Published 27 days ago by Dr. Roy Mcneill

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Reads/Table books
I purchased twp hard copies of Panati's Extraordinary Beginnings of Everyday Things and I love it. To preserve books make a dust cover. [...]
Published 6 months ago by Monique A. Gordon

4.0 out of 5 stars PERFECT BOOK FOR RANDOM KNOWLEDGE SEEKERS!!
This book has enlightened me of the large amount of unknown facts that there are to discover about daily things. Read more
Published 11 months ago by AL

5.0 out of 5 stars very handy and fun book!
we love just sitting around and reading about interesting things that have happened down through history love the book! Read more
Published 12 months ago by Jenny Watts

4.0 out of 5 stars a fun trivia book
It's got a lot of fun, useless information in here. Good for a bathroom reader.
Published 14 months ago by Priscilla A. Arnold

4.0 out of 5 stars Good for the trivia junkie
This is an interesting book for the trivia junkie. It is not, however, bathroom reading material unless you have a chronic condition requiring you to spend a lot of time studying... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Katie Kate

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book!
I love this book. This is the third time I've bought it because I keep lending it to people who lend it to people, etc. Everybody likes to find out where things came from. Read more
Published 20 months ago by E. Chambers

5.0 out of 5 stars Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things
This book has alot more pages then I expected it also is well organized. The author gave enough information on each subject to satisfy one's curiosity about a subject but not to... Read more
Published on August 24, 2007 by Tinker

5.0 out of 5 stars Book Reading
Found it to be an excellent book to give to the grandchildren to help answer their questions and curiosity of where things came from.
Published on March 31, 2007 by T. J. Mal

5.0 out of 5 stars so much to know
I love this book and now have to find the rest of his books. This book alone explains tidbits of things like the origin of the comb, or the napkin, holidays... so much. Read more
Published on July 10, 2006 by tansha

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   

So You'd Like to...

Create a guide

Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)

Look for Similar Items by Category

Look for Similar Items by Subject

Search Books by subject:










i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...
 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.


Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.