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Whose Bright Idea Was That?: Great Firsts of World History
 
 
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Whose Bright Idea Was That?: Great Firsts of World History (Paperback)

~ (Author) "If there were a way of knowing what was invented first, it might turn out to be a crudely fashioned tool, a primitive garment for..." (more)
Key Phrases: differential gearing, cantilever bridge, Ham Dynasty, Sung Dynasty, New Zealand (more...)
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)


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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

As this fascinating, witty, and surprising book reveals, we quite often attribute first in world history to the wrong people. Many "modern" ideas and inventions actually date back to ancient times. The use of steroids can be traced back to the Sung dynasty. Oral contraceptives were popular in ancient Greece. A Communist revolution took place long before Lenin and Trotsky. The famous croissant comes not from France but from Austria. Canada and the United States played cricket before England and Australia. In Whose Bright Idea Was That? you'll discover that many things we hold dear began outside their traditional homelands. Whose Bright Idea Was That? identifies the major first in every field in over 1,600 entries covering science, sports, philosophy, finance, food and drink, literature, music, medicine, and many others. The most entertaining and informative reference book of its kind, it will amaze and delight with its myriad insights into human progress.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 434 pages
  • Publisher: Kodansha America (November 1998)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1568362560
  • ISBN-13: 978-1568362564
  • Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 1.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,170,618 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

More About the Author

Matthew Richardson
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4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Who REALLY invented or discovered that?, December 27, 2000
By Nathan Sklare (Indianapolis, Indiana United States) - See all my reviews
This book can really make you think again when you feel you really know who invented what and who explored what first. This book goes through dozens of subject areas throughout history and tells the truth about who is really behind the inventions and discoveries. Also, each key entry is bolded in the margin for easy searching.
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