Milton's Teeth & Ovid's Umbrella: Curiouser and Curiouser Adventures in History
Michael Olmert$15.26
$17.95
We've been taught that history is the story of great events and important people -- but is it? In Milton's Teeth and Ovid's Umbrella, Michael Olmert shows how the most ordinary artifacts of everyday life can also be important sources of information. For the modern historian it's the little things that count, and these intriguing essays force us to take another look at the odds and ends of life we so often take for granted, including:
-- Toothbrushes -- how they eased civilization into the Industrial Revolution
-- Graffiti -- why they became a feature of our public "decoration"
-- Playing cards -- how the technology of printing cards led to Gutenberg's Bible
-- Keys -- why these little metal objects have been a symbol of power and authority throughout the ages
-- Horse racing -- how the rage for racing played an important role in the development of fashion and journalism
-- Toothbrushes -- how they eased civilization into the Industrial Revolution
-- Graffiti -- why they became a feature of our public "decoration"
-- Playing cards -- how the technology of printing cards led to Gutenberg's Bible
-- Keys -- why these little metal objects have been a symbol of power and authority throughout the ages
-- Horse racing -- how the rage for racing played an important role in the development of fashion and journalism
Whimsical, witty, and highly informative, Milton's Teeth and Ovid's Umbrella leads us through the back door and into the kitchen of history -- where people really lived.
Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Touchstone Books
Published: 06/18/1996
ISBN: 9780684801643
Pages: 256
Weight: 0.75lbs
Size: 8.72h x 5.62w x 0.63d
Review Citations: Booklist 06/01/1996 pg. 1671
Library Journal 06/15/1996 pg. 76