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  • Published: 15 May 2011
  • ISBN: 9780887766718
  • Imprint: Tundra Books
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 128
  • RRP: $19.99

The A to Z of Everyday Things



• Why are Americans superstitious about two-dollar bills?
• Why do we have twelve months in a year instead of ten, or six, or even twenty?
• Why do we celebrate foolishness on the first day of April?
• Why is yawning contagious?
• Why is the number thirteen considered to be unlucky in so many different cultures?

The A to Z of Everyday Things tells the surprising stories behind twenty-six seemingly ordinary objects and activities. From calendars and money to tulips and sideburns, this book uses commonplace items to explore the rich but often overlooked cultural history of our everyday lives. In the end, The A to Z of Everyday Things offers us a picture of modern life and how we got here in a funny, quirky, and highly readable form.

  • Published: 15 May 2011
  • ISBN: 9780887766718
  • Imprint: Tundra Books
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 128
  • RRP: $19.99

About the author

Janice Weaver

JANICE WEAVER is a highly respected editor and the author of several acclaimed works of nonfiction for young people. Building America and From Head to Toe: Bound Feet, Bathing Suits, and Other Bizarre and Beautiful Things were each named Notable Books by the International Reading Association. From Head to Toe was also a finalist for both the Rocky Mountain Book Award and the Ontario Library Association's Red Maple Award. She is also the author of Mirror with a Memory: A Nation's Story in Photographs. Janice Weaver enjoys sailing near her home in Toronto, Ontario.

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