Firsts: Origins of Everyday Things That Changed the World

by Wilson Casey

For anyone who ever wanted to know the history of the chocolate chip cookie, earmuffs, and Daylight Savings...

Firsts-history through the milestones of human achievement-are fun. And Wilson Casey, trivia expert, has collected over 500 firsts in nearly every major category of from fashion to food, politics to science, entertainment to art to architec­ture. Each "first" is a full explanation of the topic at hand, written in a humorous yet authoritative style. It

•The true history of the golf tee

•How a blind man came up with cruise control

•The myth behind the origins of the Caesar salad

•Why and how the first dieter dieted

Genres: History, Reference, Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Sandra McLeod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wilson's book includes a little bit of everything--from the origin of artificial organs to the origin of the first burger chain. I discovered so many intriguing "firsts" that I had never known before: That the first Advice Column dated back to 1898, that the fortune cookie was actually an American invention, and that Sir Barton was the first winner of the American Triple Crown. The origins of the birth control pill, the Caesarean Operation, and mouthwash were extremely interesting to say the least and more than a little disconcerting. The book includes some wonderful trivia such as the fact that some of the ashes of the astro-geologist Eugene Shoemaker are buried on the moon and the history behind the founding of the world's first pet cemetery. I love the fact that the material is alphabetically arranged, and this book would make a great gift for some of those hard-to-shop-for people in your life!
Highly Recommended!

[Allyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have given it 5 stars if it weren'y for the inclusion of biblical tales being chosen as historic first. Otherwise it was a great selection and I really enjoyed it.