A celebration culture and technology, as seen through the history of the humble yet ubiquitous toothpick, from the best-selling author of The Pencil. From ancient Rome, where emperor Nero made his entrance into a banquet hall with a silver toothpick in his mouth, to nineteenth-century Boston, where Charles Forster, the father of the American wooden toothpick industry, ensured toothpicks appeared in every restaurant, the toothpick has been an omnipresent, yet often overlooked part of our daily lives. Here, with an engineer's eye for detail and a poet's flair for language, Henry Petroski takes us on an incredible tour of this most interesting invention. Along the way, he peers inside today's surprisingly secretive toothpick-manufacturing industry, and explores a treasure trove of the toothpick's unintended uses and perils, from sandwiches to martinis and beyond.

Irrepressible Annie Heaphy, a cab driver from the bars, meets Victoria Locke, a feminist Yale student, and the love story of the eraÑand for the agesÑensues. A classic romance introducing many of LynchÕs iconic characters who captured the hearts of generations of lesbians and remain among the most popular today.

A celebration culture and technology, as seen through the history of the humble yet ubiquitous toothpick, from the best-selling author of The Pencil. From ancient Rome, where emperor Nero made his entrance into a banquet hall with a silver toothpick in his mouth, to nineteenth-century Boston, where Charles Forster, the father of the American wooden toothpick industry, ensured toothpicks appeared in every restaurant, the toothpick has been an omnipresent, yet often overlooked part of our daily lives. Here, with an engineer's eye for detail and a poet's flair for language, Henry Petroski takes us on an incredible tour of this most interesting invention. Along the way, he peers inside today's surprisingly secretive toothpick-manufacturing industry, and explores a treasure trove of the toothpick's unintended uses and perils, from sandwiches to martinis and beyond.

Some of the most creative artists from today’s maker scene discuss their process, workspaces and more in this inspiring guide to tinkering. The Art of Tinkering is an unprecedented celebration of what it means to tinker: to take things apart, explore tools and materials, and build wondrous, wild art that’s part science, part technology, and entirely creative. Join 150+ makers as they share the stories behind their beautiful and bold work—then do some tinkering yourself! This collection of exhibits, artwork, and projects explores a whole new way to learn, in which people expand their knowledge through making and doing, working with readily available materials, getting their hands dirty, collaborating with others, and problem-solving in the most fun sense of the word. Each artist featured in The Art of Tinkering shares their process and the backstory behind their work. Whether it’s dicussing their favorite tools (who knew toenail clippers could be so handy?) or offering a glimpse of their workspaces (you’d be amazed how many electronics tools you can pack into a pantry!), the stories, lessons, and tips in The Art of Tinkering offer a fascinating portrait of today’s maker scene. Artists include: Scott Weaver, Arthur Ganson, Moxie, Tim Hunkin, AnnMarie Thomas, Ranjit Bhatnajar and Jie Qi.

Ashley Vaughn is a typical 12-year-old girl growing up in Texas in the 1990s. Her school days start by riding in the backward-facing hatchback seat of her neighbors station wagon, since the older kids got to pick seats first during the carpool. Ashleys parents are loving and eccentric, and her sister spends most of her time on the phone with her boyfriend. Ashley does her best to navigate the shenanigans of home-and-school life surrounded by family and friends. One of her more mortifying moments was when her mom recorded an educational TV program for the sixth graders to watch during class, but the VHS tape instead played a rendition of Ashley and her friends performing their own dance moves to a Spice Girls song. Anyone who has ever reminisced about days gone by when your immediate family and best friends were in the same place to share the collective moments of adolescence can relate to these whimsical, nostalgic stories. Grab your Rollerblades, slap bracelets and Hypercolor shirts and relive awkward school dances and sugar-infused slumber parties. Welcome back to 1995.

Teaches students how to build toothpick bridges, manage a budget, and order the materials necessary to complete their projects.