Overview

How did we come up with that? Everyone knows about mousetraps, but did you know they were originally inspired by burglar alarms? What was so important to Samuel Hopkins that he became the first person to have a US patent? Many curious creations have been born over the centuries, and author and historian Sophie Stirling dives into the curious minds behind these unique (and sometimes wild) ideas throughout history. How about strange beauty and fashion fads--where did they come from? The phrase ""pain is beauty"" has a very real history across the globe. Discover painful fashion trends, wooden bathing suits, breast enhancers in the shape of toilet plungers, and death-inducing cosmetics. People are willing to do anything to stay beautiful. But why would ingredients include arsenic, beetles, or ""hog's pisse""? And what about odd superstitions? Do you know about the centuries-old Banana Curse? The origin of the Tooth Fairy? Our weird obsession with shoes? Some strange beliefs might seem to be the stuff of old wives' tales, but many have become ingrained in our minds. You might be more superstitious than you think!

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Sophie Stirling is a scholar of history and literature, her studies encompassing the folklore of various cultures. She is also a self-professed literature geek, shameless punster, and believes that sharing stories, humor, and reading about history allows us to have a deeper connection with our fellow human beings and gives us a better look into our collective future. Christine Kiphart is a classically trained singer with a lifetime of experience in storytelling and performance. As a teacher of literature and writing, she enjoys bringing the world of story to children and adolescents and loves exploring the art of narration. She resides with her poet-clown husband and her two terriers in Los Angeles.

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