Milton's Teeth & Ovid's Umbrella - by Michael Olmert (Paperback)

About the Book

The popular author of The Book of Books offers a delightful look at how historians have plumbed ordinary items and activities to discover fascinating facts about the past. In 50 short, amusing essays, Michael Olmert reveals such things as why toothbrushes were crucial to the Industrial Revolution, the origins of graffiti, and more.

Book Synopsis

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.

From the Back Cover

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; and 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.

About the Author

Michael Olmert, is a professor of English at the University of Maryland, College Park and a writer. He was born and raised in Washington D.C. His specialty is British Literature. He has a Ph.D. from Maryland in medieval English literature