Cross your fingers, knock on wood, and clutch your rabbit's foot a little tighter. In this charming and endlessly diverting book, Harry Oliver delves into the stories behind the traditions and superstitions that permeate our everyday lives, unearthing the fascinating histories of these weird and wonderful notions. So before you search for any more four-leaf clovers, worry about the next Friday the 13th, or avoid walking under any ladders, dip into this amazing tome and discover: *Why breaking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck. *The best day of the week to ask for a favor. *Why you should never jump over a child in Turkey.
We have all touched wood to ward off misfortune, or seen a bride throw a bouquet over her head at a wedding, but how often do we stop to think about where such customs come from, or why we still use them? The truth is that behind many of our daily rituals and beliefs lies a fascinating history of weird and wonderful notions, some rational, others fanciful, that provide a rich and entertaining addition to our lives. In this charming and endlessly diverting book, best-selling author Harry Oliver has delved into the stories behind our rich traditions to explain them to us with characteristic wit and flair, in a gem of a volume that will clear up any of the niggling doubts you may have about our everyday beliefs. So before you search for any more four-leaf clovers, worry about the next Friday 13th or tell someone that chocolate will give them spots, dip into this amazing tome and discover the truth about our diverse beliefs so that next time your ear itches you'll know if someone's really talking about you!
The fascinating and funny origins of everyday objects-bliss for history hounds, language lovers and trivia buffs. In this delightful volume, Harry Oliver reveals the most unusual and unexpected stories behind the household necessities, toys, common objects, technological advances, and everyday items we all take for granted. Who hasn't wondered: ?Whether Thomas Crapper really invented the toilet ?What accident led to the invention of the microwave ?Why it took nearly twenty years for someone to finally decide to slice bread ?How laziness resulted in the invention of the dishwasher ?Which discovery made the milkshake possible ?Which king's fancy for his mistress inspired the first elevator
Told by master storytellers Darkness Prevails and Carman Carrion, Appalachian Folklore Unveiled unveils the mysteries behind Appalachian folklore, ghosts, creepy creatures, superstitions, and omens, walking the reader through a little-known land of magic and lore that stretches from Canada to the Southern United States.
This book reflects some of the great, and often humorous, experiences he's had in his career, as well as sharing many of his most successful activities he has found useful as an educator. Some are "originals," but many are "borrowed" and revised to fit for his use. He understands the importance of sharing valuable educational tools and activities, so hopes you can find use for some of them in educating the children of all ages in your lives.
Chance fills every day of our lives and affects every decision we make. Yet, for something woven so closely into the fabric of our being, we are not very good at thinking about uncertainty and risk. In this lively and engaging book, Andrew C. A. Elliott asks why this is so. He picks at the threads and, in showing how our world is built on probability rather than certainty, he identifies five obstacles to thinking about uncertainty that confuse us time after time. Elliott takes us into the casino, but this is not an invitation to gamble. He looks at financial markets, but this is not a guide to investment. There's discussion of health, but this is not a medical book. He touches on genetics and evolution, and music-making, and writing, because chance is at work there too. Entering many different fields, What are the Chances of That? is always following the trail of chance and randomness. One purpose of the book is to go cross-country, to show that there are connected ways of thinking that disrespect boundaries and cut across the domains of finance, and gambling, and genetics, and public health, and creativity. Through it, one visits the vantage points that give a broad view of the landscape and sees how these different areas of life and knowledge are connected - through chance. What are the Chances of That? discusses chance and the importance of understanding how it affects our lives. It goes beyond a mathematical approach to the subject, showing how our thinking about chance and uncertainty has been shaped by history and culture, and only relatively recently by the mathematical theory of probability. In considering how we think about uncertainty, Elliott proposes five “dualities” that encapsulate many of the ambiguities that arise.
CMJ New Music Monthly, the first consumer magazine to include a bound-in CD sampler, is the leading publication for the emerging music enthusiast. NMM is a monthly magazine with interviews, reviews, and special features. Each magazine comes with a CD of 15-24 songs by well-established bands, unsigned bands and everything in between. It is published by CMJ Network, Inc.
Is it Luck? Or is it Destiny? Rory Chasen never thought superstitions were real—until her beloved fiancé is killed after walking under a ladder. To find closure and the truth about superstitions, Rory takes her dog Pluckie to a town called Destiny, where superstitious beliefs are a way of life. Rory's visit to Destiny takes an unexpected turn when Pluckie saves Martha, the owner of the Lucky Dog Boutique. While Martha recovers, Rory reluctantly agrees to manage the pet shop for her. But when Martha becomes the prime suspect in the local bookshop owner's murder, Rory can't believe that the sweet old woman would do it. Convinced the real killer is still roaming Destiny's streets, Rory resolves to crack the case before Martha's luck runs out. Praise: "Doggone cute."—Library Journal "A town built around superstitions, a heroine looking for answers, and a murder. It's your lucky day! Cross your fingers and tuck yourself into a cozy chair, you're going to love this new series."—Sparkle Abbey, bestselling author of The Pampered Pet Mysteries "Cross your fingers, grab a rabbit's foot and take a walk down Fate Street with a charming new sleuth."—Connie Archer, bestselling author of The Soup Lovers Mystery Series "Rory Chasen comes to the town of Destiny with her dog, Pluckie, and gets her first taste of superstition—even though she's a non-believer. She finds mystery and romance in this delightful tale by Linda O. Johnston. Thoroughly enjoyable!"—Joyce Lavene, bestselling author of The Sweet Pepper Fire Brigade Mysteries "A town called Destiny, superstitious residents, a broken mirror, and a lucky dog—the perfect setting for a mystery! Linda O. Johnston has created a fresh and clever world that you'll want to visit again and again."—Krista Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Paws and Claws Mystery Series
