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Accidents May Happen: 50 Inventions Discovered By Mistake by John O'Brien, Charlotte Foltz Jones
katherineg's review
3.0
In Accidents May Happen, Charlotte Foltz Jones discusses the origins behind fifty inventions, from the familiar (e.g. bread and matches) to the more exotic (e.g. dynamite and arc welding) The theme that unites the inventions is that they were all developed accidentally. The book is organized by subtopic, with a chapter for each of the following: food items, toys and games, the patriotic, medicines, household items, writing and print, trade-specific inventions, and explosives. While the majority of items discussed in the book were actually invented accidentally, others are twisted somewhat unnaturally to fit the theme. For example, most people would not consider the natural force of gravity to be an invention, even if Newton did "discover" it due to the "accident" of a falling apple. Likewise, some of the inventions were actually developed on purpose. In the case of liquid paper, for example, the "accident" is the mistake that needed to be whited out, not the liquid paper. Regardless, it is clear that a great deal of research went into producing this book. A bibliography and index are included.
The book is well-organized and is ideally suited for browsing. Each chapter begins with a quote about invention, and is followed by a discussion of each of the inventions in the subject category. Each item is set off by a centered heading, which allows the reader to skip around and read about items of interest. Following most of the items is a section of "flabbergasting facts" which includes trivia related to the item. Much of the text reads like a narrative. A story is given for each item’s origins: who discovered it and what happened. For instance, bread was invented when an Egyptian slave fell asleep while making flour cakes for his master. The dough fermented and rose during the night, and when the slave awoke the mixture was puffed up. Scared, he baked it anyway, and thus, bread was invented. After telling the story of the invention, Foltz Jones describes the scientific or physical principles responsible for the phenomena. In the case of the bread, the dough had likely been exposed to yeast, and the extended exposure to the kitchen’s heat likely caused the dough to rise. To make the stories more interesting, the author includes other fascinating details, such as the superstition that led to crosses being cut on the tops of bread loaves. The trivia in the "flabbergasting facts" section also helps to sustain interest.
John O’Brien’s illustrations add humor and visual appeal to the book. The ink drawings are simple and have a cartoon-like feel. They are done in black and white, and areas of shading and shadow are created through the use of innumerable small lines. They often play on a concept discussed in the text, infusing the situation with humor. The text on raisins, for example, describes how sunlight dries grapes. In the drawing, we see a woman in a bathing suit inside of a tanning bed with bunches of grapes surrounding her. In the section on ether and nitrous oxide, we see a man standing on a ladder. A canister of ether is tied to his tooth, and he drops it, evidently hoping it will pull out his tooth without pain. Clearly he is in for a nasty surprise!
This book is a fun and informative look at many items that we take for granted. Children will likely enjoy having "secret" knowledge about familiar objects and will be able to impress and entertain others with what they have learned.
The book is well-organized and is ideally suited for browsing. Each chapter begins with a quote about invention, and is followed by a discussion of each of the inventions in the subject category. Each item is set off by a centered heading, which allows the reader to skip around and read about items of interest. Following most of the items is a section of "flabbergasting facts" which includes trivia related to the item. Much of the text reads like a narrative. A story is given for each item’s origins: who discovered it and what happened. For instance, bread was invented when an Egyptian slave fell asleep while making flour cakes for his master. The dough fermented and rose during the night, and when the slave awoke the mixture was puffed up. Scared, he baked it anyway, and thus, bread was invented. After telling the story of the invention, Foltz Jones describes the scientific or physical principles responsible for the phenomena. In the case of the bread, the dough had likely been exposed to yeast, and the extended exposure to the kitchen’s heat likely caused the dough to rise. To make the stories more interesting, the author includes other fascinating details, such as the superstition that led to crosses being cut on the tops of bread loaves. The trivia in the "flabbergasting facts" section also helps to sustain interest.
John O’Brien’s illustrations add humor and visual appeal to the book. The ink drawings are simple and have a cartoon-like feel. They are done in black and white, and areas of shading and shadow are created through the use of innumerable small lines. They often play on a concept discussed in the text, infusing the situation with humor. The text on raisins, for example, describes how sunlight dries grapes. In the drawing, we see a woman in a bathing suit inside of a tanning bed with bunches of grapes surrounding her. In the section on ether and nitrous oxide, we see a man standing on a ladder. A canister of ether is tied to his tooth, and he drops it, evidently hoping it will pull out his tooth without pain. Clearly he is in for a nasty surprise!
This book is a fun and informative look at many items that we take for granted. Children will likely enjoy having "secret" knowledge about familiar objects and will be able to impress and entertain others with what they have learned.
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