Why We Do It This Way: The Hidden Histories of Everyday Life

This book traces how everyday practices from timekeeping to tableware became standardized, revealing the hidden historical choices behind our daily conventions.

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Inside this book

1. 1.1 Why a day has 24 hours
Roads and Rules: Driving Sides and Traffic Conventions
Everyday Objects and Why They Look the Way They Do
Greetings, Gestures and Social Habits
Food, Tableware and Mealtime Customs
Time Zones, Daylight Saving and Global Coordination
Numbers, Letters and Writing Conventions
Money and Everyday Commerce
Clothing and Fashion Conventions
4. Myths, Evidence and How Conventions Take Hold

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Why We Do It This Way: The Hidden Histories of Everyday Life

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