POPLORICA

Poplorica: A Popular History of the Fads, Mavericks, Inventions, and Lore That Shaped Modern America, by Martin J. Smith and Patrick J. Kiger: An assortment of short essays about important historical moments that influenced modern culture, including the invention of the air conditioner, the introduction of permanent-press clothing, the creation of the disposable diaper, and the first product placement. It was full of the same nuggets of trivia and broad analysis of social-history trends I used to love about the books I edited at my former job—that sense that even the smallest things can have far-reaching effects and that everything is connects. It was still a relatively light read, though. I did notice some small errors that started to irritate me by the end of the book: for instance, in a single chapter, E.T. was described as “a green alien” (he's brown...right?) and Reese’s Pieces as “chocolate and peanut-butter candies” (GAH THERE IS NO CHOCOLATE!).