Small Things Considered
January 10th, 2005by Henry Petroski
ISBN: 1400040507
I expected to like this book. Even after I started reading it, I still wanted to like this book. Yet I could barely finish it, because it was abominable.
Petroski started with an interesting enough idea —- the book is subtitled “Why There is No Perfect Design” — but he beats little things to boring, repetitive, lengthy deaths instead of looking at the interesting art of compromise, given budget and material constraints. I do think patents on paper bag making, or the numeric arrangement of telephone keypads, or the history of duct tape, or finding out why light switches and outlets in my house are at the spots on the wall could be interesting. Yes, really. With enough wit, passion, cleverness, or even good writing, they could be. Petroski doesn’t seem to possess any of those things, if this book is used as evidence. For example, here he is summing up the chapter on domestic design:
Design can be both easy and difficult at the same time, but in the end, it is mostly difficult. Teflon may have fallen out of a frozen canister, but getting it to stay stuck to a searing frying pan took a lot of doing. The lesson to designers is, of course: If you can’t stand the heat, design a cooler kitchen.
I cite this not as an example of what is horrible in the book. Actually, the above passage isn’t so bad. It isn’t so long, a factor in its favor. Petroski devotes an entire page to carrying home his groceries, ostensibly to get readers to realize the shortcomings of paper grocery bags. The story isn’t funny — there is no exploding mayo jar or contortionist juggling to save eggs — just long, boring, and unecessary.
Petroski’s book is the textual equivalent of a dinner party guest who does not know when to shut up, who keeps talking even when companions’ heads are bobbing up and down in a losing battle with wakefulness. I can only think to recommend this book to folks who have trouble falling asleep at night.
August 21st, 2006 at 2:06 pm
I totally disagree with the statements you have posted. I love all of the side ventures Petroski goes off on. It makes the book seem to have more purpose than design. and yes there are no huge explosions in the stories, but if thats what your looking for then go out to the latest blockbuster movie and see the same thing over again. I think you are ridiculing him for writing something that is different. I’m actually doing a large report on this book and have found that even with all the detail Petroski has gone into, that the entire thing is easily expanded on. I’m surprised that he didn’t go into more detail, and I think your judgement of the book is ill placed.