Danbury Library Blog

The Toothpick is the latest in a series of brilliant books by Henry Petroski. He is a Professor of Civil Engineering and History at Duke University. He is especially interested in writing (and writing readable books which appeal to readers) about simple inventions which have had a profound effect on both design and history like the pencil and the toothpick. The toothpick saga details that it has been around since Roman times(if not earlier). Nero used a silver toothpick and Sherwood Anderson, noted American writer, died as a result of accidentally swallowing part of a toothpick from a martini olive which caused peritonitis.