The Secret History of Everyday Stuff: Astounding, fascinating or remarkable facts about your daily life

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Thought history was only in museums? Think again! Join Greg Jenner as he takes you on a trip through the amazing history hidden in the things you use every day. Did you know that the first TV was made out of biscuit tins and knitting needles? Or that the humble paperclip helped lead an anti-war movement? Or that a few hundred years ago it was fashionable to style your hair with cat poo?! Find out the delightful, daft and downright deadly history of your everyday life that your teachers won’t tell you about. Bursting with humorous illustrations and entertaining true stories, this is history – but not as you know it! Jenner featured as an expert on the BBC2 television programme Inside Versailles, [13] as well as for the Independent newspaper, discussing historical accuracy in television programmes. [14] Richard Preston (21 February 2013). " Horrible Histories: 20 years of entertaining children". The Daily Telegraph. Jenner studied a History & Archaeology BA and Medieval Studies MA at The University of York. [2] Career [ edit ]

Greg Jenner (born 1982) is a British author and public historian with a particular interest in communicating history through pop culture and humour. [1] Early life [ edit ] Early in the war effort, the government began employing scientists to develop a substitute for synthetic rubber. When James Wright mixed boric acid and silicone oil together at General Electric’s New Haven, Conn., labs, he thought he had discovered the answer. The result was a pliable compound that bounced farther than rubber even in extreme temperatures. While Wright’s discovery bombed as a synthetic rubber substitute, when unemployed advertising man Peter Hodgson got hold of some he was endlessly entertained by it and saw its marketing potential as a toy for children.

With superstores, mega malls and big-box retailers filled with thousands of items for conspicuous consumption, modern-day consumers rarely stop to think about how certain products originated. Here’s a few that might surprise you: Paper Or Plastic?

Dead Famous: An Unexpected History of Celebrity from Bronze Age to Silver Screen was released in 2020. [25]

You Are History: a funny children's history book by Greg Jenner". Greg Jenner . Retrieved 30 March 2023.

Ask a Historian: 50 Surprising Answers to Things You Always Wanted to Know was released in 2021. [26] [27] Marriott, James. "Homeschool History review — how to sell the Stuarts to children". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460 . Retrieved 23 April 2023.

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Fara Dabhoiwala (18 March 2020). " Dead Famous by Greg Jenner review – a joyous history of celebrity". The Guardian . Retrieved 18 March 2020. Jenner, Greg; Fletcher, Catherine; Wang, Phil (12 February 2021). "The Borgias". You're Dead To Me. BBC Radio 4 . Retrieved 21 August 2021. Mark Butler (23 January 2017). "Sex and swearing in the 1800s: Taboo is more historically accurate than you think". i. He has appeared more than once as a guest on QI spin-off podcast No Such Thing as a Fish. [9] [10] and has made appearances on the Simon Mayo [11] and the Steve Wright shows on BBC Radio 2. [12] Vincent, Alice (25 May 2015). "14 things we learned from Greg Jenner's history of everyday life". The Daily Telegraph.