ImponderablesThe Solution to the Mysteriesof Everyday LifeDid you ever wonder why you never see baby pigeons? Or why a thumbs-up gesture means "OK"? At last the solutions to some of life's most baffling questions are gathered here in one volume. Written in an informative and entertaining style and illustrated with drawings that are clearly to the point, Imponderables gets to the bottom of everyday life's mysteries, among them:Why is a mile 5,280 feet?Which fruits are in Juicy Fruit' gum?Why does an X stand for a kiss?Why don't cats like to swim?Why do other people hear our voices differently than we do?Dictionaries, encyclopedias, and almanacs don't have the answers --Imponderables does! And in answering such questions, it touches on an astonishing variety of subjects, including sports, science, history, politics, television, radio, and much more. No trivial pursuit, Imponderables takes a surprising, illuminating, and humorous look at ourselves and the world around us.David Feldman has a master's degree in popular culture from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. While at Bowling Green, he taught the first-ever college course on soap operas, and when he pursued his doctorate in American studies at the University of Maryland, he also taught the course there. Feldman has written about a wide range of popular-culture topics. Formerly in the programming department of NBC-TV, he consults and lectures on the media. He lives in New York City Read Less