Rare and UnusualKnowledge YouDidn’t Know

Soap has a chemistry to it. So does bread rising, hair going gray, and lightning returning to the same spot. This is a book of explanations for the things that are too familiar to question: how a QR code works, why airplane Wi-Fi lags, why some countries drive on the left, where ‘bite the bullet’ came from.

The subjects sit in groups you can move between: everyday science, nature, language and culture, landmarks, technology, health through the ages, food, and sports and games. The Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower and the Great Wall each turn up with something less well known attached. Entries are self-contained, so nothing is lost by starting in the middle.

It suits the reader who likes the story behind the mundane, and it holds up as a gift for someone who is hard to surprise.