Mundane and Common Knowledge Bookstore
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books about mundane topics
zoology • tools • science • objects • abstractions • just living on Page 2:
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"It is amazing how lovely common things become, if one only knows how to look at them."
— Louisa May Alcott [1832-88]
"The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common."
— Ralph Waldo Emerson [1803-82]
Mundane came originally from the Latin mundus, meaning 'ordinary and worldly' as opposed to spiritual; the term has been in use in English since the XVth Century. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines 'mundane' as: of, relating to, or characteristic of the world; characterized by the practical, transitory, and ordinary; and commonplace, as in 'the mundane concerns of day-to-day life'. Culturally, a mundane [noun] is a person who does not belong to a particular group, according to the members of that group; the implication is that such persons, lacking imagination, are concerned solely with the mundane: the quotidian and ordinary. In science fiction fandom the term refers to non-fans; usage antedates 1955. The pseudo-science of astrology (invented circa 1800 B.C.E.) was originally practiced by wizards at the behest of kings, to determine the future of the nation; the modern practice of divining the future of common individuals is sometimes referred to as 'mundane astrology'.
In the Harry Potter Universe, the term is replaced by 'muggle'.
formerly part of the Maison d'Être Philosophy Bookstore
general mundane topics
food & household
Beverage Page at Maison d'Être Bookstore's Beatnik Coffee House
American Food Traditions Page at Spirit of America Bookstore
American Roadside Diners Page at Spirit of America Bookstore
American Beer, Wine & Booze Page at Spirit of America Bookstore
In less than sixty days after starting the original 'Mundane Matters' Page, this topic section grew hugely
and was split off to become Page 2.
zoology
 | "Visual Encyclopedia of Animals" [ages 7-10; 2001] by Jayne Parsons D.K. Children 6½x5½ pb [4/2005] out of print/50+ used D.K. Children 6½x5½ pb [7/2001] out of print/50+ used |
 | "The Encyclopedia of Animals" [ages 8 & up; 2005] by Genevieve Warnau 'presenting 200 animals and over 600 wonderful color photographs of animals in the wild' Teora USA 10¾x8½ hardcover [4/2005] for $24.95 |
 | "Dinosaurs: A Visual Encyclopedia" [ages 7-10; 2005] from Dorling Kindersley D.K. Children 11x8½ pb [8/2013] for $16.93 D.K. Children 6½x5½ pb [4/2005] for $12.42 D.K. Children 11¼x9 hardcover [6/2011] out of print/used D.K. Children 11x9 hardcover [6/2011] out of print/used D.K. Children 6¾x5¾ hardcover [2010] out of print/used |
 | "The Encyclopedia of Animals" [ages 10-16; 2006] from Dorling Kindersley D.K. Children 10x8½ pb [8/2006] for $15.39 |
 | "D.K. Eyewitness Books: Endangered Animals" [ages 8-12; 2010] by Ben Hoare D.K. Children 11¼x9 library hardcover [8/2010] for $19.99 |
 | "Bugged: How Insects Changed History - Swarming With Facts" [ages 8-12; 2014] by Sarah Albee, Illustrated by Robert Leighton Bloomsbury USA Childrens pb [4/2014] for $12.35 Walker Childrens 10¼x8¼ hardcover [4/2014] out of print/used |
 | "The Bee: A Natural History" [2014] by Noah Wilson-Rich Kindle Edition from Ivy Press [8/2014] for $15.37 Princeton Univ Press 11x9 hardcover [8/2014] for $18.89 |
 | "The Bees In Your Backyard: A Guide To North America’s Bees" [2015] by Joseph S. Wilson & Olivia Messinger Carril Kindle Edition from Princeton Univ Press [11/2015] for $9.88 Princeton Univ Press 10x7¾ pb [11/2015] for $20.67 |
 | "The Bee Book: Discover The Wonder of Bees and How To Protect Them For Generations To Come" [ages 5 & up; 2016] from Dorling Kindersley
DK Children's 9½x8 hardcover [3/2016] for $17.00 |
 | "The Genius of Birds" New York Times bestseller [2016] by Jennifer Ackerman Kindle Edition from Penguin Books [4/2016] for $12.99 Penguin Books 8½x5½ pb [4/2017] for $11.59 Penguin Press 9½x6½ hardcover [4/2016] for $18.02 |
 | "D.K. Eyewitness: Animal!" [ages 9-12; 2016] from Dorling Kindersley Smithsonian D.K. Children 12x10¼ hardcover [9/2016] for $29.99 |
 | "Animals Visual Encyclopedia: More Than 1,000 Color Illustrations" [2016] by Tom Jackson Amber Books Ltd. 11½x9 pb [11/2016] out of print/used |
 | "Bugged: The Insects Who Rule The World and The People Obsessed With Them" [2017] by David MacNeal
Kindle Edition from St. Martin's Press [7/2017] for $12.99 St. Martin's Press 8½x5¾ hardcover [7/2017] for $14.99 |
typewriters
 | "The Typewriter Revolution: A Typist's Companion For The 21st Century" [2015] by Richard Polt 'part history, part philosophy, and part user's manual, complete with labeled images of the machinery and how to use and repair them' Kindle Edition from Countryman Press [11/2015] for $9.99 Countryman Press 9¼x7¾ Flexibound [11/2015] for $21.50 |
 | "Typewriter: A Celebration of The Ultimate Writing Machine" [2016] by Paul Robert & Peter Weil Sterling 9¼x9 hardcover [10/2016] for $20.19 |
 | "California Typewriter" [Gravitas Ventures Aug 2017] "The revolution will be typewritten" • The repair shop in Berkeley, California called California Typewriter [est. 1949] survives in part because many professional writers and artists cling to the old manual or electric machines . . . • Directed by Doug Nichol; featuring poet Silvi Alcivar, repairman Ken Alexander, Boston Typewriter Orchestra, actor Tom Hanks, Martin Howard, sculptor Jeremy Mayer, musician John Mayer, historian David McCullough, shop owner Herbert Permillion III, Richard Polt, playwright Sam Shepard, Darren Wershler & Mason Williams Gravitas Ventures color Blu-ray [11/2017] for $14.29 Gravitas Ventures color DVD [11/2017] for $19.99 full credits at IMDb • official movie site • watch official trailer [7/2016 upload; 1:27] at YouTube |
 | "Typewriters: Iconic Machines From The Golden Age of Mechanical Writing" [2017] by Anthony Casillo, Photographs by Anthony Casillo & Bruce Curtis, Foreword by Tom Hanks Kindle Edition from Chronicle Books [10/2017] for $15.65 Chronicle Books 9½x11½ hardcover [10/2017] for $29.09 |
general science
Most of the books & magazines that were coded here were cut to a new Science Page in February 2018.
 | "D.K. Encyclopedia of Science" [grades 5-12; 1998]
D.K. Children 11x8½ pb [11/2006] for $12.39 D.K. Children 11¼x8 hardcover [9/99] for $16.63 |
 | "The Science Book (Big Ideas Simply Explained)" [2014] from Dorling Kindersley Kindle Edition from D.K./Penguin Group [2/2015] for $9.99 Dorling Kindersley 9½x8 hardcover [7/2014] for $16.02 |
Human Health & Behavior
just living department
 | "S.A.S. Survival Handbook: The Ultimate Guide To Surviving Anywhere" [orig 2004] by John 'Lofty' Wiseman worldwide bestseller; author is a survival consultant and former member of the Special Air Service (S.A.S.), the British special forces unit similar to U.S. Navy Seals Kindle Edition from William Morrow/HarperCollins [11/2014] for $14.99 William Morrow 3rd edition 8¼x5¼ pb [11/2014] for $12.99 |
 | "The Survival Handbook: Essential Skills For Outdoor Adventure" [2009] Written by Royal Navy Chief Survival Instructor Colin Towell Dorling Kindersley 10x7½ pb [2/2012] for $15.19 Dorling Kindersley 7x5 pb [9/2016] out of print/used Dorling Kindersley 7½x5½ hardcover [9/2016] for $20.00 Dorling Kindersley 10¼x8 hardcover [3/2009] out of print/many used |
 | "The Story of Stuff: The Impact of Overconsumption On The Planet, Our Communities, and Our Health - And How We Can Make It Better" [2010] by Annie Leonard Author is a longtime environmental health expert who designed a presentation about the impact of trash on civilization and was soon getting so many requests that she decided to make a short animated film on the subject; within 18 months, the YouTube video [21:24] had over 7 million views; she received thousands of requests for more information and so took time out to write this book. Kindle Edition from Free Press/Simon & Schuster Digital Sales [2/2010] for $12.99 Free Press 8½x5½ pb [2/2011] for $12.05 Free Press 8½x5½ pb [2/2011] out of print/used Free Press 9x6 hardcover [3/2010] out of print/100+ used Fondo de Cultura Económica Spanish-language pb [2013] out of print/used |
 | "The S.A.S. Urban Survival Handbook: How To Protect Yourself Against Terrorism, Natural Disasters, Fires, Home Invasions, and Everyday Health and Safety Hazards" [2011] by John 'Lofty' Wiseman Kindle Edition from Skyhorse Publng [2/2011] for $10.93 Skyhorse Publng 8¼x5¼ pb [4/2013] for $17.95 |
 | "The Complete Laugh-Out-Loud Jokes For Kids: A 4-in-1 Collection" [ages 9-12; 2014] by Rob Elliott combining the bestselling books "Laugh-Out-Loud Jokes For Kids", "More Laugh-Out-Loud Jokes For Kids", "Laugh-Out-Loud Animal Jokes For Kids", and "Knock-Knock Jokes For Kids" Revell 8½x5¾ pb [2014] out of print/used Revell 8x5¾ hardcover [9/2016] for $12.99 |
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"From Main Street To Mall: The Rise and Fall of The American Department Store" [2015] by Vicki Howard Kindle Edition from Univ Pennsylvania Press [4/2015] for $19.22 Univ Pennsylvania Press 9¼x6¼ hardcover [5/2015] for $26.85 |
 | "Shopping Mall (Object Lessons Series)" [2017]  by Matthew Newton Kindle Edition from Bloomsbury Academic [9/2017] for $9.99 Bloomsbury Academic 9x6¼ pb [9/2017] for $10.96 |
pooping and farting department
 | "The Big Necessity: The Unmentionable World of Human Waste and Why It Matters" [2008] by Rose George
Kindle Edition from Metropolitan Books [7/2009] for $9.99 Picador 8¼x5½ pb [9/2014] for $14.70 Picador pb [9/2014] out of print/used Metropolitan Books 9½x6¼ hardcover [10/2008] out of print/100+ used Metropolitan Books hardcover [10/2008] out of print/40+ used |
 | "The Big Book of Farts: ... Because A Fart Is Always Funny" [2016] by James Carlisle Kindle Edition from Sovereign Media Group [2/2016] for $2.99 CreateSpace 10x8 pb [2/2016] for $10.97 |
 | "The Fantastic Flatulent Fart Brothers' Big Book of Farty Facts: An Illustrated Guide To The Science, History, and Art of Farting" [ages 9-12; 2017] by M.D. Whalen
Kindle Edition from Top Floor Books [6/2017] for $2.99 Top Floor Books 8x5¼ pb [6/2017] for $7.89 |
Mundane Objects
paper & books department
![Independent Bookstore Day [est. 2015]](images/IndependentBookstoreDay.jpg "Independent Bookstore Day [est. 2015]")
abstractions, concepts & skills
L i n k s
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