NOVEMBER 4, 1982

Full News Archive

• Headline: The Rise of Book Reading Lights. Impact: The invention of the book light led to the creation of the first 'silent reader' club, where members would silently judge each other's taste in books while avoiding the awkwardness of eye contact and actual conversation. This club eventually spawned a series of dystopian novels about a world where books were banned, but the lights remained on.. Fact: Did you know that the first 'book light' was actually just a candle taped to a stick? Talk about illuminating literature the hard way!.
• Headline: The Hers Column: A Women's Forum. Impact: The Hers column inadvertently sparked the feminist literary movement, as women began to realize that they could not only write but also express their opinions without a male's footnote. Soon, men were forced to endure endless discussions about women's rights over dinner, leading to the invention of the phrase, 'Not this again.'. Fact: Fun fact: The first column was so popular that it almost prompted a 'His' column, which would have consisted of men complaining about their socks and the weather. Thank goodness that didn't happen!.
• Headline: The Art of 18th Century Chair Making. Impact: The rise of chair repair techniques led to a significant increase in household arguments about who actually broke the chair. This culminated in the first 'Chair Repair Olympics' where families competed to see who could fix the most furniture while avoiding blame, leading to a national pastime of finger-pointing.. Fact: Did you know that in the 18th century, breaking a chair was considered a social faux pas? It was like showing up to a formal event in sweatpants—utterly scandalous!.