The Grimy, Gross Unusual History of the Toilet

Brief Description: "Traces the history of the invention of the toilet, from the earliest attempts of ancient civilizations to the modern flush toilet design"--Marc Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 47) and index.; Traces the history of the invention of the toilet, from the earliest attempts of ancient civilizations to the modern flush toilet design--; Provided by publisher. Publisher Marketing: They have witnessed the birth and death of kings and have risen and crumbled alongside empires. What are they? Toilets! Over the years, the toilet has been given several names, including privy, loo, and outhouse, to name a few. But no matter what they're called, we all use them for the same thing. From ancient cesspits to the talking toilets of tomorrow, get the full scoop on this marvelous invention and how its gross, grimy past has given us a brighter, cleaner future.

Contributor Bio:  Penner, Barbara Barbara Penner is a senior lecturer in architectural history at University College London. She is the author of "Newlyweds on Tour: Honeymooning in Nineteenth-Century America" and "Ladies and Gents: Public Toilets and Gender".