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A walk around the block : stoplight secrets, mischievous squirrels, manhole mysteries & other stuff you see every day (and know nothing about) / Spike Carlsen.

Summary:

"On his regular walk one morning, Spike Carlsen realized there was an entire world outside his front door that he knew nothing about. How does that fire hydrant work, he wondered? Why are street lights shining more brightly than ever before? And, on a more personal level, why does an easy stroll around the neighborhood always leave him feeling more creative and spry, better able to take on the day? A simple walk around the block set Carlsen off on an investigative journey to discover everything he could about every thing we take for granted in our everyday life, from manhole covers and recycling bins to pedestrian crossings and bike lanes. Leading readers on a spirited adventure through his hometown, and other environs, Carlsen explains with wit and erudition the engineering marvels, unheralded utilities, and secret economic and health benefits hiding in plain sight. Like how the addition of a front porch reduces crime and increases property value. And how planting a $10 boulevard tree cuts air-conditioning costs by 20 percent, while generating approximately $30,000 worth of oxygen and $31,000 worth of erosion control. Or how a simple walk, in addition to reduce your chances of a stroke (20 percent), cardiovascular disease (30 percent), and broken bones (40 percent), can increase creativity by 60 percent. Engaging, entertaining, and informative, A Walk Around the Block is a narrative celebration of all the seemingly random stuff we encounter at any given moment"-- Provided by publisher.

Record details

  • ISBN: 9780062954756
  • ISBN: 006295475X
  • ISBN: 9780062954763
  • ISBN: 0062954768
  • Physical Description: 328 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm
  • Edition: First edition
  • Publisher: New York : HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, [2020]

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:
Includes bibliographical references (pages 307-328).
Subject:
Curiosities and wonders.
Material culture > Miscellanea.
Recreation > Miscellanea.
Inventions > Miscellanea.
Questions and answers.
Genre:
Trivia and miscellanea.

Available copies

  • 19 of 20 copies available at NC Cardinal.
  • 1 of 1 copy available at McDowell County Public Library. (Show)

Holds

  • 0 current holds with 20 total copies.
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Location Call Number / Copy Notes Barcode Shelving Location Status Due Date
Marion Library 031.02 CAR (Text) 37810435770721 Adult Nonfiction Available -
Braswell Memorial Main Library 031 CAR (Text) 37807000020558 Adult Nonfiction Available -
Cliffdale Library 031.02 C (Text) 31781065637041 Adult Nonfiction Available -
Dorothy Wightman Library ANF 031.32 CAR (Text) 30372101886114 Adult Nonfiction Available -
Henderson Main Branch 031.02 C (Text) 33258009451209 Adult Nonfiction Available -
High Point Library 031.02 Carlsen (Text) 30519010826447 Adult Nonfiction Checked out 08/20/2026
Lenoir Library 031.02 Ca (Text) 50669013212080 Adult Nonfiction Available -
Margaret and James Harper, Jr. Library 031.02 CAR (Text) 31421621363812 Adult Nonfiction Available -
Marianna Black Library 031.02 C (Text) 39493108997273 Adult Nonfiction Available -
Mills River Branch 031.02 C (Text) 33258009451217 Adult Nonfiction Available -