This entry was published at least two years ago (originally posted on May 27, 2003). Since that time the information may have become outdated or my beliefs may have changed (in general, assume a more open and liberal current viewpoint). A fuller disclaimer is available.
This post on BoingBoing reminded me of a book I haven’t read in years, but that I loved when I was a kid, and can highly recommend: Cheaper by the Dozen.
It’s the story of the Gilbreth family — dad, mom, and their twelve redheaded children — set in the early 1900’s. Mr. Gilbreth was an “efficiency expert”, obsessed with finding the most efficient ways to do everything in life, down to timing with a stopwatch whether buttoning a shirt was faster from the top down or the bottom up. I’ve just added the book to my Amazon wishlist, and will pick it up in a while, it’s long past time to re-read it.