CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

THE TOOTH OF THE BUDDHA

THE GOLD LARNAX OF KING PHILIP II

THE MAGNA CARTA

THE STONE OF SCONE

THE ESSEX RING

GALILEO’S MIDDLE FINGER

GEORGE WASHINGTON’S SCHOOLBOY COPYBOOKS

JOHN HARRISON’S FOURTH MARINE TIMEKEEPER

THE VIRGINIA DECLARATION OF RIGHTS

THE RISING SUN CHAIR

THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE TREATY

THE LEWIS AND CLARK JOURNALS

BEETHOVEN’S EAR TRUMPETS

HARRISON’S PEACE PIPES

JOHN ADAMS’S PIGTAIL

THE DOUBLEDAY BALL

VENDOVI’S HEAD

THE BATTLE SWORD OF COLONEL NAJERA

CHARLES DICKENS’S PROMPT-COPY OF A CHRISTMAS CAROL

THE FIRST AMERICAN FLAG RAISED IN JAPAN

THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION

SLICES OF TOM THUMB’S WEDDING CAKE

THOMAS EDISON’S ORIGINAL TINFOIL PHONOGRAPH

JESSE JAMES’S STICKPIN

ULYSSES S. GRANT’S SMOKING STAND

JUMBO THE ELEPHANT

FREUD’S COUCH

THE HOOF OF FIRE HORSE NUMBER TWELVE

“TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME”

MARK TWAIN’S ORCHESTRELLE

THE ZIMMERMANN TELEGRAM

THE FOURTEEN POINTS

THE TRUCE FLAG THAT ENDED WORLD WAR I

WYATT EARP’S DRAWING OF THE O.K. CORRAL GUNFIGHT

THE MALTESE FALCON

MONTY’S BATTLE CARAVANS

THE WORLD WAR II JAPANESE SURRENDER TABLE

ENIAC

MARILYN MONROE’S BILLOWING DRESS FROM THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH

ELVIS PRESLEY’S PURPLE CADILLAC

ABLE THE SPACE MONKEY

ODYSSEY

THE GUN THAT KILLED JOHN LENNON

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

SOURCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY

SEARCH WORDS

ILLUSTRATION CREDITS