Curated by Podcasters

Home Improvement? Nice Try!

Some of my favorite moments from the second season, where I explore the legacy and history of various home improvement products (which are really self improvement products).

Some of my favorite moments from the second season, where I explore the legacy and hist... more

Curated byAvery Trufelman, Podcaster

7 CLIPS39 MINS

Clip 1 of 7

The Sweet Tones of the Doorbell

A doorbell is not what I would consider a piece of technology. But it's actually the essential link between the domestic and public spheres. One of my favorite voices this episode was Robert Dobrin, a vintage doorbell collector and aficionado.

Nice Try!

4 MINS

Clip 2 of 7

How Vacuum Cleaners Pushed the Bounds of "Domestic" Labor

Vacuum cleaners weren't always ubiquitous – and private – in the home; a century ago, rentable industrial-size vacuums roamed city streets. I speak with historian Ruth Cowan, author of More Work For Mother, about their history.

How Vacuum Cleaners Pushed the Bounds of "Domestic" Labor

Nice Try!

6 MINS

Clip 3 of 7

The Crock-Pot, "a Bridge Between Worlds"

The crock-pot promises gourmet cooking, with the ease of convenience: cooks can have it all. It actually originated from a Lithuanian Jewish method of observing shabbat.

The Crock-Pot, "a Bridge Between Worlds"

Nice Try!

4 MINS

Clip 4 of 7

Weightlifting for the Common Good

Working out at home used to be a source of embarrassment, until one of the first home fitness gurus, Bob Hoffman, came onto the scene. He promoted weightlifting in the early 20th century as a method of self improvement...in service to the nation.

Nice Try!

6 MINS

Clip 5 of 7

Mattresses to Fulfill Your Dreams

Mattresses promise a lot, from better sleep to higher productivity, even beauty and weight loss. They use everything from green tea to CBD to help you get there. But the thing about sleep is, a lot of it's a mind game.

Nice Try!

5 MINS

Clip 6 of 7

Toilet Paper Shortage? Try a Bidet!

Bidets are hygienic, comfortable and convenient. So why aren't they more popular in the US? Why are we so afraid of our butts? I speak with some bidet manufacturers, historians, and, eventually, a Freudian expert.

Nice Try!

5 MINS

Clip 7 of 7

The Legacy of the Typewriter

I never wanted to be the kind of hipster who owned a typewriter. But one landed in my lap in a really unusual way. I speak with typewriter enthusiasts and experts to explore how typewriters shaped our modern society.

Nice Try!

6 MINS

Curated byAvery Trufelman

7 CLIPS39 MINS

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Curated by Podcasters

Home Improvement? Nice Try!

The Sweet Tones of the Doorbell

Nice Try!

How Vacuum Cleaners Pushed the Bounds of "Domestic" Labor

Nice Try!

The Crock-Pot, "a Bridge Between Worlds"

Nice Try!

Weightlifting for the Common Good

Nice Try!

Mattresses to Fulfill Your Dreams

Nice Try!

Toilet Paper Shortage? Try a Bidet!

Nice Try!

The Legacy of the Typewriter

Nice Try!

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