Small Things Considered by Henry Petroski, Alfred A. Knopf, $25, ISBN 1400040507 Reviewed by Roy Herbert
THE first few chapters of Henry Petroski’s book might test your stamina. In these, he contemplates the constraints that hamper designers. The subtitle of Small Things Considered is “Why there is no perfect design” and this involves him in explaining much that you probably won’t find interesting and that you may already appreciate. These contemplations are linked, for example, to ordinary drinking glasses – ordinary to Americans, that is – in 10-ounce, 12-ounce and 16-ounce sizes. It’s all fairly dull and so are the measures to defeat glare from car…
