Toilets of the World

By Siân James, Morna E. Gregory, Siân James

Book Overview

This light-hearted but highly informative photographic journey reveals the idiosyncrasy and inventiveness that characterise the construction of the humble toilet around the globe. Along the way, the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 185894337X
• ISBN13: 9781858943374
• Release Date: October 2006
• Publisher: Merrell
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.3" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Amusing and an eye-opening account of various toilet facilities

"Toilets of the World" is a quick read, funny, and informative on an otherwise senstive subject. You will know what to expect when you need to go to the "toilet" (or lack of what you would consider a toilet) in different countries. Some are full service appliances and others make you want to run. If you travel around the globe, you'll want to read this book first.

A Brief History Of Toilets: From A Hole In The Ground To The Space Shuttle

When I think of entertaining reading material, I rarely think of toilets. "Toilets of the World," however, is an amusing homage to the endeavor of excretion. Divided by continents, this book examines the most unusual of all toilets from the world over, from the fantastically complex (I would not want to, for instance, use the toilet on a submarine lest I inadvertently configure the valves incorrectly and release "a high-pressure explosion of sewage throughout the submarine at a force of 225 pounds per square inch") to mere holes in the dirt. Part and parcel of this book explains not only the physical structure of these toilets, but also the local customs of different cultures. The lack of toilet paper use in Turkey and India (the left hand substitutes...) is a key example of cultural toilet use differences beyond the obvious squat versus sit elimination methods. There are many unusual toilets in this book, but for my money, the toilets of Asia take the cake, especially the urinals in the Lemina Building in Tokyo, which electronically sense when a man approaches, then burst into music and move the urinal vigorously hoping the man can accurately track the target, all the while taunting him with disparaging remarks and engaging in flash photography. There is an equally frightening experience awaiting the women in the same building which results in a bad case of claustrophobia, and features not only a giant mechanical geisha kissing the unsuspecting victim on the knees, but also a light show, fake thunder, and a hideous androgynous mechanical freak appearing from a secret compartment with the toilet paper. I guess it beats a hole in the ground. Five stars for making peristalsis an interesting cultural journey, a feat I had hardly imagined possible.

Informative and funny

There are some really bizarre toilets out there in the world. Some even scary!! Interesting and fun. We keep it on the back of the toilet in our guest bathroom. Makes for some fun conversation.

Who Knew?

This books is worth it for the pictures alone. It will bring back memories for anyone who has every encounterd a toilet that they just weren't sure how to use.

toilets of the world

for anyone interested in architecture this gives a great overview of a much overlooked subject--the toilet. educational as well as humorous.