The Secret Lives of Numbers

Book excerpt: This is a book for the observant and the curious. A book for people who take in their surroundings and wonder at the smallest detail: why? Above all, it's a book about numbers - those that surround us every day, and the intriguing stories behind them. From the 7-day week to 24-carat gold, Chanel No. 5 to five-star luxury, The Secret Lives of Numbers figures out the mysterious background to the numbers we encounter on a daily basis. Revealing the facts behind those figures, author Michael Millar outlines where to spot each digit, what it means and how it came to be in meticulously researched and entertaining entries, creating an absorbing and intelligent book that's perfect for any numbers fan. It's as easy as 1, 2, 3... Entries include: sports shirt numbers, firearms calibres, TV ratings, football rankings, poker scores, suncream factors, A4 paper, and more.