钉子、插头、牙刷、香皂、手套和糖果等常见的物品的功能和设计因国家和地域的不同而不同。有一些是好用和实用的例子，而另一些则没有实现它们的功能。此书展示了对细节的欣赏，揭示了物品的制作方式和人们希望其所执行的任务敏感性，同时还牢记这些廉价的日常物品的基本实用设计。这些物品来自于美国、日本、法国和泰国在内的一系列国家，并可以在当地的小商店购买。除了设计纪念当地文化的纪念品，它们都涉及到一个关于功能的概念，在大多数情况下，设计师是不知道的。这本书是由平面思想设施设计的，由安吉拉摩尔的150多张新拍的照片配图。书中阐明每个物品的功能，揭露那些从外观上看不出来的东西。

Common items such as nails, plugs, toothbrushes, soap, gloves, and sweets have their own function and differ in design from country to country and region to region. Some are examples of good and practical design, while others fail to fulfil their function. The collection shows an appreciation to detail by revealing how things are made and a sensitivity to the tasks people carry out, all the while keeping in mind the basic utilitarian design of these inexpensive everyday objects. The items come from a range of countries, including the United States, Japan, France, and Thailand, and were purchased from small local shops. More than design souvenirs that celebrate local culture, they all involve an idea about function and in most cases the designer is unknown. The book is designed by Graphic Thought Facility and illustrated with over 150 newly commissioned photographs by Angela Moore. The objects are organized thematically, with concise captions that clarify the individual function of each item, exposing what is not always apparent from looking.