We are surrounded by office supplies: half-eaten Cristal Bics, bent binders, rubber bands to play with or jingle, blunt pencils, erasers, and Tipp-ex are integral parts of our daily lives. To such an extent that we never thought about where they come from, why they are the way they are - or what stories they might have to tell.

Fortunately, James Ward knows and is here to tell us about the secret allure that office supplies hold in our lives. After all, who can remain unmoved in front of a perfect blue tape or a first, unwritten page of a brand-new notebook? And which of humanity's brightest ideas didn't start from a piece of paper, a Post-it, or the edges of a notebook?

Exploring the stories behind these everyday objects, Ward reveals tales of invention - accidental and brilliant - and bitter rivalry. He also asks questions you never thought of: Who is Mr. Pritt? What does breakage resistance mean? How many columns does Argos use? And what do design developments in office organization mean for society?

This clever and entertaining book, full of interesting facts, will change the way you look at your desk, your bag of office supplies, or your office supply closet forever.