The NYT's David Carr finds the stupid publishing industry suffering through a rash of books — these semi-historical tomes claim that various tiny events have giant historical effects. Most ridiculous: Mauve: How One Man Invented a Color That Changed the World:

Back in 1856, an English chemist was working on developing a treatment for malaria and found the color mauve, sparking the discovery of other dyes, which produced a riot of new fashions, which eventually led to one of mankind's crowning achievements: the September issue of Vogue, a massive seasonal introduction of fashion.

Change Is Good [NYT]