Object Lessons is a series of short, beautifully designed books about the hidden lives of ordinary things.

Porous animal. Hard-working cleaning tool. Animated trouser-wearing meme factory. The sponge has been cleaning up our acts for centuries, both as a living creature with a remarkable capacity to regenerate and as a synthetic, germ-busting imitation of nature.

As an immobile animal, the sponge possesses a powerful combination of chemical compounds to protect itself. As an implement, it is a keeper at bay of dust and grime, and an applicator of makeup, fundamental in the artistry of constructing a new face in which to live temporarily. It is also a rich focal point for exploring our relationship with nature. Who harvests the sponge? Who manufactures the sponge? And who wields it?

Sponge reveals narratives that many people would never connect to a common kitchen object and draws together a surprising range of subjects: feminism, domestic gender roles, fascism, big business and environmentalism.