James Dyson

The definitive autobiography of James Dyson, the UK's most successful businessman, revealing the secrets of his success and the inspiration behind his inventions

A Life

Invention

This book is about how a British inventor, against all odds, took on the multinationals and revolutionised housekeeping by inventing the bagless vacuum cleaner - and became a multi millionaire at the same time.

An Autobiography

Against the Odds

A journey under the guidance of inventor and manufacturer James Dyson, featuring the stories of technological advances and inventors that have shaped civilization. It covers intriguing lesser-known as well as famous discoveries, ranging from early Persian ice cream to the invention of the microchip and advances in animal cloning. Discover how: women's corsets led to the invention of the modern umbrella; the hovercraft emerged from an empty cat-food tin; and how the Internet really came about.

James Dyson's History of Great Inventions

Dyson has become a byword for high-performing products, technology, design, and invention. Now, James Dyson, the inventor and entrepreneur who made it all happen, tells his remarkable and inspirational story in Invention: A Life, "one of the year's most relevant and revelatory business books" (The Wall Street Journal). Famously, over a four-year period, James Dyson made 5,127 prototypes of the cyclonic vacuum cleaner that would transform the way houses are cleaned around the world. In devoting all his resources to iteratively developing the technology, he risked it all, but out of many failures and setbacks came hard-fought success. His products—including vacuum cleaners, hair dryers and hair stylers, and fans and purifiers—are not only revolutionary technologies, but design classics. This was a legacy of his time studying at the Royal College of Art in the 1960s, when he was inspired by some of the most famous artists, designers, and inventors of the era, as well as his engineering heroes such as Frank Whittle and Alex Issigonis. In Invention: A Life, Dyson reveals how he came to set up his own company and led it to become one of the most inventive technology companies in the world. It is a compelling and dramatic tale, with many obstacles overcome. Dyson has always looked to the future, even setting up his own university to help provide the next generation of engineers and designers. For, as he says, “everything changes all the time, so experience is of little use.” Whether you are someone who has an idea for a better product, an aspiring entrepreneur, whether you appreciate great design or a page-turning read, Invention: A Life offers you inspiration, hope, and much more.

Aspirapolvere, phon, ventilatori e purificatori d'aria: il marchio Dyson è da decenni sinonimo di geniale innovazione tecnologica, unita a un iconico design d'avanguardia che si è ormai imposto come un classico del settore. Eppure il suo enorme successo ha avuto inizio con ben 5126 prototipi realizzati e scartati dal fondatore James Dyson in soli quattro anni, prima di arrivare a una soluzione - la 5127a - soddisfacente per il suo celebre aspirapolvere ciclonico. Anzi, a ben vedere la sua storia è partita prima ancora, nella swinging London degli anni Sessanta, quando James frequentava il Royal College of Art e si muoveva tra stilisti, designer, artisti pop ed eccentrici inventori, guardando anche a quelli che considerava «eroi dell'ingegneria»: personaggi del calibro di Frank Whittle e Alec Issigonis. Una storia fatta di enorme tenacia e fiducia nelle proprie capacità, anche di fronte al fallimento: convinto di poter migliorare in modo radicale un prodotto esistente, Dyson ha investito tutto il suo tempo e le sue energie - mentali, fisiche ed economiche - per arrivare a rivoluzionare per sempre il nostro modo di pulire la casa. E oggi, anche attraverso enti quali il Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology e la James Dyson Foundation, supporta e promuove le nuove generazioni di imprenditori, progettisti e ingegneri decisi a cambiare il mondo in un'ottica di efficienza e sostenibilità. Nella sua autobiografia, uno dei più iconici businessman del nostro tempo ci rivela la fonte di ispirazione dietro le sue celebri invenzioni e condivide con il lettore i suoi segreti. Tra consigli su cosa serve davvero per avviare un'impresa di successo e appassionanti racconti di creatività, James Dyson ripercorre la sua storia esemplare con straordinaria vivacità e contagioso entusiasmo, in un libro pieno di aneddoti, idee e intuizioni proiettate verso un'originalissima visione del futuro.

Robert Uhlig

Dyson details the greatest achievements of the human imagination since early hominids invented stone tools about 250,000 years ago. Through thousands of years and vital inventions more -- the canoe, the wheel, ink and papyrus, language, maps, currency, law -- the primitive hunter-gatherer of the Stone Age would evolve into the literate citizen of ancient Rome at the time of Christ, as the opening chapter of this fascinating chronicle shows. Succeeding chapters follow human technological advances up to the seventeenth century and then in the age of industrial power, the age of electricity, the atomic age, and the postwar world of the microchip and the genome. Also includes universal joint, steam engine, ball bearings, steam wagon, battery, suspension bridge, dynamo & motor, fuel cell, vulcanization of rubber, airship, internal combustion engine, bicycle, traffic lights, steam turbine, fingerprint forensics, motor car, motorcycle, lie detector, aeroplane, windscreen wipers, caterpillar tracks, television, liquid-fuel rocket, jet engine, helicopter, obile phone, general-purpose computer, video game, computer mouse, optical disc, lcd and led, personal computer, and many others. Not only does Dyson survey the history of human inventions, he also explores the circumstances and impulses that underlie them. While necessity often proves to be the mother of invention, frustration and serendipity, too, can prod genius. Frustration over the countless ships and lives lost at sea led to John Harrison's invention of extraordinarily accurate clock.

Great Inventions

Dyson has become a byword for high-performing products, technology, design, and invention. Now, James Dyson, the inventor and entrepreneur who made it all happen, tells his remarkable and inspirational story in Invention: A Life, “one of the year’s most relevant and revelatory business books” (The Wall Street Journal). Famously, over a four-year period, James Dyson made 5,127 prototypes of the cyclonic vacuum cleaner that would transform the way houses are cleaned around the world. In devoting all his resources to iteratively setbacks came hard-fought success. His products—including vacuum cleaners, hair dryer and hair stylers, and fans and purifiers—are not only revolutionary technologies, but design classics. This was a legacy of his time studying at the Royal College of Art in the 1960s, when he was inspired by some of the most famous artists, designers, and inventors of the era, as well as his engineering heroes such as Frank Whittle and Alex Issigonis. In Invention: A Life, Dyson reveals how he came to set up his own company and led it to become one of the most inventive technology companies in the world. It is a compelling and dramatic tale, with many obstacles overcome. Dyson has always looked to the future, even setting up his own university to help provide the next generation of engineers and designers. For, as he says, “everything changes all the time, so experience is of little use.” Whether you are someone who has an idea for a better product, an aspiring entrepreneur, whether you appreciate great design or a page-turning read, Invention: A Life is an “entertaining and inspiring memoir” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) that offers motivation, hope, and much more.

Tony Muranka

Nick Rootes

"Doing a Dyson"

This complete illustrated history of inventions and inventors that have shaped civilization and the modern world is a useful reference guide and source of inspiration for would-be inventors of all kinds, young and old alike.

Mammoth Book of Great Inventions

Interferometry as a Measuring Tool

A handsome, lavishly illustrated volume celebrates the human genius for invention from the dawn of civilization to the beginning of the new millennium.

A History of Great Inventions

James Dyson, inventor of the revolutionary bagless Dual Cyclone vacuum cleaner and Chairman of London's Design Museum, chooses 25 iconic designs which have all, in one way or another, shaped the 20th century. Book jacket.

Design

The James Dyson Collection (1880-1941) consists of field notebooks for mines in Silverton County, Colorado surveyed by James Dyson, civil engineer and U.S. Mineral Surveyor, and miscellaneous records and correspondence related to mining companies and mines in Colorado.

James Dyson Collection

This compelling journey through the history of invention, under the guidance of inventor and manufacturer extraordinaire James Dyson, reveals the myriad stories of inventions and inventors that have shaped civilisation. Packed with colour illustrations, the book examines a host of lesser known as well as more famous discoveries, ranging from early Persian ice cream to the invention of the microchip and the extraordinary advances in animal cloning. Discover how: * Roman dentists developed rope-powered drills * Women's corsets led to the invention of the modern umbrella * The hovercraft emerged from an empty cat-food tin * And how the internet really came about With unique insights into the processes of invention and additional expert contributions, Dyson's History of Great Inventions is certain to fascinate and inspire in equal measure.

James Dyson

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