Name: How We Got to Now
Rating: 4.275862068965517 (29 reviews)
ISBN: 9781594632969

Steven Johnson

An illustrated history of innovation shares lesser-known stories of accidental genius and brilliant mistakes, examines unexpected connections between seemingly unrelated fields and reveals how important inventions have had unintended consequences. By the best-selling author of Where Good Ideas Come From. 100,000 first printing.

Six Innovations that Made the Modern World

How We Got to Now

Dani

Great narrative. Super recommended to 'review' some things we all take for granted. :)

Bryan Alexander

I read How We Got to Now after having read and appreciated several of Johnson's other books, but not having seen the associated tv show.

It's a fun sketch of the history of multiple technologies. Air conditioning, mirrors, the computer, freezing food, radio, audio recording, chlorinated water, watches, electrical light, and more. Johnson organizes these into six themes: sound, light, cleaning, time, glass, and cold. This allows him to race between different inventions, people, historical events, details of the natural world, scientific concepts, and popular culture, a bit like James Burke's Connections (the tv series as well as the 1978 book). 

Overall it's very entertaining and engaging. Having taught it once, I know it's a good introduction to the history of technology. The structure also lets Johnson hit some of his earlier themes, like the importance of innovation networks over the impact of a single genius and his form of technological determinism.

Weaknesses: it's a fast book, without time to get deeply into topics. And while Johnson brings in some nonwhite and female people, it's still overwhelmingly about western (mostly American and western European) white men. There are historical reasons for this, but it would be good to see the book stretch beyond the cliche.

Overall, recommended.

Michael Hessling

And now I'm off to watch the companion PBS series.

Yan Aung

Daniel Toke Hansen

MacKenzie Hamon

Jimmy Cerone

Andy Sporring

John Bush

Tiffany

This book is a celebration of ideas: how they happen and their sometimes unintended results. Johnson shows how simple scientific breakthroughs have driven other discoveries through the network of ideas and innovations that made each finding possible. He traces important inventions through ancient and contemporary history, unlocking tales of unsung heroes and radical revolutions that changed the world and the way we live in it

How We Got to Now Six Innovations that Made the Modern World

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