num_pages: 293
description: From the New York Times bestselling author of Where Good Ideas Come From and Extra Life  a new look at the power and legacy of great ideas.In this illustrated history Steven Johnson explores the history of innovation over centuries tracing facets of modern life (refrigeration clocks and eyeglass lenses to name a few) from their creation by hobbyists amateurs and entrepreneurs to their unintended historical consequences. Filled with surprising stories of accidental genius and brilliant mistakesfrom the French publisher who invented the phonograph before Edison but forgot to include playback to the Hollywood movie star who helped invent the technology behind Wi-Fi and BluetoothHow We Got to Now investigates the secret history behind the everyday objects of contemporary life. In his trademark style Johnson examines unexpected connections between seemingly unrelated fields: how the invention of air-conditioning enabled the largest migration of human beings in the history of the speciesto cities such as Dubai or Phoenix which would otherwise be virtually uninhabitable; how pendulum clocks helped trigger the industrial revolution; and how clean water made it possible to manufacture computer chips. Accompanied by a major six-part television series on PBS How We Got to Now is the story of collaborative networks building the modern world written in the provocative informative and engaging style that has earned Johnson fans around the globe.
language: None
title: How We Got to Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World
publisher: Riverhead Books