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 mistakes -- from 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 Bluetooth -- How 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 species -- to 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.

• We started tracking this book on April 15, 2014.
• This book was $14.99 when we started tracking it.
• The price of this book has changed 160 times in the past 3,916 days.
• The current price of this book is $2.99 last checked 6 minutes ago.
• This book is at its lowest price in the past year.
• The lowest price to date was $1.99 last reached on February 13, 2018.
• This book has been $1.99 one time since we started tracking it.
• The highest price to date was $14.99 last reached on December 10, 2024.
• This book has been $14.99 33 times since we started tracking it.

• Politics & Social Sciences

• Text-to-Speech: Disabled
• Lending: Disabled
• File Size: 45,013 KB