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Author Johnson, Steven, 1968- author.

Title How we got to now : six innovations that made the modern world / Steven Johnson.

Publication Info. New York : Riverhead Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA), 2014.

Copies

Location Call No. Status
 Avon Free Public Library - Adult Department  338 JOHNSON    Check Shelf
 Berlin-Peck Memorial Library - Non Fiction  338.064 JOHNSON    Check Shelf
 Bloomfield, Prosser Library - Adult Department  338 JOH    Storage
 Bristol, Main Library - Non Fiction  338.064 JOHNSON    Check Shelf
 Burlington Public Library - Adult Department  338.064 JOHNSON    Check Shelf
 Canton Public Library - Adult Department  338.064 JOHNSON    Check Shelf
 Cheshire Public Library - Adult Department Lower Level  338.064 JOHNSON    Check Shelf
 East Hartford, Raymond Library - Adult Department  338.064 JOHNSON c.2  Check Shelf
 East Hartford, Wickham Branch Library - Adult Department  338.064 JOHNSON    Check Shelf
 East Windsor, Library Association of Warehouse Point - Adult Department  338 JOH    Check Shelf

Description 293 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 24 cm
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 267-280) and index.
Contents Introduction : Robot historians and the hummingbird's wing -- Glass -- Cold -- Sound -- Clean -- Time -- Light -- Conclusion : The time travelers.
Summary "From the New York Times-bestselling author of Where Good Ideas Come From and Everything Bad Is Good for You, a new look at the power and legacy of great ideas. In this illustrated volume, 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. "-- Provided by publisher.
Subject Technology -- Social aspects.
Inventions -- Social aspects.
Inventions -- history.
Technology -- history.
Inventions -- Social aspects. (OCoLC)fst00978016
Technology -- Social aspects. (OCoLC)fst01145202
Innovation. (DE-588)4027089-0
ISBN 9781594632969 (hardback)
1594632960 (hardback)
9781594633577 (international edition)
1594633576 (international edition)
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