How We Got to Now

By Steven Johnson

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

Recommended by 3 people

Chris Dixon: “I really enjoyed Steven Johnson's How We Got To Now. I read a lot of history and science books, but this book stood out”
Seth Godin: “Steven Johnson's new book, How We Got to Now, is a perfect example. Beautifully written and professionally read, it will make you smarter, more curious and demands that you listen to it again.”
Shane Parrish: “I loved this book. In a short 250 pages or so, Steven Johnson discusses the development of six things that we all totally take for granted: Glass, refrigeration, recorded sound, modern cleanliness, modern timekeeping, and electric light.”