From the bestselling author of The Knowledge Web come fifty mesmerizing journeys into the history of technology, each following a chain of consequential events that ends precisely where it began. Whether exploring electromagnetic fields, the origin of hot chocolate, or DNA fingerprinting, these essays — which originally appeared in James Burke's popular Scientific American column — all illustrate the serendipitous and surprisingly circular nature of change.

In "Room with (Half) a View," for instance, Burke muses about the partly obscured railway bridge outside his home on the Thames. Thinking of the bridge engineer, who also built the steamship that laid the first transatlantic telegraph cable, causes him to recall Samuel Morse; which, in turn, conjures up Morse's neighbor, firearms inventor Sam Colt, and his rival, Remington. One dizzying connection after another leads to Karl Marx's daughter, who attended Socialist meetings with a trombonist named Gustav Holst, who once lived in the very house that blocks Burke's view of the bridge on the Thames. Burke's essays all evolve in this organic manner, highlighting the interconnectedness of seemingly unrelated events and innovations. Romantic poetry leads to brandy distillation; tonic water connects through Leibniz to the first explorers to reach the North Pole.

Witty, instructive, and endlessly entertaining, Circles expands on the trademark style that has captivated James Burke fans for years. This unique collection is sure to stimulate and delight history buffs, technophiles, and anyone else with a healthy intellectual curiosity.

In "Room with (Half) a View," for instance, Burke muses about the partly obscured railway bridge outside his home on the Thames. Thinking of the bridge engineer, who also built the steamship that laid the first transatlantic telegraph cable, causes him to recall Samuel Morse; which, in turn, conjures up Morse's neighbor, firearms inventor Sam Colt, and his rival, Remington. One dizzying connection after another leads to Karl Marx's daughter, who attended Socialist meetings with a trombonist named Gustav Holst, who once lived in the very house that blocks Burke's view of the bridge on the Thames. Burke's essays all evolve in this organic manner, highlighting the interconnectedness of seemingly unrelated events and innovations. Romantic poetry leads to brandy distillation; tonic water connects through Leibniz to the first explorers to reach the North Pole.

Witty, instructive, and endlessly entertaining, Circles expands on the trademark style that has captivated James Burke fans for years. This unique collection is sure to stimulate and delight history buffs, technophiles, and anyone else with a healthy intellectual curiosity.

Foreword

1. A Bit of a Flutter
2. Satisfied Customers
3. Folies de Grandeur
4. A Lot of Baloney
5. Impressions
6. Making Your Mark
7. What Goes Around Comes Around
8. Sweet Dreams
9. Waving the Flag
10. The Silk Circuit
11. Out of Gas
12. Ordinary Buffoons
13. Breakfast Thoughts
14. Stones and Bones
15. Is This Essay Noticeably Different?
16. Showtime
17. Cool Stuff
18. Revolutionary Matters
19. Don't Forget This One
20. Take Two Acronyms
21. The Buck Starts Here
22. Healthy Blooms
23. And Now the Weather
24. On Track
25. Is There Anybody There?
26. Turkish Delight
27. Sheer Poetry
28. Lucky He Missed
29. Cheers
30. What's in a Name?
31. Feathered Friends
32. Scribble, Scribble
33. Heavy Stuff
34. Tick Tock
35. Rebellious Affairs
36. Local Color
37. Does This Take You Back?
38. Oops
39. Tea, Anyone?
40. A Light Little Number
41. Lend Me Your Ear
42. Entente Cordiale
43. Zzzzzzz
44. A Few Notes
45. Sound Ideas
46. Or Maybe Not
47. A Matter of Degree
48. Room with (Half) a View
49. Various, Unrequited
50. The O Zone

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