Synopses & Reviews
- How did the popularity of underwear in the twelfth century lead to the invention of the printing press?
- How did the waterwheel evolve into the computer?
- How did the arrival of the cannon lead eventually to the development of movies?
In this highly acclaimed and bestselling book, James Burke brilliantly examines the ideas, inventions, and coincidences that have culminated in the major technological advances of today. With dazzling insight, he untangles the pattern of interconnecting events: the accidents of time, circumstance, and place that gave rise to the major inventions of the world.
Says Burke, "My purpose is to acquaint the reader with some of the forces that have caused change in the past, looking in particular at eight innovations -- the computer, the production line, telecommunications, the airplane, the atomic bomb, plastics, the guided rocket, and television -- which may be most influential in structuring our own futures....Each one of these is part of a family of similar devices, and is the result of a sequence of closely connected events extending from the ancient world until the present day. Each has enormous potential for humankind's benefit -- or destruction."
Based on a popular TV documentary series, Connections is a fascinating scientific detective story of the inventions that changed history, and the surprising links that connect them.
Review
"James Burke surely has one of the most intriguing minds in the western world." andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; -- andlt;iandgt;The Washington Postandlt;/iandgt;
Review
"Lively and important."
-- Library Journal
Review
"Lively and important." andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; -- andlt;iandgt;Library Journalandlt;/iandgt;
Synopsis
- How did the popularity of underwear in the twelfth century lead to the invention of the printing press?
- How did the waterwheel evolve into the computer?
- How did the arrival of the cannon lead eventually to the development of movies?
In this highly acclaimed and bestselling book, James Burke brilliantly examines the ideas, inventions, and coincidences that have culminated in the major technological advances of today. With dazzling insight, he untangles the pattern of interconnecting events: the accidents of time, circumstance, and place that gave rise to the major inventions of the world.
Says Burke, "My purpose is to acquaint the reader with some of the forces that have caused change in the past, looking in particular at eight innovations -- the computer, the production line, telecommunications, the airplane, the atomic bomb, plastics, the guided rocket, and television -- which may be most influential in structuring our own futures....Each one of these is part of a family of similar devices, and is the result of a sequence of closely connected events extending from the ancient world until the present day. Each has enormous potential for humankind's benefit -- or destruction."
Based on a popular TV documentary series, Connections is a fascinating scientific detective story of the inventions that changed history -- and the surprising links that connect them.
About the Author
andlt;bandgt;James Burkeandlt;/bandgt; is the author of several bestselling books, including andlt;Iandgt;Circles, American Connections,andlt;/iandgt; and andlt;Iandgt;The Knowledge Web.andlt;/iandgt; He is a monthly columnist at andlt;Iandgt;Scientific Americanandlt;/iandgt; and also serves as director, writer, and host of the television series andlt;Iandgt;Connections 3andlt;/iandgt; on The Learning Channel. He is the founder of the James Burke Institute for Innovation in Education, whose flagship project, the Knowledge Web, an interactive website, was recently launched. He lives in London.