First published 2010
Steven Johnson examines the origins of transformative inventions like the printing press, pencil, flush toilet, and battery. He identifies seven distinct patterns that drive genuine innovation and follows these patterns across centuries and fields of study. Johnson explores the environments that foster creative breakthroughs, from the research conducted by Darwin and Freud to the modern innovation centers at Google and Apple. He investigates what sparks moments of brilliance and how breakthrough technologies emerge to advance our lives, society, and culture. The book reveals the common approaches and shared characteristics that appear during periods of originality. Johnson offers readers a framework for understanding how great ideas develop and the conditions that make innovation possible.
Genres: science, non-fiction, technology, 21st-century, academic, history-of-science
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: informative
Period: 21st Century
326 pages · Hardcover · Riverhead Books