First published 2016
Steven Johnson examines how the pursuit of entertainment has sparked major technological breakthroughs throughout history. The New York Times bestselling author takes a sweeping view of innovation, arguing that cutting edge advances emerge wherever people work hardest to amuse themselves and others. Johnson profiles the creative figures behind this progress: explorers bringing exotic goods, proprietors creating new venues, showmen developing spectacular displays, and artists pushing boundaries with novel performances. He connects taverns and gambling halls to complex modern systems, showing how luxury items, unusual foods, and magic shows altered history's course. The book demonstrates that technological and social observers should examine emerging forms of entertainment to predict future developments. Johnson makes the case that breakthrough innovations appear wherever people experience the greatest enjoyment and seek fresh sources of wonder.
Genres: popular-science, non-fiction, 21st-century, history-of-science
Vibes: engaging, informative, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-exploration, informative-narrative
Period: 21st Century
308 pages · Paperback · Riverhead Books