How We Got To Now

Six Innovations That Made the Modern World

Steven Johnson

Book Synopsis

How We Got To Now by Steven Johnson explores the interconnectedness of innovation and its impact on society. With thought-provoking insights and captivating storytelling, Johnson takes readers on a journey through six pivotal innovations that have shaped our modern world.

From the development of glass to the invention of refrigeration, Johnson reveals the hidden history of everyday objects and how they have sparked revolutionary changes. Each chapter focuses on a specific innovation, allowing readers to delve into the fascinating stories behind inventions like the printing press and the discovery of antibiotics.

Through these narratives, Johnson unveils the ripple effects of these innovations – how they have altered our environment, transformed industries, and vastly improved our quality of life. He highlights the unintended consequences and unexpected connections that arise from these technological advancements, painting a comprehensive picture of human progress.

By examining the intersections of science, technology, and society, Johnson challenges conventional wisdom and encourages readers to think critically about the future. Ultimately, How We Got To Now is a compelling exploration of the past, present, and future of innovation, highlighting its crucial role in shaping our world.

Explore More Books

See All
Montaigne's Essays
Mission
The World is Flat
The Origins of Virtue
The Politics Industry
Charged
Big World, Small Planet
Parents Who Lead
The Celestine Prophecy
How An Economy Grows and Why It Crashes
The Canceling of the American Mind
Healthy Buildings
The Richest Man in Babylon
Letters from a Stoic
Creating Shareholder Value
Mortal Republic
The Evolution of Beauty
That's What She Said
The Holy Grail of Investing
The Spectator
A Technique for Producing Ideas
1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die
This Brave New World
Talking to Strangers
Execution
The Narrow Corridor
On Grief and Grieving
The Story of Civilization: The Age of Voltaire
Hard Drive
Clear Thinking
Merchants of Truth
Graphs, Maps, Trees
DMT: The Spirit Molecule
Great Expectations
Rock On
Twelve Against The Gods
Concentrated Investing
Thus Spoke the Plant
The Doors of Perception
Maisy Mouse Collection
Diffusion of Innovations
Certain To Win
The Oz Principle
The Romance of American Communism
The Medici Effect
Calm Your Mind with Food
The Model Thinker
The Rise And Fall Of American Growth
If At Birth You Don't Succeed
I Seem To Be A Verb
Order Without Design
The Nature of the Beast
Cashing in on the American Dream
Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage
A Short Guide to a Happy Life
The Essential Scratch and Sniff Guide to Becoming a Wine Expert
Adult Children of Alcoholics
Devil's Bargain
The Essential Writings
I Contain Multitudes
Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention
The Picture of Dorian Gray
How To Shoot Video That Doesn't Suck
Imaginable
The Clash of Civilization and the Remaking of World Order
Too Big to Fail
The Tyranny of Experts
All Marketers are Liars
The Painted Bird
Crash Proof 2.0
American Kingpin
The Big Short
The Halo Effect...
Nixonland
A Curious Mind
The Aspirational Investor
High Output Management
The Fortunes of Africa
Cuckoo
Personal Knowledge
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information
The Robotics Primer
Prepared
The Deficit Myth
Play Bigger
Excession
The Curse of the Mogul
Markings
The Fourth Turning
The Amber Spyglass
Impro
Levels of the Game
The Founders
Dynasty
Courage
Essays and Aphorisms
The Sixth Extinction
Nixon Agonistes
The Innovators
Masters of Doom