false 55024 <![CDATA[Connections]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320m/55024.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320s/55024.jpg Connections, a favorite of historically minded readers ever since its first publication in 1978. Taking a hint from Jacob Bronowski's Ascent of Man, Burke charts the course of technological innovation from ancient times to the present, but always with a subversive eye for things happening in spite of, and not because of, their inventors' intentions. Burke gives careful attention to the role of accident in human history. In his opening pages, for instance, he writes of the invention of uniform coinage, an invention that hinged on some unknown Anatolian prospector's discovering that a fleck of gold rubbed against a piece of schist--a "touchstone"--would leave a mark indicating its quality. Just so, we owe the invention of modern printing to Johann Gutenberg's training as a goldsmith, for his knowledge of the properties of metals enabled him to develop a press whose letterforms would not easily wear down. With Gutenberg's invention, Burke notes, came a massive revolution in the European economy, for, as he writes, "the easier it is to communicate, the faster change happens." Burke's book is a splendid and educational entertainment for our fast-changing time. --Gregory McNamee]]> 55024 8 2890658 1978 Connections total:178|5:90|4:63|3:22|2:1|1:2| 178 772 282 23 989318 4.16 613 68 37403958 175635 1217170 0743299558 9780743299558 1 <![CDATA[Connections]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1181958915m/1217170.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1181958915s/1217170.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1217170.Connections 3.93 14 Connections, a favorite of historically minded readers ever since its first publication in 1978. Taking a hint from Jacob Bronowski's Ascent of Man, Burke charts the course of technological innovation from ancient times to the present, but always with a subversive eye for things happening in spite of, and not because of, their inventors' intentions. Burke gives careful attention to the role of accident in human history. In his opening pages, for instance, he writes of the invention of uniform coinage, an invention that hinged on some unknown Anatolian prospector's discovering that a fleck of gold rubbed against a piece of schist--a "touchstone"--would leave a mark indicating its quality. Just so, we owe the invention of modern printing to Johann Gutenberg's training as a goldsmith, for his knowledge of the properties of metals enabled him to develop a press whose letterforms would not easily wear down. With Gutenberg's invention, Burke notes, came a massive revolution in the European economy, for, as he writes, "the easier it is to communicate, the faster change happens." Burke's book is a splendid and educational entertainment for our fast-changing time. --Gregory McNamee]]> 1978 4 1 false Tue Nov 11 03:12:50 -0800 2008 Tue Nov 11 03:24:27 -0800 2008 more...]]> 20169484 1004442 55024 0316116726 9780316116725 17 <![CDATA[Connections]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320m/55024.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320s/55024.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55024.Connections 4.34 134 Connections, a favorite of historically minded readers ever since its first publication in 1978. Taking a hint from Jacob Bronowski's Ascent of Man, Burke charts the course of technological innovation from ancient times to the present, but always with a subversive eye for things happening in spite of, and not because of, their inventors' intentions. Burke gives careful attention to the role of accident in human history. In his opening pages, for instance, he writes of the invention of uniform coinage, an invention that hinged on some unknown Anatolian prospector's discovering that a fleck of gold rubbed against a piece of schist--a "touchstone"--would leave a mark indicating its quality. Just so, we owe the invention of modern printing to Johann Gutenberg's training as a goldsmith, for his knowledge of the properties of metals enabled him to develop a press whose letterforms would not easily wear down. With Gutenberg's invention, Burke notes, came a massive revolution in the European economy, for, as he writes, "the easier it is to communicate, the faster change happens." Burke's book is a splendid and educational entertainment for our fast-changing time. --Gregory McNamee]]> 1978 5 1 false Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2000 Mon Apr 14 16:58:34 -0700 2008 Mon Apr 14 17:02:48 -0700 2008
This is the proverbial butterfly fluttering its wings in the 12th century, leading to cell phone technology today.

The book can be a...more...]]> 35623552 1174541 55024 0316116726 9780316116725 17 <![CDATA[Connections]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320m/55024.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320s/55024.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55024.Connections 4.34 178 Connections, a favorite of historically minded readers ever since its first publication in 1978. Taking a hint from Jacob Bronowski's Ascent of Man, Burke charts the course of technological innovation from ancient times to the present, but always with a subversive eye for things happening in spite of, and not because of, their inventors' intentions. Burke gives careful attention to the role of accident in human history. In his opening pages, for instance, he writes of the invention of uniform coinage, an invention that hinged on some unknown Anatolian prospector's discovering that a fleck of gold rubbed against a piece of schist--a "touchstone"--would leave a mark indicating its quality. Just so, we owe the invention of modern printing to Johann Gutenberg's training as a goldsmith, for his knowledge of the properties of metals enabled him to develop a press whose letterforms would not easily wear down. With Gutenberg's invention, Burke notes, came a massive revolution in the European economy, for, as he writes, "the easier it is to communicate, the faster change happens." Burke's book is a splendid and educational entertainment for our fast-changing time. --Gregory McNamee]]> 1978 4 0 false Mon Nov 03 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Sat Oct 18 07:45:51 -0700 2008 Tue Nov 04 05:32:41 -0800 2008 more...]]> 45330079 1954411 55024 0316116726 9780316116725 17 <![CDATA[Connections]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320m/55024.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320s/55024.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55024.Connections 4.34 178 Connections, a favorite of historically minded readers ever since its first publication in 1978. Taking a hint from Jacob Bronowski's Ascent of Man, Burke charts the course of technological innovation from ancient times to the present, but always with a subversive eye for things happening in spite of, and not because of, their inventors' intentions. Burke gives careful attention to the role of accident in human history. In his opening pages, for instance, he writes of the invention of uniform coinage, an invention that hinged on some unknown Anatolian prospector's discovering that a fleck of gold rubbed against a piece of schist--a "touchstone"--would leave a mark indicating its quality. Just so, we owe the invention of modern printing to Johann Gutenberg's training as a goldsmith, for his knowledge of the properties of metals enabled him to develop a press whose letterforms would not easily wear down. With Gutenberg's invention, Burke notes, came a massive revolution in the European economy, for, as he writes, "the easier it is to communicate, the faster change happens." Burke's book is a splendid and educational entertainment for our fast-changing time. --Gregory McNamee]]> 1978 5 0 false Fri Feb 06 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Tue Feb 03 23:08:57 -0800 2009 Fri Feb 06 11:40:26 -0800 2009 more...]]> 63183429 1492430 55024 0316116726 9780316116725 17 <![CDATA[Connections]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320m/55024.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320s/55024.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55024.Connections 4.34 178 Connections, a favorite of historically minded readers ever since its first publication in 1978. Taking a hint from Jacob Bronowski's Ascent of Man, Burke charts the course of technological innovation from ancient times to the present, but always with a subversive eye for things happening in spite of, and not because of, their inventors' intentions. Burke gives careful attention to the role of accident in human history. In his opening pages, for instance, he writes of the invention of uniform coinage, an invention that hinged on some unknown Anatolian prospector's discovering that a fleck of gold rubbed against a piece of schist--a "touchstone"--would leave a mark indicating its quality. Just so, we owe the invention of modern printing to Johann Gutenberg's training as a goldsmith, for his knowledge of the properties of metals enabled him to develop a press whose letterforms would not easily wear down. With Gutenberg's invention, Burke notes, came a massive revolution in the European economy, for, as he writes, "the easier it is to communicate, the faster change happens." Burke's book is a splendid and educational entertainment for our fast-changing time. --Gregory McNamee]]> 1978 4 0 false Sun Jul 12 14:34:46 -0700 2009 Sun Jul 12 15:09:15 -0700 2009 more...]]> 73994998 2187043 4030455 0333290666 9780333290668 1 <![CDATA[Connections: Alternative History of Technology]]> http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4030455.Connections_Alternative_History_of_Technology 3.00 1 Connections, a favorite of historically minded readers ever since its first publication in 1978. Taking a hint from Jacob Bronowski's Ascent of Man, Burke charts the course of technological innovation from ancient times to the present, but always with a subversive eye for things happening in spite of, and not because of, their inventors' intentions. Burke gives careful attention to the role of accident in human history. In his opening pages, for instance, he writes of the invention of uniform coinage, an invention that hinged on some unknown Anatolian prospector's discovering that a fleck of gold rubbed against a piece of schist--a "touchstone"--would leave a mark indicating its quality. Just so, we owe the invention of modern printing to Johann Gutenberg's training as a goldsmith, for his knowledge of the properties of metals enabled him to develop a press whose letterforms would not easily wear down. With Gutenberg's invention, Burke notes, came a massive revolution in the European economy, for, as he writes, "the easier it is to communicate, the faster change happens." Burke's book is a splendid and educational entertainment for our fast-changing time. --Gregory McNamee]]> 1978 3 0 false Fri Oct 09 13:17:32 -0700 2009 Fri Oct 09 13:17:59 -0700 2009 33329780 1546360 55024 0316116726 9780316116725 17 <![CDATA[Connections]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320m/55024.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320s/55024.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55024.Connections 4.34 178 Connections, a favorite of historically minded readers ever since its first publication in 1978. Taking a hint from Jacob Bronowski's Ascent of Man, Burke charts the course of technological innovation from ancient times to the present, but always with a subversive eye for things happening in spite of, and not because of, their inventors' intentions. Burke gives careful attention to the role of accident in human history. In his opening pages, for instance, he writes of the invention of uniform coinage, an invention that hinged on some unknown Anatolian prospector's discovering that a fleck of gold rubbed against a piece of schist--a "touchstone"--would leave a mark indicating its quality. Just so, we owe the invention of modern printing to Johann Gutenberg's training as a goldsmith, for his knowledge of the properties of metals enabled him to develop a press whose letterforms would not easily wear down. With Gutenberg's invention, Burke notes, came a massive revolution in the European economy, for, as he writes, "the easier it is to communicate, the faster change happens." Burke's book is a splendid and educational entertainment for our fast-changing time. --Gregory McNamee]]> 1978 4 0 false Thu Mar 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Sat Sep 20 00:17:47 -0700 2008 Sat Sep 20 00:24:27 -0700 2008 1
Burke works through generations of humans, working ever forward through time along a chain of connected inventions and coincidences, until he reaches a modern super-invention. Each of the eight arguments is compelling, surprising, well-sup...more...]]> 12587497 783648 55024 0316116726 9780316116725 17 <![CDATA[Connections]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320m/55024.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320s/55024.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55024.Connections 4.34 178 Connections, a favorite of historically minded readers ever since its first publication in 1978. Taking a hint from Jacob Bronowski's Ascent of Man, Burke charts the course of technological innovation from ancient times to the present, but always with a subversive eye for things happening in spite of, and not because of, their inventors' intentions. Burke gives careful attention to the role of accident in human history. In his opening pages, for instance, he writes of the invention of uniform coinage, an invention that hinged on some unknown Anatolian prospector's discovering that a fleck of gold rubbed against a piece of schist--a "touchstone"--would leave a mark indicating its quality. Just so, we owe the invention of modern printing to Johann Gutenberg's training as a goldsmith, for his knowledge of the properties of metals enabled him to develop a press whose letterforms would not easily wear down. With Gutenberg's invention, Burke notes, came a massive revolution in the European economy, for, as he writes, "the easier it is to communicate, the faster change happens." Burke's book is a splendid and educational entertainment for our fast-changing time. --Gregory McNamee]]> 1978 5 0 false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 1998 Tue Jan 15 11:11:25 -0800 2008 Tue Jan 15 11:12:47 -0800 2008 19420575 916251 55024 0316116726 9780316116725 17 <![CDATA[Connections]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320m/55024.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320s/55024.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55024.Connections 4.34 178 Connections, a favorite of historically minded readers ever since its first publication in 1978. Taking a hint from Jacob Bronowski's Ascent of Man, Burke charts the course of technological innovation from ancient times to the present, but always with a subversive eye for things happening in spite of, and not because of, their inventors' intentions. Burke gives careful attention to the role of accident in human history. In his opening pages, for instance, he writes of the invention of uniform coinage, an invention that hinged on some unknown Anatolian prospector's discovering that a fleck of gold rubbed against a piece of schist--a "touchstone"--would leave a mark indicating its quality. Just so, we owe the invention of modern printing to Johann Gutenberg's training as a goldsmith, for his knowledge of the properties of metals enabled him to develop a press whose letterforms would not easily wear down. With Gutenberg's invention, Burke notes, came a massive revolution in the European economy, for, as he writes, "the easier it is to communicate, the faster change happens." Burke's book is a splendid and educational entertainment for our fast-changing time. --Gregory McNamee]]> 1978 5 0 false Thu Apr 03 20:56:26 -0700 2008 Fri Apr 04 08:09:20 -0700 2008 18399355 199326 1529015 0316116858 9780316116855 3 <![CDATA[Connections]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1208050880m/1529015.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1208050880s/1529015.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1529015.Connections 4.62 16 <li>How did the waterwheel evolve into the computer?

<li>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.

]]> 1978 4 0 false Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2003 Sat Mar 22 15:30:31 -0700 2008 Wed Apr 02 06:01:23 -0700 2008 13948448 664763 55024 0316116726 9780316116725 17 <![CDATA[Connections]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320m/55024.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320s/55024.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55024.Connections 4.34 178 Connections, a favorite of historically minded readers ever since its first publication in 1978. Taking a hint from Jacob Bronowski's Ascent of Man, Burke charts the course of technological innovation from ancient times to the present, but always with a subversive eye for things happening in spite of, and not because of, their inventors' intentions. Burke gives careful attention to the role of accident in human history. In his opening pages, for instance, he writes of the invention of uniform coinage, an invention that hinged on some unknown Anatolian prospector's discovering that a fleck of gold rubbed against a piece of schist--a "touchstone"--would leave a mark indicating its quality. Just so, we owe the invention of modern printing to Johann Gutenberg's training as a goldsmith, for his knowledge of the properties of metals enabled him to develop a press whose letterforms would not easily wear down. With Gutenberg's invention, Burke notes, came a massive revolution in the European economy, for, as he writes, "the easier it is to communicate, the faster change happens." Burke's book is a splendid and educational entertainment for our fast-changing time. --Gregory McNamee]]> 1978 5 0 false Tue Jan 29 11:17:32 -0800 2008 Tue Jan 29 11:25:10 -0800 2008
Oh, and it was written by James Burke, not James Lee Burke. Two different guys. ]]> 15544630 616981 1529015 0316116858 9780316116855 3 <![CDATA[Connections]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1208050880m/1529015.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1208050880s/1529015.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1529015.Connections 4.34 178 <li>How did the waterwheel evolve into the computer?

<li>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.

]]> 1978 4 0 false Fri Feb 15 21:45:40 -0800 2008 Fri Feb 15 21:49:21 -0800 2008 34017287 631799 55024 0316116726 9780316116725 17 <![CDATA[Connections]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320m/55024.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320s/55024.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55024.Connections 4.34 178 Connections, a favorite of historically minded readers ever since its first publication in 1978. Taking a hint from Jacob Bronowski's Ascent of Man, Burke charts the course of technological innovation from ancient times to the present, but always with a subversive eye for things happening in spite of, and not because of, their inventors' intentions. Burke gives careful attention to the role of accident in human history. In his opening pages, for instance, he writes of the invention of uniform coinage, an invention that hinged on some unknown Anatolian prospector's discovering that a fleck of gold rubbed against a piece of schist--a "touchstone"--would leave a mark indicating its quality. Just so, we owe the invention of modern printing to Johann Gutenberg's training as a goldsmith, for his knowledge of the properties of metals enabled him to develop a press whose letterforms would not easily wear down. With Gutenberg's invention, Burke notes, came a massive revolution in the European economy, for, as he writes, "the easier it is to communicate, the faster change happens." Burke's book is a splendid and educational entertainment for our fast-changing time. --Gregory McNamee]]> 1978 5 0 false Sat Sep 27 23:36:23 -0700 2008 Sat Sep 27 23:37:23 -0700 2008 35672437 1634226 1529015 0316116858 9780316116855 3 <![CDATA[Connections]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1208050880m/1529015.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1208050880s/1529015.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1529015.Connections 4.34 178 <li>How did the waterwheel evolve into the computer?

<li>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.

]]> 1978 5 0 false Sun Oct 19 00:05:38 -0700 2008 Sun Oct 19 02:28:03 -0700 2008 5231602 287783 55024 0316116726 9780316116725 17 <![CDATA[Connections]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320m/55024.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320s/55024.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55024.Connections 4.34 178 Connections, a favorite of historically minded readers ever since its first publication in 1978. Taking a hint from Jacob Bronowski's Ascent of Man, Burke charts the course of technological innovation from ancient times to the present, but always with a subversive eye for things happening in spite of, and not because of, their inventors' intentions. Burke gives careful attention to the role of accident in human history. In his opening pages, for instance, he writes of the invention of uniform coinage, an invention that hinged on some unknown Anatolian prospector's discovering that a fleck of gold rubbed against a piece of schist--a "touchstone"--would leave a mark indicating its quality. Just so, we owe the invention of modern printing to Johann Gutenberg's training as a goldsmith, for his knowledge of the properties of metals enabled him to develop a press whose letterforms would not easily wear down. With Gutenberg's invention, Burke notes, came a massive revolution in the European economy, for, as he writes, "the easier it is to communicate, the faster change happens." Burke's book is a splendid and educational entertainment for our fast-changing time. --Gregory McNamee]]> 1978 5 0 false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 1998 Tue Aug 28 10:58:30 -0700 2007 Tue Aug 28 10:58:30 -0700 2007 38389359 37385 4030475 0333248279 1 <![CDATA[Connections]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1218902090m/4030475.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1218902090s/4030475.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4030475.Connections 4.60 5 <li>How did the waterwheel evolve into the computer?

<li>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.

]]> 1978 4 0 false Wed Jan 07 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sat Nov 22 11:51:19 -0800 2008 Wed Jan 07 15:18:14 -0800 2009 28354546 762314 55024 0316116726 9780316116725 17 <![CDATA[Connections]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320m/55024.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320s/55024.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55024.Connections 4.34 178 Connections, a favorite of historically minded readers ever since its first publication in 1978. Taking a hint from Jacob Bronowski's Ascent of Man, Burke charts the course of technological innovation from ancient times to the present, but always with a subversive eye for things happening in spite of, and not because of, their inventors' intentions. Burke gives careful attention to the role of accident in human history. In his opening pages, for instance, he writes of the invention of uniform coinage, an invention that hinged on some unknown Anatolian prospector's discovering that a fleck of gold rubbed against a piece of schist--a "touchstone"--would leave a mark indicating its quality. Just so, we owe the invention of modern printing to Johann Gutenberg's training as a goldsmith, for his knowledge of the properties of metals enabled him to develop a press whose letterforms would not easily wear down. With Gutenberg's invention, Burke notes, came a massive revolution in the European economy, for, as he writes, "the easier it is to communicate, the faster change happens." Burke's book is a splendid and educational entertainment for our fast-changing time. --Gregory McNamee]]> 1978 3 0 false Sat Jul 26 10:31:34 -0700 2008 Sat Jul 26 10:32:13 -0700 2008 11749864 623131 55024 0316116726 9780316116725 17 <![CDATA[Connections]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320m/55024.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320s/55024.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55024.Connections 4.34 178 Connections, a favorite of historically minded readers ever since its first publication in 1978. Taking a hint from Jacob Bronowski's Ascent of Man, Burke charts the course of technological innovation from ancient times to the present, but always with a subversive eye for things happening in spite of, and not because of, their inventors' intentions. Burke gives careful attention to the role of accident in human history. In his opening pages, for instance, he writes of the invention of uniform coinage, an invention that hinged on some unknown Anatolian prospector's discovering that a fleck of gold rubbed against a piece of schist--a "touchstone"--would leave a mark indicating its quality. Just so, we owe the invention of modern printing to Johann Gutenberg's training as a goldsmith, for his knowledge of the properties of metals enabled him to develop a press whose letterforms would not easily wear down. With Gutenberg's invention, Burke notes, came a massive revolution in the European economy, for, as he writes, "the easier it is to communicate, the faster change happens." Burke's book is a splendid and educational entertainment for our fast-changing time. --Gregory McNamee]]> 1978 5 0 false Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 -0800 1983 Sat Jan 05 19:13:44 -0800 2008 Sat Jan 05 19:14:57 -0800 2008 40545355 999081 55024 0316116726 9780316116725 17 <![CDATA[Connections]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320m/55024.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320s/55024.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55024.Connections 4.34 178 Connections, a favorite of historically minded readers ever since its first publication in 1978. Taking a hint from Jacob Bronowski's Ascent of Man, Burke charts the course of technological innovation from ancient times to the present, but always with a subversive eye for things happening in spite of, and not because of, their inventors' intentions. Burke gives careful attention to the role of accident in human history. In his opening pages, for instance, he writes of the invention of uniform coinage, an invention that hinged on some unknown Anatolian prospector's discovering that a fleck of gold rubbed against a piece of schist--a "touchstone"--would leave a mark indicating its quality. Just so, we owe the invention of modern printing to Johann Gutenberg's training as a goldsmith, for his knowledge of the properties of metals enabled him to develop a press whose letterforms would not easily wear down. With Gutenberg's invention, Burke notes, came a massive revolution in the European economy, for, as he writes, "the easier it is to communicate, the faster change happens." Burke's book is a splendid and educational entertainment for our fast-changing time. --Gregory McNamee]]> 1978 5 0 false Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 1980 Mon May 05 23:05:30 -0700 2008 Sat Dec 20 14:59:50 -0800 2008 20129076 1081965 55024 0316116726 9780316116725 17 <![CDATA[Connections]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320m/55024.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1223246320s/55024.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55024.Connections 4.34 178 Connections, a favorite of historically minded readers ever since its first publication in 1978. Taking a hint from Jacob Bronowski's Ascent of Man, Burke charts the course of technological innovation from ancient times to the present, but always with a subversive eye for things happening in spite of, and not because of, their inventors' intentions. Burke gives careful attention to the role of accident in human history. In his opening pages, for instance, he writes of the invention of uniform coinage, an invention that hinged on some unknown Anatolian prospector's discovering that a fleck of gold rubbed against a piece of schist--a "touchstone"--would leave a mark indicating its quality. Just so, we owe the invention of modern printing to Johann Gutenberg's training as a goldsmith, for his knowledge of the properties of metals enabled him to develop a press whose letterforms would not easily wear down. With Gutenberg's invention, Burke notes, came a massive revolution in the European economy, for, as he writes, "the easier it is to communicate, the faster change happens." Burke's book is a splendid and educational entertainment for our fast-changing time. --Gregory McNamee]]> 1978 5 0 false Mon Apr 14 09:28:27 -0700 2008 Mon Apr 14 09:29:02 -0700 2008 8 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=55024