Rethink: The Surprising History of New Ideas - Hardcover

Poole, Steven

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1847947565 ISBN 13: 9781847947567

Publisher: Random House Books, 2016

Synopsis

Think you know a good idea when you see one? Think again.

Rethink is the story of how old ideas that were mocked or ignored for centuries are now storming back to the cutting edge of research, and informing the way we lead our lives. It's the story of Grace Hopper, the programming language pioneer who allowed us to speak to computers; of Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, the groundbreaking evolutionary theorist whose name became a byword for failure; of Democritus, the laughing philosopher who inferred the atomic foundations of reality just by thinking about bread.

Using compelling examples from the worlds of philosophy, science, technology, politics and business, Steven Poole shows what we can learn by returning to discarded ideas, and considering them from a different perspective. He explains why today’s chess grandmasters, quantum physicists and psychologists are mining the last 2,000 years of history for answers to the problems of the present. And he reveals how long-neglected thinkers could transform all of our everyday lives – from improving the way boardrooms operate, to inspiring grand projects for social and political change.

Armed with this picture of the surprising evolution of ideas and their triumphant second lives, you will see the world differently – and perhaps be better equipped to change it.

About this title

Review:

"Entertaining and important ... Elegantly written and full of surprises" (Daily Telegraph)

"Clever and entertaining ... when it comes to describing a complex idea clearly, Poole is one of the best writers around." (Sunday Times)

"Always entertaining and often eye-opening" (Financial Times)

"Fascinating ... Poole confirms his standing as one of our liveliest and most thought-provoking writers on science and technology." (Spectator)

"Steven Poole’s book is full of fascinating stories ... It’s a treasure trove for people who like to begin stories with “Did you know that...?”" (The Times)

"It is testament to the author’s narrative skill that this whirlwind of discovery doesn’t end up in a pile of papers scattered across the floor ... Among the greatest compliments you can give a book is that it helps you to see things differently." (Guardian)

"For those interested in influencing change, whether in business, science or culture, Poole’s perspective is an invitation to reexamine the discarded or discredited as part of today’s – and tomorrow’s – creative mix." (J. P. Morgan Summer Reading List)

"Rethink is a book that both informs and makes the reader think and rethink (and occasionally argue with the author). It’s even fun . . . I consider that a winning combination." (ValueWalk)

"[A] fascinating compendium of new ideas that aren't new at all" (New Statesman)

"Shows what we can learn by considering obsolete ideas from a new perspective" (Guardian Science Podcast)

Book Description:

Think you know a good idea when you see one? Think again.

About this edition

• Publisher: Random House Books
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1847947565
• ISBN 13: 9781847947567
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 320