tim harford

Fifty Inventions That Shaped The Modern Economy

NAMED A BEST BOOK OF 2017 by BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK, THE FINANCIAL TIMES, AND AMAZON

Look out for Tim's next book, The Data Detective.

A lively history seen through the fifty inventions that shaped it most profoundly, by the bestselling author of The Undercover Economist and Messy.

Fifty Inventions That Shaped the Modern Economy paints an epic picture of change in an intimate way by telling the stories of the tools, people, and ideas that had far-reaching consequences for all of us. From the plough to artificial intelligence, from Gillette’s disposable razor to IKEA’s Billy bookcase, bestselling author and Financial Times columnist Tim Harford recounts each invention’s own curious, surprising, and memorable story.

Invention by invention, Harford reflects on how we got here and where we might go next. He lays bare often unexpected connections: how the bar code undermined family corner stores, and why the gramophone widened inequality. In the process, he introduces characters who developed some of these inventions, profited from them, and were ruined by them, as he traces the principles that helped explain their transformative effects. The result is a wise and witty book of history, economics, and biography.

How To Make The World Add Up: Ten Rules For Thinking Differently About Numbers

The Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller

'Tim Harford could well be Britain's Malcolm Gladwell'

'If you aren't in love with stats before reading this book, you will be by the time you're done. Powerful, persuasive, and in these truth-defying times, indispensable'

In How to Make the World Add Up, Tim Harford draws on his experience as both an economist and presenter of the BBC's radio show 'More or Less' to take us deep into the world of disinformation and obfuscation, bad research and misplaced motivation to find those priceless jewels of data and analysis that make communicating with numbers so rewarding. Through vivid storytelling he reveals how we can evaluate the claims that surround us with confidence, curiosity and a healthy level of scepticism. It is a must-read for anyone who cares about understanding the world around them.

'Tim Harford is our most likeable champion of reason and rigour . . . clear, clever and always highly readable'

'Fascinating and enjoyable'

'Now more than ever we need a book like this'

'Wise, humane and, above all, illuminating. Nobody is better on statistics and numbers - and how to make sense of them'

'One of the most wonderful collections of stories that I have read in a long time . . . fascinating.'

'What should we do when someone makes a claim that they say is based on data? This wise book, distilled from years of experience, gives us the ten commandments, from first examining our feelings, to finally having the humility to admit we may be wrong. Priceless'

Theo bản năng, chúng ta thường hướng đến sự gọn gàng, từ trong tư duy đến lối sống. Vị diễn giả trung thành với kịch bản thuyết trình, ngài sĩ quan chỉ huy lên kế hoạch tác chiến một cách cẩn trọng, các ông chủ luôn yêu cầu bàn làm việc của nhân viên phải gọn gàng còn nhân viên luôn cố gắng lưu trữ tài liệu và sắp xếp e-mail sao cho thật khoa học... Nhưng rất tiếc, trật tự chính là yếu tố giết chết sự sáng tạo.

Qua các nghiên cứu tâm tý học và thực tế, Tim Harford đã chỉ ra sự kết nối bất ngờ giữa sự lộn xộn và sáng tạo. Mỗi chương sách sẽ khai thác một khía cạnh khác nhau của sự lộn xộn, cho thấy cách nó khuyến khích sự sáng tạo, châm ngòi ý tưởng và khai phá những cơ hội mới trong mọi lĩnh vực của cuộc sống.

Hy vọng cuốn sách sẽ giống như một cú hích thôi thúc bạn chọn sự xáo trộn khi thói quen gọn gàng vẫn đang chiếm ưu thế. Hãy tin chắc rằng mọi thứ sẽ tốt hơn nếu chúng ta chấp nhận lộn xộn ở mức độ nào đó.