Connections
an alternative view of change.
by Burke, James · first published 1978
60% recommend40% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Curiosity-driven history of invention showing how technologies chain together, such as the loom leading to punch cards and computers. Suits readers wanting an accessible introduction to the history of technology.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
304 p. : 27 cm
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I agree that the late 19th to mid 20th century time period sounds amazing. I'd recommend "Connections" by James Burke as a truly well written and produced documentary that shows some of the accidental discoveries and connections that led to scientific progress. That said, the majority of my life has…
on “Ask HN: Why are you here?” ↗…Universal Pictures monster movie staples: Frankenstein's monster, Dracula, and the Mummy. But we still need the Wolfman.... And hopefully you see how it works now. Before wikis existed, there was "Connections", by James Burke.
on “1TB microSD cards” ↗You'll want Burke's Connections: http://www.amazon.com/Connections-James-Burke/dp/0743299558
on “Ask PG/HN: Recommended reading on the history of technology” ↗The book (and TV series) "Connections" by James Burke is a very interesting peek into just how interconnected technology is. The one that amazed me was how the technology of the auto loom lead to the computer (via punch cards). Again, this…
on “The Simple Math of Everything” ↗Actually there is a book version as well: http://www.amazon.com/Connections-James-Burke/dp/0743299558 I loved this series as a kid. It was my favorite TV show. Now that I know more about the history of technology, the connections sometimes seem a bit strained, but even so…
on “Ask HN: What history of economics and technology book would you recommend?” ↗…History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson Galileo’s Pendulum: From the Rhythm of Time to the Making of Matter by Roger G Newton From Clockwork to Crapshoot: A History of Physics by Roger G Newton Connections by James Burke The Day The Universe Changed by James Burke re Math: Everything and More A Compact History of Infinity by David Foster Wallace
on “Ask HN: Any recommendation for a good History of Science book?” ↗…Not so much a map about events, but placing famous figures side-by-side so you see whose lives overlapped in time which is not always intuitive. It also sounds like you really need to watch or read "Connections" by James Burke. > Connections explores an "Alternative View of Change" (the subtitle of the series) that rejects the conventional linear and teleological view of historical progress. Burke contends…
on “History is just one damn thing after another” ↗…(well, I read the book). "Collapse" with Michael Ruppert. And a few which aren't on the list: "The Prize", on the story of petroleum, based on Daniel Yergin's book of the same name. James Burke's "Connections" and "The Day the Universe Changed". And numerous conference presentations, interviews, and various other presentations. What's particularly useful is watching these not online through a crappy video…
on “Down The Rabbit Hole We Go: Mind-Expanding Documentaries” ↗…I don't play video games as much these days, but I also find the amount of disdain people hold for the entire medium is unwarranted IMHO. For what I'm watching right now - I'm enjoying James Burke's Connections which was recommended here on HN a while back. I highly recommend others to watch it if they haven't!
on “The Death, and Life, of Reading Have Been Greatly Exaggerated (2016)” ↗…http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=+au%3Atoynbee+arnold+joseph... http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=au%3Adurant+ti%3Astory+of+c... Will Durant's Story of Philosophy gets at the ideas which have shaped history. James Burke, Connections and The Day the Universe Changed cover similar ground. Both have extensive bibliographies for further reading. http://www.worldcat.org/title/story-of-philosophy-the-lives-... http://www.worldcat.org/title/connections/oclc/145746383&ref...…
on “Ask HN: Which are the best books on history from ancient times to present?” ↗You would enjoy James Burke's Connections series. It is curiosity driven. There are very few Renaissance men (and women) around today. I've met a startling number of people who spend time online but never encountered Wikipedia, there is also…
on “Leonardo Da Vinci’s To Do List (circa 1490)” ↗…nature. * Douglas Adams: The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy There were all these ideas in my head that I didn't have words for, and suddenly here was someone making jokes about them. * James Burke: Connections A book as well as a TV series. History suddenly became interesting, as well as making a lot more sense.
on “Ask HN: What books fundamentally changed the way you think about the world?” ↗Definitely not the shortest read, my suggestion. Though it turns up on LibGen. James Burke's Connections traces much of this historry, as does Vaclav Smil's Energy and Civilization. The Singer ref should reward multiple interests, and can be dipped into at leisure.
on “Human-powered cranes and lifting devices (2010)” ↗…this recommendation, and broaden it to everything James Burke has ever done for BBC. He is an amazing science scholar, and also quite witty. He makes amazing educational programming. I especially enjoy Connections[1] and its sequel series, as well as the lesser-known The Day the Universe Changed[2] series, about the impact of science and technology on society, from a philosophical point-of-view, rather than the…
on “Your Career in Computer Programming (2015)” ↗…like trivia, but the trivia part of it is what binds lots of those little bits of general knowledge together, making one one connected edifice. For some insight, go to YouTube and look a James Burke's "Connections" series. He used to have a monthly 'Connections' column in the Scientific American magazine too.
on “Ask HN: What do you read for general knowledge?” ↗