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The Fabric of Civilization
by Virginia Postrel • 2020
Binary code, global banking, synthetic chemistry: all three began with a piece of cloth.
4.14
3k+
The Fabric of Civilization Summary
The Fabric of Civilization 91%
Binary code, global banking, synthetic chemistry: all three began with a piece of cloth.
by Virginia Postrel 2020
4.14
3k+ ratings
Women's Work
by Elizabeth Wayland Barber • 1994
String conquered the planet, and for 20,000 years, the hands that spun it were women's.
4.31
3k+
Women's Work Summary
Women's Work 91%
String conquered the planet, and for 20,000 years, the hands that spun it were women's.
by Elizabeth Wayland Barber 1994
4.31
3k+ ratings
Bleu
by Michel Pastoureau • 2000
The Virgin Mary, a French king, and denim: how blue went from barbarian to beloved.
3.99
2k+
Bleu Summary
Bleu 90%
The Virgin Mary, a French king, and denim: how blue went from barbarian to beloved.
by Michel Pastoureau 2000
3.99
2k+ ratings
The Lost Art of Dress
by Linda Przybyszewski • 2014
Before fast fashion, women educators taught America that art and thrift, not wealth, made style.
3.87
1k+
The Lost Art of Dress Summary
The Lost Art of Dress 90%
Before fast fashion, women educators taught America that art and thrift, not wealth, made style.
by Linda Przybyszewski 2014
3.87
1k+ ratings
The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy
by Pietra Rivoli • 2005
A T-shirt's journey exposes the global economy's real engine: politics, migration, and subsidies.
3.69
3k+
The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy Summary
The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy 89%
A T-shirt's journey exposes the global economy's real engine: politics, migration, and subsidies.
by Pietra Rivoli 2005
3.69
3k+ ratings
The Book on the Bookshelf
by Henry Petroski • 1999
Why books once faced the wall and wore chains: the bookshelf as a history of engineering.
3.75
1k+
The Book on the Bookshelf Summary
The Book on the Bookshelf 89%
Why books once faced the wall and wore chains: the bookshelf as a history of engineering.
by Henry Petroski 1999
3.75
1k+ ratings
The Pencil
by Henry Petroski • 1992
A pencil hides centuries of engineering failures, global trade, and the secret to good design.
3.80
657
The Pencil Summary
The Pencil 89%
A pencil hides centuries of engineering failures, global trade, and the secret to good design.
by Henry Petroski 1992
3.80
657 ratings
Clothing Poverty
by Andrew Brooks • 2015
The fashion industry's hidden second-hand trade fuels the inequality cheap clothes thrive on.
3.75
173
Clothing Poverty Summary
Clothing Poverty 89%
The fashion industry's hidden second-hand trade fuels the inequality cheap clothes thrive on.
by Andrew Brooks 2015
3.75
173 ratings
At Home
by Bill Bryson • 2010
Every room in your house conceals a history of bloodshed, invention, and empire.
3.99
99k+
At Home Summary
At Home 89%
Every room in your house conceals a history of bloodshed, invention, and empire.
by Bill Bryson 2010
3.99
99k+ ratings
The Evolution of Useful Things
by Henry Petroski • 1994
Annoyance, not function, gave us forks, zippers, paper clips. The real driver of everyday design.
3.52
1k+
The Evolution of Useful Things Summary
The Evolution of Useful Things 89%
Annoyance, not function, gave us forks, zippers, paper clips. The real driver of everyday design.
by Henry Petroski 1994
3.52
1k+ ratings
The Alchemy of Us
by Ainissa Ramirez • 2020
We invented quartz clocks, steel rails, and silicon chips. Then they reinvented us.
3.90
1k+
The Alchemy of Us Summary
The Alchemy of Us 89%
We invented quartz clocks, steel rails, and silicon chips. Then they reinvented us.
by Ainissa Ramirez 2020
3.90
1k+ ratings
How We Got to Now
by Steven Johnson • 2014
Six ordinary breakthroughs built the modern world; their biggest consequences were never planned.
4.12
16k+
How We Got to Now Summary
How We Got to Now 88%
Six ordinary breakthroughs built the modern world; their biggest consequences were never planned.
by Steven Johnson 2014
4.12
16k+ ratings
The Driving Machine
by Witold Rybczynski • 2024
How art, war, and ego shaped the car, from the Model T to the Tesla.
3.82
197
The Driving Machine Summary
The Driving Machine 88%
How art, war, and ego shaped the car, from the Model T to the Tesla.
by Witold Rybczynski 2024
3.82
197 ratings
The Perfectionists
by Simon Winchester • 2018
From cylinders to microchips: the hidden pursuit of perfect smoothness that built the modern world.
4.15
7k+
The Perfectionists Summary
The Perfectionists 88%
From cylinders to microchips: the hidden pursuit of perfect smoothness that built the modern world.
by Simon Winchester 2018
4.15
7k+ ratings
A History of the World in 100 Objects
by Neil MacGregor • 2010
The full sweep of human history, read not from texts but from 100 physical objects.
4.19
9k+
A History of the World in 100 Objects Summary
A History of the World in 100 Objects 88%
The full sweep of human history, read not from texts but from 100 physical objects.
by Neil MacGregor 2010
4.19
9k+ ratings
The End of Fashion
by Teri Agins • 1999
How Gap, Armani, and LVMH dismantled fashion's old order and gave consumers the crown.
3.87
1k+
The End of Fashion Summary
The End of Fashion 88%
How Gap, Armani, and LVMH dismantled fashion's old order and gave consumers the crown.
by Teri Agins 1999
3.87
1k+ ratings
Fibershed
by Rebecca Burgess • 2019
Your closet is an emissions machine. A 150-mile wardrobe turns it into a carbon sink.
4.07
421
Fibershed Summary
Fibershed 88%
Your closet is an emissions machine. A 150-mile wardrobe turns it into a carbon sink.
by Rebecca Burgess 2019
4.07
421 ratings
Laundry Love
by Patric Richardson • 2021
Wash everything on warm, skip the dry cleaner: the method that makes laundry a pleasure.
4.17
5k+
Laundry Love Summary
Laundry Love 88%
Wash everything on warm, skip the dry cleaner: the method that makes laundry a pleasure.
by Patric Richardson 2021
4.17
5k+ ratings
River Kings
by Cat Jarman • 2021
A bead from India, buried in England, reveals the Silk Road world the Vikings actually built.
4.04
4k+
River Kings Summary
River Kings 88%
A bead from India, buried in England, reveals the Silk Road world the Vikings actually built.
by Cat Jarman 2021
4.04
4k+ ratings
True Style
by G. Bruce Boyer • 2015
Your clothes speak before you do. The grammar of timeless menswear, decoded item by item.
3.87
421
True Style Summary
True Style 88%
Your clothes speak before you do. The grammar of timeless menswear, decoded item by item.
by G. Bruce Boyer 2015
3.87
421 ratings
The Psychology of Clothes
by John Carl Flügel • 1930
You wear clothes to be seen, not hidden. The other reasons are stories you tell yourself.
3.58
79
The Psychology of Clothes Summary
The Psychology of Clothes 88%
You wear clothes to be seen, not hidden. The other reasons are stories you tell yourself.
by John Carl Flügel 1930
3.58
79 ratings
A People’s History of Computing in the United States
by Joy Lisi Rankin • 2018
The PC erased a decade of shared computing where users were creators, not customers.
3.49
193
A People’s History of Computing in the United States Summary
A People’s History of Computing in the United States 88%
The PC erased a decade of shared computing where users were creators, not customers.
by Joy Lisi Rankin 2018
3.49
193 ratings
Peasants Into Frenchmen
by Eugen Weber • 1976
They didn't speak French or feel French. Roads, schools, and barracks turned them into Frenchmen.
4.28
403
Peasants Into Frenchmen Summary
Peasants Into Frenchmen 88%
They didn't speak French or feel French. Roads, schools, and barracks turned them into Frenchmen.
by Eugen Weber 1976
4.28
403 ratings
Industry and Empire
by Eric J. Hobsbawm • 1968
Britain's industrial head start created an empire-dependent economy destined to fall behind.
3.92
574
Industry and Empire Summary
Industry and Empire 88%
Britain's industrial head start created an empire-dependent economy destined to fall behind.
by Eric J. Hobsbawm 1968
3.92
574 ratings
Storia economica dell'Europa pre-industriale
by Carlo M. Cipolla • 1974
How plague, timber famine, and silver hunger forced medieval Europe to invent the modern economy.
4.29
277
Storia economica dell'Europa pre-industriale Summary
Storia economica dell'Europa pre-industriale 88%
How plague, timber famine, and silver hunger forced medieval Europe to invent the modern economy.
by Carlo M. Cipolla 1974
4.29
277 ratings
The Gutenberg Parenthesis
by Jeff Jarvis • 2023
Before print, knowledge was conversation. Then books fenced it in. The fences are coming down.
3.83
218
The Gutenberg Parenthesis Summary
The Gutenberg Parenthesis 87%
Before print, knowledge was conversation. Then books fenced it in. The fences are coming down.
by Jeff Jarvis 2023
3.83
218 ratings
The Notebook
by Roland Allen • 2023
A blank paper book reshaped finance, art, and the self long before any screen.
4.32
2k+
The Notebook Summary
The Notebook 87%
A blank paper book reshaped finance, art, and the self long before any screen.
by Roland Allen 2023
4.32
2k+ ratings
When Clothes Become Fashion
by Ingrid Loschek • 2009
Clothing stays clothing until it's copied. Fashion runs on imitation, not originality.
4.04
26
When Clothes Become Fashion Summary
When Clothes Become Fashion 87%
Clothing stays clothing until it's copied. Fashion runs on imitation, not originality.
by Ingrid Loschek 2009
4.04
26 ratings
Fashionopolis
by Dana Thomas • 2019
Real cost of a $2 shirt: factory collapses, poisoned water, and the race to build something cleaner.
3.88
4k+
Fashionopolis Summary
Fashionopolis 87%
Real cost of a $2 shirt: factory collapses, poisoned water, and the race to build something cleaner.
by Dana Thomas 2019
3.88
4k+ ratings
Napoleon's Buttons
by Penny Le Couteur • 1991
Nutmeg bought Manhattan, a dye launched modern medicine, and a yam gave women the Pill.
3.98
7k+
Napoleon's Buttons Summary
Napoleon's Buttons 87%
Nutmeg bought Manhattan, a dye launched modern medicine, and a yam gave women the Pill.
by Penny Le Couteur 1991
3.98
7k+ ratings
The Making of the English Working Class
by E.P. Thompson • 1963
Not steam but struggle: how riots, chapels, and radical printers built the English working class.
4.21
4k+
The Making of the English Working Class Summary
The Making of the English Working Class 87%
Not steam but struggle: how riots, chapels, and radical printers built the English working class.
by E.P. Thompson 1963
4.21
4k+ ratings
Going to Church in Medieval England
by Nicholas Orme • 2021
9,500 buildings held medieval England together: the parish church, from birth to burial.
4.19
295
Going to Church in Medieval England Summary
Going to Church in Medieval England 87%
9,500 buildings held medieval England together: the parish church, from birth to burial.
by Nicholas Orme 2021
4.19
295 ratings
The Things We Make
by Bill Hammack • 2023
Engineering isn't applied science: it's the art of solving problems before anyone understands them.
3.75
1k+
The Things We Make Summary
The Things We Make 87%
Engineering isn't applied science: it's the art of solving problems before anyone understands them.
by Bill Hammack 2023
3.75
1k+ ratings
The Light Ages
by Seb Falk • 2020
Eclipse math, precision clocks, a six-foot computer: the medieval laboratory inside the monastery.
3.67
2k+
The Light Ages Summary
The Light Ages 87%
Eclipse math, precision clocks, a six-foot computer: the medieval laboratory inside the monastery.
by Seb Falk 2020
3.67
2k+ ratings
An Empire of Wealth
by John Steele Gordon • 2004
How a scrappy republic became the engine of global capitalism, from canals to microchips.
4.10
1k+
An Empire of Wealth Summary
An Empire of Wealth 87%
How a scrappy republic became the engine of global capitalism, from canals to microchips.
by John Steele Gordon 2004
4.10
1k+ ratings
The Prize
by Daniel Yergin • 1991
How a dark liquid wrote the rules of power, decided wars, and built the greatest fortunes.
4.44
13k+
The Prize Summary
The Prize 87%
How a dark liquid wrote the rules of power, decided wars, and built the greatest fortunes.
by Daniel Yergin 1991
4.44
13k+ ratings
Ancient Worlds
by Michael Scott • 2016
Democracy, republic, and Confucianism were born in the same century. None by design.
3.77
635
Ancient Worlds Summary
Ancient Worlds 87%
Democracy, republic, and Confucianism were born in the same century. None by design.
by Michael Scott 2016
3.77
635 ratings
The Ugly History of Beautiful Things
by Katy Kelleher • 2023
Roses, diamonds, silk: the things you covet most were built on suffering. And you already know it.
3.55
1k+
The Ugly History of Beautiful Things Summary
The Ugly History of Beautiful Things 87%
Roses, diamonds, silk: the things you covet most were built on suffering. And you already know it.
by Katy Kelleher 2023
3.55
1k+ ratings
The Square and the Tower
by Niall Ferguson • 2017
The real shapers of history were not kings but the networks connecting everyone else.
3.65
4k+
The Square and the Tower Summary
The Square and the Tower 87%
The real shapers of history were not kings but the networks connecting everyone else.
by Niall Ferguson 2017
3.65
4k+ ratings
A Short History of the World
by Christopher Lascelles • 2011
Thirteen billion years in one short book: why empires fall, ideas spread, and everything connects.
3.86
2k+
A Short History of the World Summary
A Short History of the World 87%
Thirteen billion years in one short book: why empires fall, ideas spread, and everything connects.
by Christopher Lascelles 2011
3.86
2k+ ratings
Measure of a Man
by Martin Greenfield • 2014
He learned needlework in Auschwitz. Every U.S. president since Eisenhower wore the result.
4.18
2k+
Measure of a Man Summary
Measure of a Man 87%
He learned needlework in Auschwitz. Every U.S. president since Eisenhower wore the result.
by Martin Greenfield 2014
4.18
2k+ ratings
Cities
by Monica L. Smith • 2019
Cities were never about efficiency. They were about all the things you cannot get alone.
3.26
446
Cities Summary
Cities 87%
Cities were never about efficiency. They were about all the things you cannot get alone.
by Monica L. Smith 2019
3.26
446 ratings
It's All a Game
by Tristan Donovan • 2017
The board games in your closet once trained generals, hid spies, and taught machines to think.
3.96
1k+
It's All a Game Summary
It's All a Game 87%
The board games in your closet once trained generals, hid spies, and taught machines to think.
by Tristan Donovan 2017
3.96
1k+ ratings
The Cartiers
by Francesca Cartier Brickell • 2019
Three brothers, three continents: the pact that turned a Paris workshop into a jewelry empire.
4.24
3k+
The Cartiers Summary
The Cartiers 87%
Three brothers, three continents: the pact that turned a Paris workshop into a jewelry empire.
by Francesca Cartier Brickell 2019
4.24
3k+ ratings
Broad Band
by Claire L. Evans • 2018
Women created the first program, the first compiler, and the early web. Then they were erased.
3.93
2k+
Broad Band Summary
Broad Band 87%
Women created the first program, the first compiler, and the early web. Then they were erased.
by Claire L. Evans 2018
3.93
2k+ ratings
To Dye For
by Alden Wicker • 2023
Flight attendants lost their hair and their health. The culprit was hiding in their uniforms.
4.26
1k+
To Dye For Summary
To Dye For 87%
Flight attendants lost their hair and their health. The culprit was hiding in their uniforms.
by Alden Wicker 2023
4.26
1k+ ratings
Freedom's Forge
by Arthur Herman • 2012
The decisive American weapon in World War II wasn't the atomic bomb; it was the assembly line.
4.33
3k+
Freedom's Forge Summary
Freedom's Forge 87%
The decisive American weapon in World War II wasn't the atomic bomb; it was the assembly line.
by Arthur Herman 2012
4.33
3k+ ratings
Civilization
by Niall Ferguson • 2011
Five hundred years of Western rule rested on six innovations. The rest have now caught up.
3.86
10k+
Civilization Summary
Civilization 87%
Five hundred years of Western rule rested on six innovations. The rest have now caught up.
by Niall Ferguson 2011
3.86
10k+ ratings
The Sea and Civilization
by Lincoln Paine • 2013
Before trains, the sea was the fastest highway. World history from the deck of a ship.
3.89
700
The Sea and Civilization Summary
The Sea and Civilization 87%
Before trains, the sea was the fastest highway. World history from the deck of a ship.
by Lincoln Paine 2013
3.89
700 ratings
The Spirit of London
by Boris Johnson • 2011
Fire and plague forged London's unbreakable commercial soul: a history told through its survivors.
3.85
881
The Spirit of London Summary
The Spirit of London 87%
Fire and plague forged London's unbreakable commercial soul: a history told through its survivors.
by Boris Johnson 2011
3.85
881 ratings
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