In the information james gleick tells the story of how human beings use, transmit and keep what they know. To accomplish that he opens the book by discussing the advent of drumming, signals, telegraph, telephone and the computer. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. Hugo gernsback 18841967 has mostly vanished from our cultural memory, which is a pity, because he was an extraordinary man, and his influence on our modern ageelectrical, sciencepermeated, and full of wonderswas outsized. James gleick science writer, threetime pulitzer prize finalist and author of the information. James gleick is a leading american science journalist, historian, and biographer. The information has also been published in ebook formats by fourth estate and random house, and as an audiobook by random house audio. James gleick from the invention of scripts and alphabets to the long misunderstood talking drums of africa, james gleick tells the story of information technologies that changed the very nature of human.
Acclaimed science writer james gleick presents an eyeopening vision of how our relationship to information has transformed the very nature of human consciousness. In his formidable new book, the information, gleick explains how weve progressed from seeing information as the expression of human thought and emotion to looking at it as a commodity that can be processed, like wheat or plutonium. A history, a theory, a flood seeks to place information in historical context. In 1948, as james gleick shows in his rich and fascinating new book, claude shannon transformed information into something completely. His first book, chaos, a national book award finalist, has been translated into twentyfive languages. A history, a theory, a flood met up with sarah crown at the edinburgh international book festival. James gleick, the author of the best sellers chaos and genius, now brings us a work just as astonishing and masterly. He explores where the age of information is taking. James gleick is a science historian and author of 11 books. A history, a theory, a flood is a book by science history writer james gleick published in march 2011 which covers the genesis of our current. Its only the beginning, writes popscience writer gleick isaac newton, 2003, etc. Making a new science, which was a pulitzer prize and national book award finalist in 1987, and the information. A history, a theory, a flood by james gleick in doc, fb2, txt download e book. James gleick, the author of the bestsellers chaos and genius, brings us his crowning work.
Three of these books have been pulitzer prize and national book award finalists, and they have been translated into more than twenty languages. The book is not written as a straightforward history, which might have been a temptation for someone charting the progress of. James gleick has such a perspective, and signals it in the first word of the title of his new book, the information, using the definite. Its a long, complicated, and important story, beginning with tribal drummers and ending with quantum physics, and in gleick. Nyr daily the making of future man january 31, 2017. I came to this volume with only a vague idea about information and information theory but having been very impressed by gleick s book on chaos chaos.
His books have been translated into thirty languages. Recognized for his writing about complex subjects through the techniques of narrative nonfiction, he has been called one of the great science writers of all time. From african talking drums to wikipedia, from morse code to the bit, it is a fascinating account of the modern ages defining idea and a brilliant exploration of how information has revolutionised our lives. James gleick s survival lessons by david diamond, august 1, 1999. A history, a theory, a flood is a book by science history writer james gleick published in march 2011 which covers the genesis of our current information age. Bit by bit, the information reveals everything at the core of everything lies a binary onoff switch, says james gleick, the author of a new book called the information. Acclaimed science writer james gleick presents an eyeopening vision of how our. Think your inbox is jammed now, your attention span overtaxed. Best books of 2016 boston globe the atlantic from the acclaimed bestselling author of the information and chaos comes this enthralling history of time travela concept that has preoccupied physicists and storytellers over the course of the last century. Author and journalist james gleick tells the story of information technologies that, he claims, changed the very nature of human consciousness. James gleick is our leading chronicler of science and modern technology. James gleick born august 1, 1954 is an american author, journalist, and biographer, whose books explore the cultural ramifications of science and technology.
Nicholas carr says thats the troubling conclusion of james gleick s. The life and science of richard feynman, were pulitzer prize finalists. James gleick s the information is a wideranging exploration of humanitys struggle to make sense and maintain order of its evergrowing store of ideas and knowledge. Ever feel like information threatens to overwhelm meaning. Into the breach steps the gifted science writer james gleick.
Acclaimed science writer james gleick presents an eye opening vision of how our relationship to information. The story of information begins in a time profoundly unlike our own, when every. Information, communication, and information theory. James gleick delivers a mindbending exploration of time travelfrom its origins in literature. A history, a theory, a flood, paperback by gleick, james, isbn 1400096235, isbn 9781400096237, brand new, free shipping in the us from the invention of scripts and alphabets to the long misunderstood talking drums of africa, james gleick tells the story of information technologies that changed the very nature of human consciousness. It has been a long progression toward the infoglut of today. Acclaimed science writer james gleick presents an eyeopening vision of how our relationship to information has transformed the very nature of. Making a new science, explained chaos theory in laymans terms by focusing on the stories of those scientists who were pioneers in the field and was a finalist for the national book award and the pulitzer. Winner of the royal society winton prize for science books 2012, the worlds leading prize for popular science writing.
A history, a theory, a flood, which won the royal societys winton prize for science and pens hesselltiltman history prize in 2012, among. This is an engaging work that explores our understanding of information and how it has changed over time. The life and science of richard feynman and isaac newton, were shortlisted for the pulitzer prize. James gleick argues that information is more than just the contents of our libraries and web servers. Acclaimed science writer james gleick presents an eyeopening vision of how our relationship to information. In the information james gleick looks at this very basic concept and how it has come to play an increasingly prominent role in human life, especially through technology. Time travel is another of james gleicks superb, unclassifiable booksrich in obscure and illuminating information, laced with lyricism, wit, and startling and convincing insights. Gleick considers both theory and practice in this farranging tour, discussing among much else communication via everything from drumbeat to telegraph, attempts to collect and. James gleick is our leading chronicler of science and technology, and the author of chaos and genius, both nominated for the national book award, and isaac newton, which was shortlisted for the pulitzer prize. The book explains more fully and more systematically than any other how the foundations of our information order were laid.
It was on the new york times bestseller list for three weeks following its debut. A history, a theory, a flood, james gleick describes a technological innovation so transformative that it. Too much information information overload is the subject of the last third of gleick s book, where he quietly drops shannons concept of information. A history, a theory, a flood, james gleick does not pretend to answer these questions fully. Winner of the royal society winton prize for science books 2012. James gleick, the author of the best sellers chaos and genius, n. The information, by james gleick, is to the nature, history and significance of data what the beach is to sand. We sort the mail, build sandcastles, solve jigsaw puzzles, separate wheat from chaff, rearrange chess pieces, collect stamps, alphabetize books. As a celebration of human ingenuity, the information is a deeply hopeful book. And how have our lives adjusted to its omnipresence. Nicholas carr, the daily beast an amazing erudite and yet highly readable account of why and how information plays such a central role in all our lives, gleick s the information is amongst the most profound books written about technology over the last few years. From the bestselling author of the acclaimed chaos and genius comes a thoughtful and provocative exploration of the big ideas of the modern era. His first book, chaos, a national book award finalist, has been translated into 25.
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