The Shortest History of Innovation

In this brilliant follow-up to his bestselling The Shortest History of Economics, Andrew Leigh explores the major forces behind innovation. Almost every corner of our lives is shaped by innovation, yet we rarely pause to notice it. Someone had to invent wheels and nails, alphabets and printing presses, electromagnetism and synthetic dyes.

Dispelling the myth of the lone genius, Leigh reveals the three elements that really drive innovation: tinkering, teams and trade. From the earliest boomerang to the rush to find a vaccine for Covid-19, he examines hotbeds of creativity, the forces that sometimes suppress them, and the surprising, inspiring ways that ideas can break through obstacles. This is an essential guide to the engines that power progress.