{"product_id":"circles-fifty-round-trips-through-history-technology-science-culture-9780743249768","title":"Circles: Fifty Round Trips Through History Technology Science Culture","description":"From the bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Knowledge Web\u003c\/i\u003e come fifty mesmerizing journeys into the history of technology, each following a chain of consequential events that ends precisely where it began. Whether exploring electromagnetic fields, the origin of hot chocolate, or DNA fingerprinting, these essays all illustrate the surprisingly circular nature of change. \u003cbr\u003e In \"Room with (Half) a View,\" for instance, Burke muses about the partly obscured railway bridge outside his home on the Thames, a musing which sets off a chain of thought that leads from the bridge's engineer to Samuel Morse, to firearms inventor Sam Colt, and finally to a trombonist named Gustav Holst, who once lived in the very house that blocks Burke's view. \u003cbr\u003e So it goes with Burke's entertaining and informative essays as each one highlights the interconnectedness of seemingly unrelated events and innovations. Romantic poetry leads to brandy distillation; tonic water connects through Leibniz to the first explorers to reach the North Pole. This unique collection is sure to stimulate and delight history buffs, technophiles, and anyone else with a healthy intellectual curiosity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJames Burke\u003c\/b\u003e is the author of several bestselling books, including \u003ci\u003eCircles, American Connections, \u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Knowledge Web.\u003c\/i\u003e He is a monthly columnist at \u003ci\u003eScientific American\u003c\/i\u003e and also serves as director, writer, and host of the television series \u003ci\u003eConnections 3\u003c\/i\u003e on The Learning Channel. He is the founder of the James Burke Institute for Innovation in Education, whose flagship project, the Knowledge Web, an interactive website, was recently launched. He lives in London\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Simon \u0026 Schuster","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50845088448786,"sku":"9780743249768","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_7ce2abce-9728-44d7-9c79-14f598632239.jpg?v=1737341260","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/circles-fifty-round-trips-through-history-technology-science-culture-9780743249768","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}