Book of the Week: How We Got to Now (Steven Johnson)

Rafiq Omair

1. Quick Overview

Author: Steven Johnson
Publisher: Riverhead Books (2014)
Reading Level: General audience
Cost: Approximately $12–18 (paperback or eBook)
Why it’s worth reading: Shows how six key innovations changed the modern world by linking science, history, and invention.

2. What It’s About

Steven Johnson explores how small discoveries lead to major social and technological revolutions. Each chapter examines one innovation, such as glass, time, or light, and traces its unexpected consequences through centuries of human progress.

Johnson writes with clarity and enthusiasm, emphasizing the interconnected nature of innovation. The book helps readers see that scientific progress is rarely linear and that every breakthrough builds on countless earlier ideas.

3. Memorable Moment or Quote

"We are surrounded by ideas that have taken generations to evolve."
It reminds readers that every modern convenience rests on the accumulated creativity of the past.

4. Where to Find It

Available through Riverhead Books, Amazon, and libraries.

5. If You Liked This Book…

The Innovators by Walter Isaacson
The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman
How We Got to the Moon by John Rocco

6. If You Want to Go Deeper

Read How Innovation Works by Matt Ridley for a broader exploration of invention and discovery.