The Shortest History of Innovation

From the wheel to generative AI, new ideas that have shaped our world

Innovation shapes almost every aspect of our lives – from tools and technologies to fresh approaches in art and architecture – yet we rarely pause to notice it. Someone had to invent nails and buttonholes; alphabets and books; glass windows and windscreen wipers; tin cans and synthetic dyes.

Andrew Leigh, the bestselling author of The Shortest History of Economics, tells the story of human innovation by identifying three of its most essential driving forces: tinkering, teams and trade. He examines hotbeds of creativity, the forces that suppress them and the unexpected ways ideas travel across borders and disciplines. Unveiling the surprising agents behind everyday innovations we take for granted, he revisits history with fresh eyes and deftly connects it to the rapid innovation taking place today.

Dazzling and always entertaining, The Shortest History of Innovation is a compact but comprehensive look at the engines that power progress.