Fifty Inventions That Shaped the Modern Economy

A casual and approachable history of civilization and the economy. Named one of 2017's best books by Bloomberg Businessweek and The Financial Times, this economic history follows 50 inventions that ended up having the biggest impact on the economy. From the plough to the disposable razor, artificial intelligence to the IKEA Billy Bookcase, this book is full of some of the most unexpectedly influential inventions and how they managed to shape our modern world. Did you know the bar code hurt family corner stores? That the Gutenberg printing press had a secret ingredient? With additional focus on the people behind these inventions, Tim Harford's writing explains complex economic theories in easy-to-understand stories and examples.

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