They Invented the Telegraph, Then the iPhone: Genius Ideas That Changed the World

Steven Johnson is the author of eleven bestsellers, including Where Good Ideas Come From, one of the creators of the Emmy-winning series How We Got to This Point, and the host of the podcast American Innovations. Steven Johnson explores the centuries-long history of innovation from the birth of ideas in the minds of enthusiasts, amateurs, and entrepreneurs to the unpredictable yet fascinating impact of such inventions on our modern world. The book is filled with amazing stories of accidental genius and brilliant mistakes - from the French publisher who invented the phonograph but forgot to turn it on, to the Hollywood movie star who influenced the creation of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. They invented the telegraph, then the iPhone: genius ideas that changed the world opens the door to the history of the secrets of ordinary objects of modern life.