The Next Big Thing: A History of the Boom-or-Bust Moments That Shaped the Modern World

by Richard Faulk, Ramsey Beyer (Illustrator)

We are always hearing about the Next Big Thing. Whether it is a new iPhone or the New World, the freshest and newest inventions, discoveries, and fads always loom large in the public mind. The impact that everyone thinks these "next big things" will have is often more important than the actual impact it generates. After all, if it fails, it will be almost immediately forgotten. The Next Big Thing searches through 3,000 years of Western culture to find the colorful and key steps (and missteps) that led us to where we are today.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 6, 2015

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cleverly written historical vignettes of landmark boom or bust moments. You'll even learn about the importance of poop! Sadly, the editor must have been on sabbatical bc of numerous typos throughout the text.

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly an engagingly written history of things that made a big impact. Most of the "booms" profiled are huge, like chariots (and, by extension, all wheeled conveyances) or the iPhone, which makes things like the Segway seem poorly chosen. The editing, at least in the ebook version, was not robust.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Zest Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You can jump around and read sections that interest you or tackle the book in an orderly fashion and peruse it from cover to cover. Either way, you'll probably find some fascinating tidbits and pieces of information you'll want to share with family and friends." —The Californian

[Cathy0584 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interestingly written, sort of a survey course of the big moments or big advancements that impacted our culture. The author's tone is entertaining, and makes what might otherwise be rather dry, factoids into tasty tidbits that make for interesting conversation. Highly recommend.