Art and Invention

Music's roots begin at the dawn of humanity, when the earliest humans used rudimentary sounds to communicate for survival. Inventions in Music: From the Monochord to MP3s traces the evolution of music through technologies that shaped the medium: the monochord, the phonograph, magnetic tape, and MP3 files. The book describes these inventions in chronological order, considers their influence on one another, and examines these innovations' impact beyond music.

The earliest civilizations developed writing systems in order to keep records. Since then, writing has evolved to become a complex form of communication. In fact, reading and writing today are often hi-tech endeavors. Inventions in Reading and Writing: From Calligraphy to Kindles discusses (in chronological order) the invention of calligraphy, paper, moveable type, and Kindle e-Readers. The book demonstrates the effect these innovations have had on readers, writers, and the world at large. The book also draws connections between the inventions themselves. These connections are often surprising, such as the link between moveable type, e-books, and our modern idea of individual nations with unique identities.

Fashion is much more than what we wear. In fact, designing, fabricating, and styling clothes is an art form that relies on up-to-the-minute technology. Inventions in Fashion: From Rawhide to Rayon explores the trajectory of fashion from the first clothing worn by primitive humans to scientifically engineered fabrics. The book examines the development of rawhide, blue jeans, sewing machines, and rayon in chronological order. These inventions have applications well beyond the runway, and the book explains these effects, the stories of their inventors, and the ways earlier inventions influenced those that came after.

Humans have created visual representations of the world since the dawn of man. While early painting and sculpture was often rudimentary, the history of visual art is characterized by rapid evolution; today's artists use high-tech tools to share their vision. Inventions in the Visual Arts: From Cave Paintings to CAD provides a closer look at the development of cave paintings, sculptures, sketch books, cameras, and computer-aided design software. These inventions have surprising links to one another, which the book outlines in chronological order, and have forever changed the landscape of art-and beyond.

In the beginning, architecture was synonymous with survival. Early empires built walls to keep enemies out and to define their territory. Inventions including the arch (which was first created by the Romans) and the steel frames that support skyscrapers have elevated architecture to an art form. Inventions in Architecture: From Stone Walls to Solar Panels looks at the innovations responsible for architecture as we know it in the order they were invented. The book also demonstrates how these inventions shaped each other and how they have wider applications, including the potential to change the way we power our lives.

Though it seems like all advancements in computing have occurred in the last few decades, in reality the technology behind computers dates back to early civilizations, such as our modern conception of numbers. Inventions in Computing: From the Abacus to Apple Computers discusses the history of the abacus, the Jacquard loom, computer animation programs, and the Apple computer in the order they were developed. The book shows how each subsequent invention was predicated on the invention before, how these innovations shaped the creative process, and how computers have come to play an integral role in our daily lives.