The Invention of Air:A Story of Science, and the Birth of America - Steven Johnson Audiobook

Written by Steven Johnson
Read by Mark Deakins
Format: MP3
Bitrate: 64 Kbps
Unabridged

Publisher: Books on Tape / Random House
Release date: December 30, 2008
Duration: 06:07:06

“The Invention of Air is a story of sweeping historical transformation, of genius and friendship, violence and world-changing ideas, that boldly recasts our understanding of the most significant events in our history.”

It centers on the story of Joseph Priestley–scientist and minister, protégé of Benjamin Franklin, friend of Thomas Jefferson–an eighteenth-century radical thinker who played key roles in the invention of ecosystem science, the discovery of oxygen, the founding of the Unitarian Church, and the intellectual development of the United States.

Priestley represented a unique synthesis: by the 1780s, he had established himself as one of the world’s most celebrated scientists, most prominent religious figures, and most outspoken political thinkers. Yet he would also become one of the most hated men in all of his native England. When an angry mob burned down his house in Birmingham, Priestley and his family set sail for Pennsylvania.

In the United States, Priestley hoped to find the freedom to bridge the disciplines that had governed his life, to find a quiet lab and a receptive pulpit. Once he arrived, as a result of his close relationships with the Founding Fathers Priestley found himself at the center of what would go down as one of the seminal debates in American history.

Steven Johnson here uses a dramatic historical story to explore themes that have long engaged him: innovation and the way new ideas emerge and spread, and the environments that foster these breakthroughs.

Next time you take a breath, drink a soda, or erase something, you might want to thank Joseph Priestley, the eighteenth-century Zelig who discovered oxygen, invented carbonated drinks, and dreamed up the rubber eraser. But, as narrator Mark Deakins explains, Priestley was more than a scientist; he was a reverend who despised fundamentalism and an Englishman who supported the French and American Revolutions–unpopular stances that caused riots, the torching of his home and laboratory, and his ultimate migration to the U.S. (where he caused more unrest, including an historic dispute amongst our Founding Fathers). Deakins confidently steers listeners through this audiobook, building to a controlled crescendo during the Priestly-inspired Manchester riots. A refreshing dose of science and politics. R.W.S. (c) AudioFile 2009

Personal note – Steven Johnson is one of the most re-readable authors. He can be following his main historical idea and…zap, into the present with a related story or idea to think about.