Key insights from
A Brief History of Motion: From the Wheel, to the Car, to What Comes Next
By Tom Standage
Audio available
12 minute read
Published Aug 17, 2021
What you'll learn
The wonder of how we get from one place to another isn’t always a topic of profound thought, let alone an object of historical inquiry. In a century in which access to some form of automated transportation is something much of the world takes for granted, it’s often difficult to place the innovation into its broader historical context. The prolific writer Tom Standage helps readers do just that, detailing the nearly 6,000-year trajectory of ancient, medieval, and modern vehicles to reveal the prolonged trends, similarities, and pitfalls of each.
Key insights
- 1 The ancient wagon is the predecessor to your Volkswagen.
- 2 The “great horse manure crisis” is the most fascinating history you may not like to know.
- 3 Henry Ford created a new breed of drivers, but GM snatched them from his grasp.
- 4 Throughout the mid-20th century, cars created new lifestyles for people and became icons in the meantime.
- 5 Cars are on the outs, and new vehicles are taking their place.
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