The definitive history of America's greatest incubator of innovation and the birthplace of some of the 20th century's most influential technologies
Jon Gertner grew up in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, just a few hundred yards away from Bell Labs. He has been a writer for the New York Times Magazine since 2004 and is an editor at Fast Company magazine. He lives in Maplewood, New Jersey, with his wife and two children.
“Filled with colorful characters and inspiring lessons . . . The
Idea Factory explores one of the most critical issues of our time:
What causes innovation?” —Walter Isaacson, The New York Times Book
Review
“Riveting . . . Mr. Gertner’s portraits of Kelly and the cadre of
talented scientists who worked at Bell Labs are animated by a
journalistic ability to make their discoveries and inventions
utterly comprehensible—indeed, thrilling—to the lay reader. And
they showcase, too, his novelistic sense of character and intuitive
understanding of the odd ways in which clashing or compatible
personalities can combine to foster intensely creative
collaborations.” —Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times
“One of the best innovation-focused books I've read: It's a
wide-ranging, detailed, and deeply fascinating look at the New
Jersey lab which has been churning out useful discoveries since the
early 1900s.” —The Boston Globe
“Fascinating history . . . the research behind The Idea Factory is
astonishing.” —Slate Book Review
“Compelling . . . Gertner's book offers fascinating evidence for
those seeking to understand how a society should best invest its
research resources.” —The Wall Street Journal
“An expansive new history . . . does an impressive job of
illuminating many of Bell Labs’ key technological
triumphs.” —Wired.com
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