I'm heading over to London to launch The Ghost Map early next week, which is going to be a complete blast. I'll be on Start The Week if you want to tune in on Monday. And on Monday night, Brian Eno and I are going to have a public conversation about the book, cities, the long now, the long zoom, and probably many other topics. It'll be at the ICA, starting at 6:45 -- details here. I gather it's almost sold out, so if you're interested in coming out, book some seats now.
The Basics
- I'm a father of three boys, husband of one wife, and author of seven books, and co-founder of three web sites. We spend most of the year in Marin County, California though I'm on the road a lot giving talks. (You can see the full story here.) Personal correspondence should go to sbeej at earthlink dot net. Media requests should go to Matthew.Venzon at us.penguingroup dot com. If you're interested in having me speak at an event, drop a line to Wesley Neff at the Leigh Bureau (WesN at Leighbureau dot com.)
My Books
Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation
An exploration of environments that lead to breakthrough innovation, in science, technology, business, and the arts. I conceived it as the closing book in a trilogy on innovative thinking, after Ghost Map and Invention. But in a way, it completes an investigation that runs through all the books. Sold more copies in hardcover than anything else I've written.The Invention of Air
The story of the British radical chemist Joseph Priestley, who ended up having a Zelig-like role in the American Revolution. My version of a founding fathers book, and a reminder that most of the Enlightenment was driven by open source ideals.The Ghost Map
The latest: the story of a terrifying outbreak of cholera in 1854 London 1854 that ended up changing the world. An idea book wrapped around a page-turner. I like to think of it as a sequel to Emergence if Emergence had been a disease thriller. You can see a trailer for the book here.Everything Bad Is Good for You: How Today's Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter
The title says it all. This one sparked a slightly insane international conversation about the state of pop culture -- and particularly games. There were more than a few dissenters, but the response was more positive than I had expected. And it got me on The Daily Show, which made it all worthwhile.Mind Wide Open : Your Brain and the Neuroscience of Everyday Life
My first best-seller, and the only book I've written in which I appear as a recurring character, subjecting myself to a battery of humiliating brain scans. The last chapter on Freud and the neuroscientific model of the mind is one of my personal favorites.Emergence: The Connected Lives of Ants, Brains, Cities, and Software
The story of bottom-up intelligence, from slime mold to Slashdot. Probably the most critically well-received all my books, and the one that has influenced the most eclectic mix of fields: political campaigns, web business models, urban planning, the war on terror.Interface Culture : How New Technology Transforms the Way We Create and Communicate
My first. The book I wrote instead of finishing my dissertation. Still in print almost a decade later, and still relevant, I think. But I haven't read it in a while, so who knows what's in there!
Steve,
For what it is worth, I found your book fascinating. Wish I could write like you -- keep up the good work.
Posted by: Jim Shelton | November 28, 2006 at 12:46 PM
Hi Steve,
Sadly I can't make Monday - shame that you arrive at the beginning of the absurdly packed xmas activity season. Do you have any other talks or similar activity planned when in London?
Posted by: Simon Oliver | November 28, 2006 at 03:02 PM
We've got our tickets, very much looking forward to it. Maybe I can buy you and Mr. Eno a pint afterwards and conclude my enoquest (http://www.blackbeltjones.com/work/?p=899) just under 3 years later. The stalk of the long now, if you will.
Posted by: Matt | November 29, 2006 at 01:28 AM
Yikes! Are you gonna vlog it or give it to youtube or what? no chance I'm in London on Monday.
Posted by: Kip Crosby | November 29, 2006 at 09:52 AM
Absolutely amazing. This really must be recorded and make its way to YouTube. SBJ meets God. What are the chances of an impromptu duet between you and The Professor? Anything off of "Here Come The Warm Jets" would do nicely. See if he'll give you a deck of Oblique Strategies cards!
Posted by: matthew stern | November 30, 2006 at 09:05 PM
John Snow is one of my heroes, so I sincerely hope you've done him justice.
His map is a superb example of information design, he saved the lives of millions, he's buried in the cemetary round the corner from where I live and the pub named after him serves cheap beer - what more does one need in a historical hero? :o)
Posted by: Scott K | December 03, 2006 at 10:15 AM
On page 195 of your book you describe Snow's second map as a "Voronoi diagram" I can't tell which of the maps on the UCLA site correspond to this Voronoi diagram but am very curious and would like to see the exact map you are talking about. Can you help? Thanks! Robert
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