Joel Mokyr

Excellent read on the interrelation between technology and wealth. Technologies as the drivers of wealth is in this day and age is viewed as an anomaly, and the pervasive thinking is that wealth drives technology. Mr. Mokyr provides example after example of how technologies transformed society and provided great wealth to the society ads a whole, as well as to individuals. He also makes a great point about the so-called "Dark Ages" in that while they may be lacking in scientific breakthroughs, the technological achievements of these times is strikingly robust.… (mehr)

In one of the many pre-Christmas roundups of favourite books of the year, Werner Plumpe (an economic historian himself) highly recommended it. Seemed like a good introduction to the Industrial Revolution, and so it proved. Occasionally the arguments and examples feel repetitive, but that may be due to its origins in a series of lectures. The occasional slipup (in word-processing or note-keeping) can be overlooked. I am less happy with his constant use of “Germany” as a comparison: there was no such country during the time frame covered in this book, and whenever statistics about Germany are quoted, he should have mentioned to which of the German states they pertained. I suspect that most of these regard only Prussia. Such qualification apart, it is a good read and provides some illuminating background to novels like “North and South” or “Hard Times”. All in all, a great read.… (mehr)