"One of the most mesmerizing and exhilarating, yet alarming modern technology books…an extraordinary tale." —Gillian Tett, Financial TimesPinpoint tells the fascinating story of a hidden system that touches nearly every aspect of modern life. Tracking the development of GPS from its origins as a bomb guidance system to its present ubiquity, Greg Milner examines the technology’s double-edged effect on the way we live, work, and travel. Savvy and or...

In 1915, Thomas Edison proclaimed that he could record a live performance and reproduce it perfectly, shocking audiences who found themselves unable to tell whether what they were hearing was an Edison Diamond Disc or a flesh-and-blood musician. Today, the equation is reversed. Whereas Edison proposed that a real performance could be rebuilt with absolute perfection, Pro Tools and digital samplers now allow musicians and engineers to create the illusion of performances that never were. In ...

"Triumphs because of the commitment and fearlessness of Metallica . . . [and] shows that tenacious reporting can still produce great narratives." — New York TimesMetallica is one of the most successful hard-rock bands of all time, having sold more than ninety million albums worldwide. Receiving unfettered access, acclaimed filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky followed Metallica over two and a half years as they faced personal and professional challen...

Over the last fifty years, humanity has developed an extraordinary global utility which is omnipresent, universal, and available to all: the Global Positioning System (GPS). A network of twenty-four satellites and their monitoring stations on Earth, it makes possible almost all modern technology, from the smartphone in your pocket to the Mars rover. Neither the internet nor the cloud would work without it. And it is changing us in profound ways we've yet to come to terms with.While...

From our CD collections to iPods bursting with MP3s to the hallowed vinyl of DJs, recordings are the most common way we experience music. Perfecting Sound Forever tells the story of recorded music, introducing us to the innovators, musicians and producers who have affected the way we hear our favourite songs, from Thomas Edison to Phil Spector. Exploring the balance that recordings strike between the real and the represented, Greg Milner asks the questions which have divided sound...

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTUREA mission to Mars. A freak accident. One man’s struggle to survive. From the author of Project Hail Mary comes “a hugely entertaining novel that reads like a rocket ship afire” (Chicago Tribune).“Brilliant . . . a celebration of human ingenuity [and] the purest example of real-science sci-fi for many years . . . utterly compelling.”—The Wall Stre...

Voted America's Best-Loved Novel in PBS's The Great American Read"One of the most—if not the most—beloved of American novels." —The New YorkerHarper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork of honor and injustice in the deep South—and the heroism of one man in the face of blind and violent hatredOne of the most cherished stories of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has been translated into mo...

How Music Works is David Byrne's bestselling, buoyant celebration of a subject he has spent a lifetime thinking about. Drawing on his own work over the years with Talking Heads, Brian Eno, and his myriad collaborators - along with journeys to Wagnerian opera houses, African villages, and anywhere music exists - Byrne shows how music emerges from cultural circumstance as much as individual creativity. It is his magnum opus, and an impassioned argument about music's liberating, life...

The story behind the innovative widebody jet's "troubled but also path-breaking development," with hundreds of photos ( Airways).With the launch of its superjumbo, the A380, Airbus made what looked like an unbeatable bid for commercial aviation supremacy. But archrival Boeing responded: Not so fast.Boeing's 787 Dreamliner would generate more excitement—and more orders—than any commercial airplane in the company's history. This book offers a fascinati...

**From the bestselling author of Nuclear War: A Scenario.Discover the untold story of America's most powerful military science agency.**In this first-ever history of the Defense Department's most secret, most powerful and most controversial military science R&D agency, Sunday Times bestselling author Annie Jacobsen draws on inside sources, exclusive interviews, private documents, and declassified memos to demystify DARPA, ‘the Pentagon's brain’.Sin...

An entertaining trivia compendium flush with fun facts about all things music.From boogie-woogie to Beethoven, from Prince to Pavarotti, from the bards of Broadway to the rebels of rock 'n' roll—it's all here. Uncle John has created this harmonious collection of tuneful tales for music lovers everywhere.Uncle John has proven once again that he is in tune with our legion of loyal readers. This 516-page musical masterpiece dedicated to all things noteworthy r...

Digital Painting, 26 Beginner Tricks and Techniques will show you how to get more out of your software and improve your digital artwork. Gary Tonge, one of the world's leading digital art pros, offers state-of-the-art advice for beginners covering every aspect of computer-generated art--from lighting and color basics to working with layers. Clear instruction, screen shots and striking art make these tips immediately applicable so you can begin right away.