Material World: A Substantial Story Of Our Past And Future

Beskrivelse

A compelling exploration of six essential materials that have shaped human history and will define our future. Ed Conway reveals the hidden story behind sand, salt, iron, copper, oil, and lithium.

Discover how these fundamental substances built our world and continue to influence global power and progress.

Material World, a Sunday Times bestseller and Radio 4 Book of the Week, has earned accolades from the Economist, Financial Times, Times, and New Statesman as a Book of the Year. It was also shortlisted for the FT Business Book of the Year Award and the British Academy Book Prize, and longlisted for the Wainwright Conservation Writing Prize. Ed Conway takes readers on a global journey to uncover the overlooked importance of six key materials, sand, salt, iron, copper, oil, and lithium. These elements have propelled humanity from the Dark Ages to modern times, powering our technology, constructing our buildings, and aiding in medical breakthroughs. Yet, most people rarely consider their significance. As the world faces climate change, energy challenges, and potential conflicts, Conway highlights why controlling these resources is crucial and how their influence will shape the geopolitical landscape ahead. Praised as ‘compelling’ by Tim Marshall, ‘lively, rich and exciting’ by Peter Frankopan, and ‘vitally important’ by Tim Harford, this book offers a vital perspective on the substances that underpin our civilization.