LONGLISTED AS A FINANCIAL TIMES AND SCHRODERS BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD SHORTLISTED FOR
THE ROYAL SOCIETY TRIVEDI SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE An illuminating tour through the manufacturing
world and its seismic influence on our lives from internationally renowned expert Tim Minshall
We live in a manufactured world. Unless you are floating naked through space you are right now
in direct contact with multiple manufactured products including furniture technology
clothing and even food. And yet the processes by which these things appear in our lives are
virtually invisible. How often do we stop to think: Where do the things we buy actually come
from? How are they made and how do they make their way into our hands? The answers can be
found in How Things Are Made which traces the surprising paths taken by everyday items to
reach consumers from design to creation to delivery. Innovation expert Tim Minshall takes us
on a journey through the manufacturing world from the smallest job shops to mega-factories
from global shipping hubs to local delivery at your door revealing the inner workings of the
system that runs 24-7-365 to make and deliver the things we need—or want—to live our daily
lives including cars cakes phones planes drugs and medical devices. Along the way he
explores how we can improve the fragility of our global manufacturing system and the impact it
has on the natural world presenting a path to a truly sustainable future. Brimming with energy
and lively examples How Things Are Made maps the awe-inspiring global system of
manufacturing that enables virtually every aspect of our existence. By making sense of this
surprising and hidden world we are able to make better choices for ourselves our communities
and the planet.
