Twin Tracks : The Unexpected Origins of the Modern World

From the bestselling author of CIRCLES and THE KNOWLEDGE WEB comes a fascinating and instructional account of the extraordinary origins of the modern world.

How did Mozart''s Marriage of Figaro influence the development of stealth aircraft used in the Gulf War? In TWIN TRACKS, James Burke reveals the surprising answer - and presents twenty-four other ''twin tracks'' that start in the past and end in utterly unexpected modern-day inventions. Each tale begins with an event - such as the U.S. bombing of Tripoli in 1864, or the discovery of a German stone-age child in 1724. From each event, two people emerge, and each sets in motion a storyline shaped by love, war, accident, treachery, genius, discovery - the myriad ways in which people make history. Each twin track leads to an innovation, and these innovations come together in the final paragraph, generating an element of modern life. Burke''s engaging premise is bolstered by his superbly accessible and witty style - no scientific expertise is needed to revel in these unlikely connections and serendipitous quirks of fate. Hailed as ''one of the most intriguing minds in the Western world'' (THE WASHINGTON POST), Burke effects an unexpected outcome of his own - providing readers with a truly fresh way of looking at the world.