The Great Acceleration

A must-read. The effects of acceleration are real, and we need to start taking them seriously -- Steve Hilton, author of 'More Human' In a run, run, runaway world, Colvile's The Great Acceleration is an indispensable guide to keeping up. A book that raises eyebrows and questions in equal measure. A meticulous, thoughtful, candid, sometimes stark and yet ultimately optimistic study of humanity, and our breath-taking desire for change -- Boris Johnson A punchy and wide-ranging book about how our lives and our society are speeding up, when to apply the brakes and how to enjoy the ride -- Tim Harford, author of 'The Undercover Economist' It's true - life is speeding up. But don't despair, overall that's a good thing for prosperity and quality of life, though it may not feel so as the emails pile up... This book is as fast-paced as its subject matter, and well worth making time for -- Mark Lynas, author of 'The God Species' Colvile is never less than engaging. Not a paragraph passes without an appealing factoid ... It is also inflected by a healthy sense of humour ... Given how easy it is to accentuate the negative, this is a book well worth reading, especially for the technological naysayers Daily Telegraph An alert and readable survey of the effects of the great acceleration on tech firms, social media, art, news media, politics, banking and the environment. Its statistics are certainly striking Sunday Times Despite the intriguing theme, I picked up this book with a heavy heart. There are now so many books inspired by Malcolm Gladwell that they've become formulaic... I needn't have worried. Colvile, a journalist, has done a very good job indeed. It's an interesting idea and he manages to persuade the reader that it matters. It's rare to go for a whole paragraph without learning something unexpected, funny or disturbing. The amount of research he has done is impressive. The Great Acceleration is really an excellent book -- Daniel Finkelstein, Book of the Week The Times Colvile is an entertaining writer and his subject is a fascinating one Evening Standard Compulsive, illuminating and ever-so-slightly terrifying -- James Delingpole Mail on Sunday Excellently researched and thoughtful Spectator Provides food for thought How It Works Looking for a seriously good summer read? The Great Acceleration is a brilliant take on how our world is changing -- Daniel Hannan