CINXE.COM

<!doctype html> <html dir="ltr" lang="en-US" prefix="og: https://ogp.me/ns#"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <link rel="profile" href="https://gmpg.org/xfn/11"> <link rel="icon" type="image/x-icon" href="https://around.com/wp-content/themes/around/favicon.ico"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="180x180" href="https://around.com/wp-content/themes/around/apple-touch-icon.png"> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com"> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin> <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Cardo:ital,wght@0,400;0,700;1,400&family=Karla:ital,wght@0,400;0,700;1,400;1,700&display=swap" rel="stylesheet"> <title>Faster: The Acceleration of Just About Everything - James Gleick</title> <style>img:is([sizes="auto" i], [sizes^="auto," i]) { contain-intrinsic-size: 3000px 1500px }</style>  <meta name="robots" content="max-image-preview:large" /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://around.com/books/faster/" /> <meta name="generator" content="All in One SEO (AIOSEO) 4.6.7.1" /> <meta property="og:locale" content="en_US" /> <meta property="og:site_name" content="James Gleick - Books, Occasional Writing, and Other Outbursts" /> <meta property="og:type" content="article" /> <meta property="og:title" content="Faster: The Acceleration of Just About Everything - James Gleick" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://around.com/books/faster/" /> <meta property="article:published_time" content="1999-11-21T06:44:28+00:00" /> <meta property="article:modified_time" content="2023-12-11T15:14:21+00:00" /> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" /> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Faster: The Acceleration of Just About Everything - James Gleick" /> <script type="application/ld+json" class="aioseo-schema"> {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/around.com\/books\/faster\/#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/around.com\/#listItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/around.com\/","nextItem":"https:\/\/around.com\/books\/faster\/#listItem"},{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/around.com\/books\/faster\/#listItem","position":2,"name":"Faster: The Acceleration of Just About Everything","previousItem":"https:\/\/around.com\/#listItem"}]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/around.com\/#person","name":"James Gleick","image":"https:\/\/www.around.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Jacket-2-smaller.jpg"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/around.com\/books\/faster\/#webpage","url":"https:\/\/around.com\/books\/faster\/","name":"Faster: The Acceleration of Just About Everything - James Gleick","inLanguage":"en-US","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/around.com\/#website"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/around.com\/books\/faster\/#breadcrumblist"},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.around.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/faster1-e1426796672213.jpg","@id":"https:\/\/around.com\/books\/faster\/#mainImage","width":168,"height":261},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/around.com\/books\/faster\/#mainImage"},"datePublished":"1999-11-21T01:44:28-05:00","dateModified":"2023-12-11T10:14:21-05:00"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/around.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/around.com\/","name":"James Gleick","description":"Books, Occasional Writing, and Other Outbursts","inLanguage":"en-US","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/around.com\/#person"}}]} </script>  <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="James Gleick » Feed" href="https://around.com/feed/" /> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="James Gleick » Comments Feed" href="https://around.com/comments/feed/" /> <script> window._wpemojiSettings = {"baseUrl":"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/15.0.3\/72x72\/","ext":".png","svgUrl":"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/15.0.3\/svg\/","svgExt":".svg","source":{"concatemoji":"https:\/\/around.com\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-emoji-release.min.js?ver=6.7.2"}}; /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(i,n){var o,s,e;function c(e){try{var t={supportTests:e,timestamp:(new Date).valueOf()};sessionStorage.setItem(o,JSON.stringify(t))}catch(e){}}function p(e,t,n){e.clearRect(0,0,e.canvas.width,e.canvas.height),e.fillText(t,0,0);var t=new Uint32Array(e.getImageData(0,0,e.canvas.width,e.canvas.height).data),r=(e.clearRect(0,0,e.canvas.width,e.canvas.height),e.fillText(n,0,0),new Uint32Array(e.getImageData(0,0,e.canvas.width,e.canvas.height).data));return t.every(function(e,t){return e===r[t]})}function u(e,t,n){switch(t){case"flag":return n(e,"\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f","\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200b\u26a7\ufe0f")?!1:!n(e,"\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf3","\ud83c\uddfa\u200b\ud83c\uddf3")&&!n(e,"\ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc65\udb40\udc6e\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc7f","\ud83c\udff4\u200b\udb40\udc67\u200b\udb40\udc62\u200b\udb40\udc65\u200b\udb40\udc6e\u200b\udb40\udc67\u200b\udb40\udc7f");case"emoji":return!n(e,"\ud83d\udc26\u200d\u2b1b","\ud83d\udc26\u200b\u2b1b")}return!1}function f(e,t,n){var r="undefined"!=typeof WorkerGlobalScope&&self instanceof WorkerGlobalScope?new OffscreenCanvas(300,150):i.createElement("canvas"),a=r.getContext("2d",{willReadFrequently:!0}),o=(a.textBaseline="top",a.font="600 32px Arial",{});return e.forEach(function(e){o[e]=t(a,e,n)}),o}function t(e){var t=i.createElement("script");t.src=e,t.defer=!0,i.head.appendChild(t)}"undefined"!=typeof Promise&&(o="wpEmojiSettingsSupports",s=["flag","emoji"],n.supports={everything:!0,everythingExceptFlag:!0},e=new Promise(function(e){i.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",e,{once:!0})}),new Promise(function(t){var n=function(){try{var e=JSON.parse(sessionStorage.getItem(o));if("object"==typeof e&&"number"==typeof e.timestamp&&(new Date).valueOf()<e.timestamp+604800&&"object"==typeof e.supportTests)return e.supportTests}catch(e){}return null}();if(!n){if("undefined"!=typeof Worker&&"undefined"!=typeof OffscreenCanvas&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&URL.createObjectURL&&"undefined"!=typeof Blob)try{var e="postMessage("+f.toString()+"("+[JSON.stringify(s),u.toString(),p.toString()].join(",")+"));",r=new Blob([e],{type:"text/javascript"}),a=new Worker(URL.createObjectURL(r),{name:"wpTestEmojiSupports"});return void(a.onmessage=function(e){c(n=e.data),a.terminate(),t(n)})}catch(e){}c(n=f(s,u,p))}t(n)}).then(function(e){for(var t in e)n.supports[t]=e[t],n.supports.everything=n.supports.everything&&n.supports[t],"flag"!==t&&(n.supports.everythingExceptFlag=n.supports.everythingExceptFlag&&n.supports[t]);n.supports.everythingExceptFlag=n.supports.everythingExceptFlag&&!n.supports.flag,n.DOMReady=!1,n.readyCallback=function(){n.DOMReady=!0}}).then(function(){return e}).then(function(){var e;n.supports.everything||(n.readyCallback(),(e=n.source||{}).concatemoji?t(e.concatemoji):e.wpemoji&&e.twemoji&&(t(e.twemoji),t(e.wpemoji)))}))}((window,document),window._wpemojiSettings); </script> <style id='wp-emoji-styles-inline-css'> img.wp-smiley, img.emoji { display: inline !important; border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; height: 1em !important; width: 1em !important; margin: 0 0.07em !important; vertical-align: -0.1em !important; background: none !important; padding: 0 !important; } </style> <link rel='stylesheet' id='wp-block-library-css' href='https://around.com/wp-includes/css/dist/block-library/style.min.css?ver=6.7.2' media='all' /> <style id='activitypub-followers-style-inline-css'> .activitypub-follower-block.is-style-compact .activitypub-handle,.activitypub-follower-block.is-style-compact .sep{display:none}.activitypub-follower-block.is-style-with-lines ul li{border-bottom:.5px solid;margin-bottom:.5rem;padding-bottom:.5rem}.activitypub-follower-block.is-style-with-lines ul li:last-child{border-bottom:none}.activitypub-follower-block.is-style-with-lines .activitypub-handle,.activitypub-follower-block.is-style-with-lines .activitypub-name{text-decoration:none}.activitypub-follower-block.is-style-with-lines .activitypub-handle:hover,.activitypub-follower-block.is-style-with-lines .activitypub-name:hover{text-decoration:underline}.activitypub-follower-block ul{margin:0!important;padding:0!important}.activitypub-follower-block li{display:flex;margin-bottom:1rem}.activitypub-follower-block img{border-radius:50%;height:40px;margin-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20,.5rem);width:40px}.activitypub-follower-block .activitypub-link{align-items:center;color:inherit!important;display:flex;flex-flow:row nowrap;max-width:100%;text-decoration:none!important}.activitypub-follower-block .activitypub-handle,.activitypub-follower-block .activitypub-name{text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:.8px;text-underline-position:under}.activitypub-follower-block .activitypub-handle:hover,.activitypub-follower-block .activitypub-name:hover{text-decoration:none}.activitypub-follower-block .activitypub-name{font-size:var(--wp--preset--font-size--normal,16px)}.activitypub-follower-block .activitypub-actor{font-size:var(--wp--preset--font-size--small,13px);overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap}.activitypub-follower-block .sep{padding:0 .2rem}.activitypub-follower-block .wp-block-query-pagination{margin-top:1.5rem}.activitypub-follower-block .activitypub-pager{cursor:default}.activitypub-follower-block .activitypub-pager.current{opacity:.33}.activitypub-follower-block .page-numbers{padding:0 .2rem}.activitypub-follower-block .page-numbers.current{font-weight:700;opacity:1} </style> <style id='activitypub-follow-me-style-inline-css'> .activitypub__modal.components-modal__frame{background-color:#f7f7f7;color:#333}.activitypub__modal.components-modal__frame .components-modal__header-heading,.activitypub__modal.components-modal__frame h4{color:#333;letter-spacing:inherit;word-spacing:inherit}.activitypub__modal.components-modal__frame .components-modal__header .components-button:hover{color:var(--wp--preset--color--white)}.activitypub__dialog{max-width:40em}.activitypub__dialog h4{line-height:1;margin:0}.activitypub__dialog .activitypub-dialog__section{margin-bottom:2em}.activitypub__dialog .activitypub-dialog__remember{margin-top:1em}.activitypub__dialog .activitypub-dialog__description{font-size:var(--wp--preset--font-size--normal,.75rem);margin:.33em 0 1em}.activitypub__dialog .activitypub-dialog__button-group{align-items:flex-end;display:flex;justify-content:flex-end}.activitypub__dialog .activitypub-dialog__button-group svg{height:21px;margin-right:.5em;width:21px}.activitypub__dialog .activitypub-dialog__button-group input{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--white);border-radius:50px 0 0 50px;border-width:1px;border:1px solid var(--wp--preset--color--black);color:var(--wp--preset--color--black);flex:1;font-size:16px;height:inherit;line-height:1;margin-right:0;padding:15px 23px}.activitypub__dialog .activitypub-dialog__button-group button{align-self:center;background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--black);border-radius:0 50px 50px 0;border-width:1px;color:var(--wp--preset--color--white);font-size:16px;height:inherit;line-height:1;margin-left:0;padding:15px 23px;text-decoration:none}.activitypub__dialog .activitypub-dialog__button-group button:hover{border:inherit}.activitypub-follow-me-block-wrapper{width:100%}.activitypub-follow-me-block-wrapper.has-background .activitypub-profile,.activitypub-follow-me-block-wrapper.has-border-color .activitypub-profile{padding-left:1rem;padding-right:1rem}.activitypub-follow-me-block-wrapper .activitypub-profile{align-items:center;display:flex;padding:1rem 0}.activitypub-follow-me-block-wrapper .activitypub-profile .activitypub-profile__avatar{border-radius:50%;height:75px;margin-right:1rem;width:75px}.activitypub-follow-me-block-wrapper .activitypub-profile .activitypub-profile__content{flex:1;min-width:0}.activitypub-follow-me-block-wrapper .activitypub-profile .activitypub-profile__handle,.activitypub-follow-me-block-wrapper .activitypub-profile .activitypub-profile__name{line-height:1.2;margin:0;overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap}.activitypub-follow-me-block-wrapper .activitypub-profile .activitypub-profile__name{font-size:1.25em}.activitypub-follow-me-block-wrapper .activitypub-profile .activitypub-profile__follow{align-self:center;background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--black);color:var(--wp--preset--color--white);margin-left:1rem} </style> <link rel='stylesheet' id='wp-components-css' href='https://around.com/wp-includes/css/dist/components/style.min.css?ver=6.7.2' media='all' /> <style id='classic-theme-styles-inline-css'> /*! This file is auto-generated */ .wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none} </style> <style id='global-styles-inline-css'> :root{--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--square: 1;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--4-3: 4/3;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--3-4: 3/4;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--3-2: 3/2;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--2-3: 2/3;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--16-9: 16/9;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--9-16: 9/16;--wp--preset--color--black: #000000;--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray: #abb8c3;--wp--preset--color--white: #ffffff;--wp--preset--color--pale-pink: #f78da7;--wp--preset--color--vivid-red: #cf2e2e;--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange: #ff6900;--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber: #fcb900;--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan: #7bdcb5;--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan: #00d084;--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue: #8ed1fc;--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue: #0693e3;--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple: #9b51e0;--wp--preset--gradient--vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple: linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(6,147,227,1) 0%,rgb(155,81,224) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(122,220,180) 0%,rgb(0,208,130) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange: linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(252,185,0,1) 0%,rgba(255,105,0,1) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red: linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(255,105,0,1) 0%,rgb(207,46,46) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(238,238,238) 0%,rgb(169,184,195) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--cool-to-warm-spectrum: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(74,234,220) 0%,rgb(151,120,209) 20%,rgb(207,42,186) 40%,rgb(238,44,130) 60%,rgb(251,105,98) 80%,rgb(254,248,76) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--blush-light-purple: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,206,236) 0%,rgb(152,150,240) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--blush-bordeaux: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(254,205,165) 0%,rgb(254,45,45) 50%,rgb(107,0,62) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-dusk: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,203,112) 0%,rgb(199,81,192) 50%,rgb(65,88,208) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--pale-ocean: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,245,203) 0%,rgb(182,227,212) 50%,rgb(51,167,181) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--electric-grass: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(202,248,128) 0%,rgb(113,206,126) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--midnight: linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(2,3,129) 0%,rgb(40,116,252) 100%);--wp--preset--font-size--small: 13px;--wp--preset--font-size--medium: 20px;--wp--preset--font-size--large: 36px;--wp--preset--font-size--x-large: 42px;--wp--preset--spacing--20: 0.44rem;--wp--preset--spacing--30: 0.67rem;--wp--preset--spacing--40: 1rem;--wp--preset--spacing--50: 1.5rem;--wp--preset--spacing--60: 2.25rem;--wp--preset--spacing--70: 3.38rem;--wp--preset--spacing--80: 5.06rem;--wp--preset--shadow--natural: 6px 6px 9px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);--wp--preset--shadow--deep: 12px 12px 50px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);--wp--preset--shadow--sharp: 6px 6px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);--wp--preset--shadow--outlined: 6px 6px 0px -3px rgba(255, 255, 255, 1), 6px 6px rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);--wp--preset--shadow--crisp: 6px 6px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);}:where(.is-layout-flex){gap: 0.5em;}:where(.is-layout-grid){gap: 0.5em;}body .is-layout-flex{display: flex;}.is-layout-flex{flex-wrap: wrap;align-items: center;}.is-layout-flex > :is(*, div){margin: 0;}body .is-layout-grid{display: grid;}.is-layout-grid > :is(*, div){margin: 0;}:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-flex){gap: 2em;}:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-grid){gap: 2em;}:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-flex){gap: 1.25em;}:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-grid){gap: 1.25em;}.has-black-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-black-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-black-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red) !important;}.has-very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-cool-to-warm-spectrum-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--cool-to-warm-spectrum) !important;}.has-blush-light-purple-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--blush-light-purple) !important;}.has-blush-bordeaux-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--blush-bordeaux) !important;}.has-luminous-dusk-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-dusk) !important;}.has-pale-ocean-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--pale-ocean) !important;}.has-electric-grass-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--electric-grass) !important;}.has-midnight-gradient-background{background: var(--wp--preset--gradient--midnight) !important;}.has-small-font-size{font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--small) !important;}.has-medium-font-size{font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--medium) !important;}.has-large-font-size{font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--large) !important;}.has-x-large-font-size{font-size: var(--wp--preset--font-size--x-large) !important;} :where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-flex){gap: 1.25em;}:where(.wp-block-post-template.is-layout-grid){gap: 1.25em;} :where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-flex){gap: 2em;}:where(.wp-block-columns.is-layout-grid){gap: 2em;} :root :where(.wp-block-pullquote){font-size: 1.5em;line-height: 1.6;} </style> <link rel='stylesheet' id='contact-form-7-css' href='https://around.com/wp-content/plugins/contact-form-7/includes/css/styles.css?ver=5.9.7' media='all' /> <link rel='stylesheet' id='around-style-css' href='https://around.com/wp-content/themes/around/style.css?ver=1.0.1' media='all' /> <link rel='stylesheet' id='around-custom-style-css' href='https://around.com/wp-content/themes/around/assets/css/main.css?ver=1.0.1' media='all' /> <script src="https://around.com/wp-includes/js/jquery/jquery.min.js?ver=3.7.1" id="jquery-core-js"></script> <script src="https://around.com/wp-includes/js/jquery/jquery-migrate.min.js?ver=3.4.1" id="jquery-migrate-js"></script> <link rel="https://api.w.org/" href="https://around.com/wp-json/" /><link rel="EditURI" type="application/rsd+xml" title="RSD" href="https://around.com/xmlrpc.php?rsd" /> <meta name="generator" content="WordPress 6.7.2" /> <link rel='shortlink' href='https://around.com/?p=2371' /> <link rel="alternate" title="oEmbed (JSON)" type="application/json+oembed" href="https://around.com/wp-json/oembed/1.0/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Faround.com%2Fbooks%2Ffaster%2F" /> <link rel="alternate" title="oEmbed (XML)" type="text/xml+oembed" href="https://around.com/wp-json/oembed/1.0/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Faround.com%2Fbooks%2Ffaster%2F&format=xml" />   <meta name="fediverse:creator" content="@gleick@mas.to" />    <a rel="me" href="https://mas.to/@gleick"></a>  <style> /* Add your CSS code here. .section-about__contact h5 { color: red; } For brushing up on your CSS knowledge, check out http://www.w3schools.com/css/css_syntax.asp End of comment */ </style>  <meta property="fediverse:creator" name="fediverse:creator" content="jamesgleick@around.com" /> <link rel="icon" href="https://www.around.com/wp-content/uploads/cropped-cropped-Jacket-2-smaller-32x32.jpg" sizes="32x32" /> <link rel="icon" href="https://www.around.com/wp-content/uploads/cropped-cropped-Jacket-2-smaller-192x192.jpg" sizes="192x192" /> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="https://www.around.com/wp-content/uploads/cropped-cropped-Jacket-2-smaller-180x180.jpg" /> <meta name="msapplication-TileImage" content="https://www.around.com/wp-content/uploads/cropped-cropped-Jacket-2-smaller-270x270.jpg" /> <style> html { margin-top: 0 !important; } .js-ani-fade-up { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(40px); visibility: hidden; } </style> </head> <body class="books-template-default single single-books postid-2371"> <header id="masthead" class="site-header"> <div class="container"> <div class="container__inner"> <div class="site-header__grid"> <a href="#" class="nav-button"> <span></span> <span></span> <span></span> <span></span> </a> <div class="site-header__grid--logo"> <h1 class="site-title"><a href="https://around.com/" rel="home">James Gleick</a></h1> </div> <div class="site-header__grid--nav"> <nav class="navigation"> <div class="menu-primary-menu-container"><ul id="primary-menu" class="menu"><li id="menu-item-2314" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-2314"><a href="https://around.com/about/">About</a></li> <li id="menu-item-2313" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page current_page_parent menu-item-2313"><a href="https://around.com/latest/">Latest</a></li> <li id="menu-item-2361" class="menu-item menu-item-type-taxonomy menu-item-object-category menu-item-2361"><a href="https://around.com/category/archive/">Archive</a></li> <li id="menu-item-2317" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type_archive menu-item-object-books menu-item-2317"><a href="https://around.com/books/">Books</a></li> <li><a href="#" class="js-open-search nav-icon-search"><img src="https://around.com/wp-content/themes/around/assets/images/icon-search.svg"/></a></li></ul></div> </nav> </div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <div class="search-popup"> <div class="container"> <div class="container__inner"> <div class="search-popup__inner"> <form role="search" method="get" class="search-form" action="/"> <label> <span class="screen-reader-text">Search for:</span> <input type="search" class="search-field" placeholder="Search …" value="" name="s"> </label> <input type="submit" class="search-submit" value="Search"> </form> </div> </div> </div> </div> <main id="primary" class="site-main"> <div class="container"> <div class="container__inner"> <article class="single-book"> <div class="book-item"> <div class="book-item__img"> <img width="168" height="261" src="https://www.around.com/wp-content/uploads/faster1-e1426796672213.jpg" class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" /> </div> <div class="book-item__content"> <h2 class="book-item__title single">Faster: The Acceleration of Just About Everything</h2> <p class="book-item__pub"></p> <p class="book-item__pub">Pantheon, 1999</p> <div class="book-item__content--grid"> <div> <div> <p>A bracing account of the accelerating pace of change in today’s world.</p> <p>Most of us suffer some degree of “hurry sickness.” a malady that has launched us into the “epoch of the nanosecond,” a need-everything-yesterday sphere dominated by cell phones, computers, faxes, and remote controls. Yet for all the hours, minutes, and even seconds being saved, we’re still filling our days to the point that we have no time for such basic human activities as eating, sex, and relating to our families. Written with fresh insight and thorough research, <em>Faster</em> is a wise and witty look at a harried world not likely to slow down anytime soon.</p> </div> <h3 class="book-links__title"><span>Purchase</span></h3> <div class="book-links"> <a class="btn" href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/60761/faster-by-james-gleick/" target="_blank">Penguin Random House</a> <a class="btn" href="https://www.booksamillion.com/p/9780679775485?cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww&AID=10747236&PID=8373827&SID=PRHEFFDF5A7F1--9780679775485&cjevent=d94ffdac983711ee813705710a82b82c" target="_blank">Books-a-Million</a> <a class="btn" href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/067977548X" target="_blank">Amazon</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="single-book-testimonials"> <blockquote> “In years to come Faster will tell people what we were like as clearly as Dickens or Tom Wolfe.” <cite>Patricia Volk, <i>The New York Times</i></cite> </blockquote> <blockquote> “A book written nearly two decades ago that has not only stood the test of time but has grown all the more perceptive and prescient in the years since.... Gleick’s <i>Faster</i> is immeasurably insightful in its entirety and often strikingly prophetic.” <cite>Maria Popova</cite> </blockquote> </div> </article> </div> </div> <section class="single-contact"> <div class="container"> <div class="container__inner"> <div class="single-contact__grid"> <div> <h2 class="bold">Contact</h2> </div> <div> <div class="single-contact-text"> <h4>Find me in the open social web (fediverse; Mastodon): <a href="http://@gleick@mas.to" rel="noopener" target="_blank">@gleick@mas.to</a></h4> <h4><a rel="me" href="https://mas.to/@gleick">Mastodon</a></h4> <h4>Literary agent:<br /> Michael Carlisle<br /> at Inkwell Management,<br /> 521 Fifth Ave.,<br /> New York 10175.</h4> <h4>Or send a <a href="/contact/">private message.</a></h4> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </main> <footer class="site-footer"> <div class="container"> <div class="container__inner"> <div class="site-footer__bottom"> <div class="site-footer__bottom--left"> <p>© 2025 James Gleick. All rights reserved.</p> </div> <div class="site-footer__bottom--right"> <div class="menu-legal-menu-container"><ul id="legal-menu" class="footer-links"><li id="menu-item-2338" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-privacy-policy menu-item-2338"><a rel="privacy-policy" href="https://around.com/privacy-policy/">Privacy Policy</a></li> <li id="menu-item-2337" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-2337"><a href="https://around.com/terms-of-service/">Terms of Service</a></li> <li><a href="#" class="js-open-search nav-icon-search"><img src="https://around.com/wp-content/themes/around/assets/images/icon-search.svg"/></a></li></ul></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </footer> <script src="https://around.com/wp-includes/js/dist/hooks.min.js?ver=4d63a3d491d11ffd8ac6" id="wp-hooks-js"></script> <script src="https://around.com/wp-includes/js/dist/i18n.min.js?ver=5e580eb46a90c2b997e6" id="wp-i18n-js"></script> <script id="wp-i18n-js-after"> wp.i18n.setLocaleData( { 'text direction\u0004ltr': [ 'ltr' ] } ); </script> <script src="https://around.com/wp-content/plugins/contact-form-7/includes/swv/js/index.js?ver=5.9.7" id="swv-js"></script> <script id="contact-form-7-js-extra"> var wpcf7 = {"api":{"root":"https:\/\/around.com\/wp-json\/","namespace":"contact-form-7\/v1"}}; </script> <script src="https://around.com/wp-content/plugins/contact-form-7/includes/js/index.js?ver=5.9.7" id="contact-form-7-js"></script> <script src="https://around.com/wp-content/themes/around/js/navigation.js?ver=1.0.1" id="around-navigation-js"></script> <script src="https://around.com/wp-content/themes/around/assets/js/js-bundle.js?ver=1.0.1" id="ajax-js"></script> </body> </html>