About the book
'The Quiet Before is a fascinating and important exploration of how ideas that change the world incubate and spread.' Steven Pinker
'Filled with insightful analysis and colourful storytelling... Rarely does a book give you a new way of looking at social change. This one does.' Walter Isaacson
Why do some radical ideas make history?
We tend to think of revolutions as loud: frustrations and demands shouted in the streets. But the ideas fuelling them have traditionally been conceived in much quieter spaces, in the small, secluded corners where a vanguard can imagine alternate realities. This extraordinary book is a search for those spaces, over centuries and across continents, and a warning that they might soon go extinct.
The Quiet Before is a grand panorama, stretching from the seventeenth-century correspondence that jump-started the scientific revolution to the encrypted apps used by epidemiologists fighting the pandemic in the shadow of an inept administration. Beckerman shows that defining social movements - from decolonization to feminism - thrive when they are given the time and space to gestate.
Today, we are replacing these productive, private spaces with monolithic platforms. Why did the Arab Spring fall apart and Occupy Wall Street never gain traction? Has Black Lives Matter lived up to its full potential? Beckerman reveals what this new social media ecosystem still needs - from patience to focus - and offers a recipe for growing radical ideas again.
Lyrical and profound, The Quiet Before looks to the past to help us imagine a different future.
Editions of Quiet Before
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781787636200
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781529177404
- EBook
- ISBN 9781529194074
- AudioStreaming
- ISBN 9781529195095
Read an Excerpt
'The Quiet Before is a fascinating and important exploration of how ideas that change the world incubate and spread.' Steven Pinker
'Filled with insightful analysis and colourful storytelling... Rarely does a book give you a new way of looking at social change. This one does.' Walter Isaacson
Why do some radical ideas make history?
We tend to think of revolutions as loud: frustrations and demands shouted in the streets. But the ideas fuelling them have traditionally been conceived in much quieter spaces, in the small, secluded corners where a vanguard can imagine alternate realities. This extraordinary book is a search for those spaces, over centuries and across continents, and a warning that they might soon go extinct.
The Quiet Before is a grand panorama, stretching from the seventeenth-century correspondence that jump-started the scientific revolution to the encrypted apps used by epidemiologists fighting the pandemic in the shadow of an inept administration. Beckerman shows that defining social movements - from decolonization to feminism - thrive when they are given the time and space to gestate.
Today, we are replacing these productive, private spaces with monolithic platforms. Why did the Arab Spring fall apart and Occupy Wall Street never gain traction? Has Black Lives Matter lived up to its full potential? Beckerman reveals what this new social media ecosystem still needs - from patience to focus - and offers a recipe for growing radical ideas again.
Lyrical and profound, The Quiet Before looks to the past to help us imagine a different future.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Quiet Before about?
'The Quiet Before is a fascinating and important exploration of how ideas that change the world incubate and spread.' Steven Pinker
'Filled with insightful analysis and colourful storytelling... Rarely does a book give you a new way of looking at social change. This one does.' Walter Isaacson
Why do some radical ideas make history?
We tend to think of revolutions as loud: frustrations and demands shouted in the streets. But the ideas fuelling them have traditionally been conceived in much quieter spaces, in the small, secluded corners where a vanguard can imagine alternate realities. This extraordinary book is a search for those spaces, over centuries and across continents, and a warning that they might soon go extinct.
The Quiet Before is a grand panorama, stretching from the seventeenth-century correspondence that jump-started the scientific revolution to the encrypted apps used by epidemiologists fighting the pandemic in the shadow of an inept administration. Beckerman shows that defining social movements - from decolonization to feminism - thrive when they are given the time and space to gestate.
Today, we are replacing these productive, private spaces with monolithic platforms. Why did the Arab Spring fall apart and Occupy Wall Street never gain traction? Has Black Lives Matter lived up to its full potential? Beckerman reveals what this new social media ecosystem still needs - from patience to focus - and offers a recipe for growing radical ideas again.
Lyrical and profound, The Quiet Before looks to the past to help us imagine a different future.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Quiet Before?
Society and Social Sciences > Politics and government > Political activism / Political engagement > Pressure groups, protest movements and non-violent action
Where can I read a sample of Quiet Before?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781787636200
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Quiet Before?
Gal Beckerman
Who is the Publisher of the book Quiet Before?
Transworld
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Quiet Before is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781787636200) and paperback(ISBN 9781529177404) and ebook(ISBN 9781529194074) and audiostreaming(ISBN 9781529195095)
Where can I buy Quiet Before online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Quiet Before from below
Where can I buy Quiet Before?