Innovation began before writing and before cities. It has shaped our lives and helped ensure our survival, yet we seldom give it the attention it deserves. Nails, nanobots and novels; papyrus, paper and Post-It notes; Morse code and microwave ovens - they all had to be invented. From tools and technologies to new ways of thinking, innovation is all around us.

Dispelling the myth of the lone genius, Leigh reveals the three true drivers of innovation: tinkering, teamwork and trade. From the dusty workshops of antiquity to today's gleaming laboratories, he explores hives of creativity, the conditions that help them flourish, and the inspiring ways new ideas spread.

A worthy successor to the bestselling The Shortest History of Economics, this is a dazzling account of human ingenuity through the ages.