How to Fly a Horse：The Secret History of Creation, Invention, and Discovery

AsatechnologypioneeratMITandastheleaderofthreesuccessfulstart-ups，KevinAshtonexperiencedfirsthandtheall-consumingchallengeofcreatingsomethingnew.Now，inatour-de-forcenarrativetwentyyearsinthemaking，Ashtonleadsusonajourneythroughhumanity’sgreatestcreationstouncoverthesurprisingtruthbehindwhocreatesandhowtheydoit.Fromthecrystallographer’slaboratorywherethesecretsofDNAwerefirstrevealedbyalongforgottenwoman，totheelectromagneticchamberwherethestealthbomberwasbornonatwenty-five-centbet，totheOhiobicycleshopwheretheWrightbrotherssetoutto“flyahorse，”Ashtonshowcasestheseeminglyunremarkableindividuals，gradualsteps，multiplefailures，andcountlessordinaryandusuallyuncreditedactsthatleadtoourmostastoundingbreakthroughs.Creators，heshows，applyinparticularwaystheeveryday，ordinarythinkingofwhichweareallcapable，takingthousandsofsmallstepsandworkinginanendlessloopofproblemandsolution.Heexamineswhyinnovatorsmeetresistanceandhowtheyovercomeit，whymostorganizationsstiflecreativepeople，andhowthemostcreativeorganizationswork.Drawingonexamplesfromart，science，business，andinvention，fromMozarttotheMuppets，ArchimedestoApple，KandinskytoacanofCoke，HowtoFlyaHorseisapassionateandimmenselyrewardingexplorationofhow“new”comestobe.