I know that many readers of the CNI-announce list share my interest in speculations about the future, and how technology, society, and scholarship may evolve to create that future. I've recently read what I thought was a very elegant book that I highly reccomend to those who share those interests titled "A History of the Future in 100 Objects" by Adrian Hon.

Adrian Hon's book is partially inspired by the recent exhibition (and accompanying book) by Neal MacGregor at the British Museum summarizing the history of civilization in 100 objects, and envisions 100 objects (broadly defined; some are really events or other developments that are in some sense represented by an object) from the period 2014 - 2087 that chart the evolution of civilization during that period.

You can find information about this book, and excerpts from it, at

http://ahistoryofthefuture.org/


Enjoy.

Clifford Lynch
Director, CNI