Gizmo - (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

We live in a world where many aspects of late twentieth century science fiction have become technological reality. As gadgets and technology in general have become more miniaturised, sleek and capable, so too has an appetite for the sort of quirky, retro tech that wistfully reminds us of earlier times. Nintendo has enjoyed great success with the re-release of their console systems from the 1980s, and US brand Analogue has created a hardware emulator for Sega's classic Mega Drive games. Audio formats such as vinyl records and cassettes have seen a resurgence, along with the devices that can play them.

This book sets out to provide a comprehensive survey of electronic and time-saving gadgets and devices, their evolution and genealogy, revealing where they come from, and how they are developed. In charting the diverse spectrum of gizmos by type and purpose, it uncovers the sometimes unexpected connections between them. Finally, we discover how these technologies have become the nexus of our interaction with each other and the world around us, shaping creativity and culture, storing memories, helping, guiding and, increasingly, thinking for us.

About the Author

Simon Tyler is an author and illustrator, based in Hastings, UK. His first book - Bugs - was published in 2017. He followed that with Adventures in Space in 2018, and Adventures on Earth in 2019. In 2020, Faber & Faber published Emergency Vehicles, a non-fiction picture book for a younger audience. His work has been sold around the world, featuring in The Times, Telegraph, Mail Online, The Guardian, Independent, Elle Decoration, It's Nice That, and others.