The Way Things Work Now

By David Macaulay,

Book cover of The Way Things Work Now

Book description

A New York Times Bestseller

Explainer-in-Chief David Macaulay updates the worldwide bestseller The New Way Things Work to capture the latest developments in the technology that most impacts our lives. Famously packed with information on the inner workings of everything from windmills to Wi-Fi, this extraordinary and humorous book both…

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Why read it?

2 authors picked The Way Things Work Now as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This book is all about Macaulay's incredible draftsmanship, almost like Leonardo Davinci's.

It's full of wit and wisdom and has had to be constantly revised as new technologies emerge (I don't think we had VR Goggles in 1988). So, it's a bit like science itself.

From Geoff's list on science for kids and adults.

If you have a child who’s interested in the inner workings of things, or who has lots of “why” questions, you need this book. It’s been updated since its prior version and now covers stuff like digital cameras, e-paper displays, and lots of other classics like robots and gears. The great part is it starts with the basics and goes up in complexity—I’ve used the simple stories with young kids and the complex diagrams to teach science topics to middle schoolers. And the visual nature of the book lends itself to kids flipping through and seizing on what catches their…

From Rebecca's list on having great conversations with kids.

Want books like The Way Things Work Now?

Our community of 11,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like The Way Things Work Now.

Browse books like The Way Things Work Now

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in technology, woolly mammoths, and innovation?

Technology 127 books
Woolly Mammoths 4 books
Innovation 84 books