Stewart Brand Ordre des livres (chronologique)

This in-depth exploration of maintenance highlights its vital role in sustaining life and civilization. Often overlooked and easily deferred, maintenance becomes crucial when systems fail. The paradox lies in its necessity versus its optional nature. This first volume presents a comprehensive overview of maintenance's significance, beginning with the dramatic 1968 Golden Globe solo sailboat race, which showcases various maintenance styles under critical conditions. It delves into vehicle maintenance, from the passion of motorcycle enthusiasts to the competitive philosophies in the auto industry and the current state of electric vehicle production. The narrative also touches on the evolution of manufacturing precision, the importance of manuals, military sustainment, and the ongoing challenge of corrosion. This work challenges us to broaden our understanding of maintenance beyond routine tasks, framing it as a grand process essential for keeping things operational. It emphasizes the profound effects of maintenance on our lives and encourages us to take responsibility for maintaining everything from motorcycles to monuments and even our planet, suggesting that such actions can be radical and transformative.

Argues only science and engineering can save the planet from environmental catastrophe, and big investments are needed in nuclear energy, genetic engineering.

Provides a look at the future as it is envisioned by the Media Lab at MIT, where scientists are retooling mass media to the desires and whims of the individual