Creating Things That Matter

The Art and Science of Innovations That Last

By: David Edwards

Narrated by: Timothy Andrés Pabon

Most things we create will not matter. This book is about creating things that do, from a master innovator who brings science and art together in his cutting edge labs.

Art and science are famous opposites. Contemporary innovation mostly keeps them far apart. But in this book, David Edwards - world-renowned inventor; Harvard professor of the practice of idea translation; creator of breathable insulin, edible food packaging, and digital scents - reveals that the secret to creating very new things of lasting benefit, including innovations we will need to sustain human life on the planet, lies in perceiving art and science as one.

Here Edwards shares how he discovered a way of creating that transcends disciplines and incorporates the principles of aesthetics. He introduces us to cutting-edge artists, musicians, architects, physicists, mathematicians, engineers, chefs, choreographers, and novelists (among others) and uncovers a three-step cycle they all share in creating things that durably matter. This creator cycle looks unlike what we associate with game-changing innovation today, and aligns the most expressive art and the most revolutionary science in a radical reimagining of how we live. David Edwards and the innovators he profiles belong to an emerging grassroots renaissance flourishing in special environments that we all can make in our schools, companies and homes.

Creating Things That Matter is a book for anyone wondering what tomorrow might be, and at last half believing that what they do can make a difference.

©2018 David Edwards (P)2018 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Hugely Disappointing

I do not think this book was edited, topics jump for one another hence it is very difficult to follow what the messages are. Statements are made but not followed through with explanations. I just really do not know what the real purpose of this book is.

I am so disappointed spending the money on this.

eh...

narrorator was good not the best I've heard. Story was a C minus. it was a little disorganized with random thoughts about his class and travels thrown about. I wish the author would have talked more about his students and how they viewed inventing. instead I found my self a little bored when hearing about some of the great inventors he wrote about I found there was too much repetition on things that I found less important than some of the gems of wisdom the author stated in a couple of chapters. this book is not for you if you want to gain inspiration on your next small business idea, rather it is a look at what worked and what didnt for some of the great contemporary/past inventors and how they view inventing.(which is not the worst thing to learn about).

Things that matter to the author and other elites

Wow, what a great title and important topic. Unfortunately I still don't understand how to create things that matter.

Making a lot of money from selling your company, being interviewed on NPR, building a laboratory in Paris called "the laboratory", and teaching at Harvard all seem important. Creating a beautiful thing is important too and is associated with things that matter. What is beauty and how do we make beautiful things? Oh, I don't know, make them aesthetically pleasing. How and what is beauty...again? Well an ipad is beautiful and that's probably why it matters. Things that matter are things that are around for a long time. So make sure your thing is around for a long time and changes people's lives.

Here are the steps: 1. think about a thing; 2. make a thing; 3. show the thing. Repeat. Also interview world famous chefs, playwrights, CEOs and hang around MIT and Harvard.

You might experience hardships when trying to create things that matter. For example, the economy might collapse and instead of obtaining that prestigious faculty position at a top school in California you might have to wait a few years. Don't worry though because then you can teach at Harvard. Did I mention I teach at Harvard? Harvard.

You might not have a great idea immediately. You silly student, you don't have a great idea!? You spent all your time in high school meticulously studying and being conservative so you can get into Harvard (where I teach, btw) and now you don't have any ideas!? I have great ideas all the time, how about inhaling chocolate so you don't have to eat it? That's a great idea I had and now it's a company making money. So that mattered.

Honestly, I gave the book a chance. But the author is stuck in such an echo-chamber/bubble/academic-castle that his recommendations are near useless for people who want to create small things that matter outside of Boston.

Thanks for coming to my ted talk.