Inventor of the Future

The Visionary Life of Buckminster Fuller

By: Alec Nevala-Lee

Narrated by: Rob Shapiro

From Alec Nevala-Lee, the author of the Hugo and Locus Award finalist Astounding, comes a revelatory biography of the visionary designer who defined the rules of startup culture and shaped America’s idea of the future.

During his lifetime, Buckminster Fuller was hailed as one of the greatest geniuses of the twentieth century. As the architectural designer and futurist best known for the geodesic dome, he enthralled a vast popular audience, inspired devotion from both the counterculture and the establishment, and was praised as a modern Leonardo da Vinci. To his admirers, he exemplified what one man could accomplish by approaching urgent design problems using a radically unconventional set of strategies, which he based on a mystical conception of the universe’s geometry. His views on sustainability, as embodied in the image of Spaceship Earth, convinced him that it was possible to provide for all humanity through the efficient use of planetary resources. From Epcot Center to the molecule named in his honor as the buckyball, Fuller’s legacy endures to this day, and his belief in the transformative potential of technology profoundly influenced the founders of Silicon Valley.

Inventor of the Future is the first authoritative biography to cover all aspects of Fuller’s career. Drawing on meticulous research, dozens of interviews, and thousands of unpublished documents, Nevala-Lee has produced a riveting portrait that transcends the myth of Fuller as an otherworldly generalist. It reconstructs the true origins of his most famous inventions, including the Dymaxion Car, the Wichita House, and the dome itself; his fraught relationships with his students and collaborators; his interactions with Frank Lloyd Wright, Isamu Noguchi, Clare Boothe Luce, John Cage, Steve Jobs, and many others; and his tumultuous private life, in which his determination to succeed on his own terms came at an immense personal cost. In an era of accelerating change, Fuller’s example remains enormously relevant, and his lessons for designers, activists, and innovators are as powerful and essential as ever.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 Alec Nevala-Lee (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers

I learned much about Buckminster Fuller!

I've studied Buckminster for for decades, but never knew all that much about his personal life, his psychology and his relationships with others to any extent. This was a magnificent book to enlighten those aspects of Fullers life. and I was quite surprised!

One of the original generalist

20th century Da Vinci. A man ahead of his time by at least five decades

What a complicated character

The book tells of the accomplishments of a very interesting and brilliant man. Also his personal foibles and many of his 'fake' accomplishments; things he failed to achieve or invent and really did not. His personal life is another rather tangled story.

It is a fascinating story and the narrator does an excellent job keeping it going. Kudos to Rob Shapiro. Well done. If this had been recorded by some 'AI' robot it would have been absolutely awful.

Thorough Look at Influential Influencer

I was back and forth about whether I liked this book. At times it was a chore to read/listen to (I have the print version too). It's an exhaustive look at Buckminster Fuller, at times almost overwhelming in personal detail. But overall, I really liked the book and the in-depth examination of a decidedly complicated individual, who was a mix of showman and innovator. In the end, Bucky's insight and influence are undeniable and worth this careful examination.

Overdue insight

Enjoyed discovering the man and his evolving strive and impactful life. Only wish I’d been made aware sooner.

A real slog …

Where was the editor? I often feel those who write biographies try to jam everything they know about a person into their book. This story could have benefited mightily from a good editors eye. Rather a than a simple chronological biography with no emphasis on anything, there could be an exciting story here but it would have to be written that way not as a “here is everything I found out about the guy”. And the narration is terrible. No emotion. Just a guy reading the manuscript with no vested interest. I would think twice before investing your time.