Overview

Pinpoint tells the fascinating story of a hidden system that touches nearly every aspect of modern life. Tracking the development of GPS from its origins as a bomb guidance system to its present ubiquity, Greg Milner examines the technology’s double-edged effect on the way we live, work, and travel. Savvy and original, this sweeping scientific history offers startling insight into how humans understand their place in the world.

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Reviews

The reason that brains are so good at storing maps is because the brain is a map, and our collective internal map is now migrating somewhere else. Greg Milner's Pinpoint is a fascinating chronicle of how this happened and why-captured before the details had a chance to escape. -- George Dyson [An] entirely brilliant history of that most loved-and-loathed new technology, GPS. Every page was a treasure-house of fascinations: my temptation after finishing was to begin the book all over again, there being so much to absorb, all of it crucially important to understanding our world's dependence on one of modern civilization's new-made fundamentals. -- Simon Winchester Whenever people theorize about the collision of technology and culture, the Internet tends to consume all the oxygen in the room. But there is another global system that's taking over our lives in an even more insidious fashion, with stranger implications for the future of humanity. Pinpoint dissects the modern age of mapping and shows the hidden dangers of a world where nothing is hidden at all. -- Chuck Klosterman In Pinpoint, Greg Milner gives us a much-needed account of GPS, its history, philosophy, and the overwhelming consequences of its success. Funny, scary, and tremendously readable, Pinpoint will be an eye-opening thrill for anyone who has watched their blue dot dance around an online map. -- Andrew Blum, author of Tubes Milner's detailed examples will leave you questioning the ways in which GPS has infiltrated our lives. -- Science Fascinating...Milner expertly deconstructs the implications of this monumental shift in human life. -- Tim Adams - Observer A compelling exploration of how GPS became so ubiquitous-and what we lose when it's all we know of navigation. -- Outside Milner is a brisk and funny guide. -- Konstantin Kakaes - Wall Street Journal [A] compelling exploration of how GPS became so ubiquitous-and what we lose when it's all we know of navigation. -- Matthew Daddona - Outside [Milner] delves deep into the dense web of intersections between GPS-'the world's only free utility'-and all those other utilities we vitally depend on, with interesting side excursions into earthquake-detection and the GPS-assisted monitoring of offenders. -- Guardian Gripping...GPS is an engineering marvel, a global utility and a source of new threat all at once. -- New York Times Book Review GPS guides our world. Here at last is the amazing and well-told story of where it came from, how it works, and where it-and we-are going. -- Richard Rhodes, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Energy

GPS guides our world. Here at last is the amazing and well-told story of where it came from, how it works, and where it-and we-are going. -- Richard Rhodes, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Making of the Atomic Bomb In Pinpoint, Greg Milner gives us a much-needed account of GPS, its history, philosophy, and the overwhelming consequences of its success. Funny, scary, and tremendously readable, Pinpoint will be an eye-opening thrill for anyone who has watched their blue dot dance around an online map. -- Andrew Blum, author of Tubes Milner is a brisk and funny guide. -- Konstantin Kakaes - Wall Street Journal No technology has transformed the human landscape so completely, yet been taken for granted so quickly, as GPS. The reason that brains are so good at storing maps is because the brain is a map, and our collective internal map is now migrating somewhere else. Greg Milner's Pinpoint is a fascinating chronicle of how this happened and why-captured before the details had a chance to escape. -- George Dyson An informative yarn. -- James Anthony - Evening Standard [A] joy to read... It will be a strong contender for my science book of 2016. -- Clive Cookson - Financial Times One of the most mesmerizing and exhilarating, yet alarming modern technology books... By any standards, it is an extraordinary tale. -- Gillian Tett - Financial Times [A]ssured technological history. -- Nature A deeply researched book with fascinating interludes... [Milner] explains the technological principles lucidly. -- Stephen Poole - New Statesman [A] suitably precise and fascinating account of the modern evolution of [GPS]... Milner expertly deconstructs the implications of this monumental shift in human life. -- Tim Adams - Observer In this startling and persuasive book, American journalist Greg Milner shows how [GPS] saturates our existence... [Milner] suggests that GPS is as potent and pervasive a force as the Internet - if much less well understood. -- James McConachie - Sunday Times [A] welcome guide to where [GPS] came from, what it does and where it might be taking us. -- Damian Whitworth - The Times Dramatically illustrating just what the GPS might be taking from the human race, Milner recounts the feats of early Polynesian seafarers who traversed wide Pacific expanses guided by nothing but their dauntless minds... [A] fascinating probe into an increasingly ubiquitous technology. -- Bryce Christensen - Booklist (starred review)

Dramatically illustrating just what the GPS might be taking from the human race, Milner recounts the feats of early Polynesian seafarers who traversed wide Pacific expanses guided by nothing but their dauntless minds. . . . [A] fascinating probe into an increasingly ubiquitous technology. -- Bryce Christensen - Booklist (starred review) [A] welcome guide to where [GPS] came from, what it does and where it might be taking us. -- Damian Whitworth - The Times In this startling and persuasive book, American journalist Greg Milner shows how [GPS] saturates our existence... [Milner] suggests that GPS is as potent and pervasive a force as the Internet - if much less well understood. -- James McConachie - Sunday Times [A] suitably precise and fascinating account of the modern evolution of [GPS]... Milner expertly deconstructs the implications of this monumental shift in human life. -- Tim Adams - Observer A deeply researched book with fascinating interludes... [Milner] explains the technological principles lucidly. -- Stephen Poole - New Statesman [A]ssured technological history. -- Nature If you read only one practice-building book this year, this is the one! Lynn Grodzki, psychotherapist and extraordinary practice-building coach, outlines her successful 4-step process for crisis-proofing your practice. With the laser focus of a seasoned business professional, the empathy of a compassionate therapist, and the light touch of a great coach, Grodzki shows you exactly what to do to keep your practice thriving in any economy. Follow the easy step-by-step roadmap in this book to get your phone ringing! -- Gillian Tett - Financial Times [A] joy to read... It will be a strong contender for my science book of 2016. -- Clive Cookson - Financial Times An informative yarn. -- James Anthony - Evening Standard No technology has transformed the human landscape so completely, yet been taken for granted so quickly, as GPS. The reason that brains are so good at storing maps is because the brain is a map, and our collective internal map is now migrating somewhere else. Greg Milner's Pinpoint is a fascinating chronicle of how this happened and why-captured before the details had a chance to escape. -- George Dyson Milner is a brisk and funny guide. -- Konstantin Kakaes - Wall Street Journal In Pinpoint, Greg Milner gives us a much-needed account of GPS, its history, philosophy, and the overwhelming consequences of its success. Funny, scary, and tremendously readable, Pinpoint will be an eye-opening thrill for anyone who has watched their blue dot dance around an online map. -- Andrew Blum, author of Tubes GPS guides our world. Here at last is the amazing and well-told story of where it came from, how it works, and where it-and we-are going. -- Richard Rhodes, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Making of the Atomic Bomb

Dramatically illustrating just what the GPS might be taking from the human race, Milner recounts the feats of early Polynesian seafarers who traversed wide Pacific expanses guided by nothing but their dauntless minds. . . . [A] fascinating probe into an increasingly ubiquitous technology.--Bryce Christensen (04/28/2016)

Author Information

Greg Milner is the author of Pinpoint and Perfecting Sound Forever, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. His writing has appeared in Wired, New York, Slate, Village Voice, Salon, Spin, and Rolling Stone. He lives with his family in Brooklyn, New York.

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