Description:
Over a 60-year career in public affairs, Vannevar Bush—engineer, inventor, educator, and public face of government-funded science—sought to eliminate roadblocks to innovation in science and technology. In Pieces of the Action, a collection of memoir-essays, he reflects on his role in shaping the policies and organizations that powered American research and development in the mid-20th century.
As the architect and administrator of an R&D pipeline that efficiently coordinated the work of civilian scientists and the military during World War II, he was central to catalyzing the development of radar and the proximity fuze, the mass production of penicillin, and the initiation of the Manhattan Project. Pieces of the Action offers his hard-won lessons on how to operate and manage effectively within complex organizations, build bridges between people and disciplines, and drive ambitious, unprecedented programs to fruition. With wry humor, Bush also shares personal observations and anecdotes—pelting cows with apples, poking fun at servicemen who tried to keep his own invention secret from him—that offer a glimpse of the personality behind the accolades.
Originally published in 1970, this updated edition includes 15 archival images from Bush’s life and career and a foreword from entrepreneur and Idea Machines podcast host Ben Reinhardt that contextualizes the lessons Pieces of the Action can offer to contemporary readers: that change depends both on heroic individuals and effective organizations; that a leader’s job is one of coordination; and that the path from idea to innovation is a long and winding one, inextricably bound to those involved—those enduring figures who have a piece of the action.
Review
—Jason Crawford, writer at The Roots of Progress
“Pieces of the Action provides a window into the way Bush saw himself―not as a great man or leader, but as part of a larger cultural tradition, equipping new generations with knowledge from past ones. I came away encouraged and inspired by the knowledge that great things can be built in spite of stagnation, rigid norms, and conventions, through the determination and foresight of people who work to change institutions―and build new ones, too.”
—Saloni Dattani, cofounder and editor of Works in Progress and researcher at Our World in Data
“Pieces of the Action is not just about science and innovation, it’s about state capacity. Anyone who longs for renewed, effective institutions will find the wisdom of a kindred spirit reflecting on how to build them.”
—Eli Dourado, economist and senior research fellow at the Center for Growth and Opportunity at Utah State University
“It’s hard to deny that Vannevar Bush was at the nexus of an astounding number of people and events that shaped the modern world. In Pieces of the Action, he works hard to give us a window into his thought processes, and from them distill timeless lessons about leadership, research, institution building, and human nature. Bush was a scientist, a statesman, an entrepreneur, a tinkerer, a leader, an educator, and an excellent storyteller, and Pieces of the Action has a yarn and a lesson for everyone.”
—Ben Reinhardt, CEO of PARPA, researcher at the Astera Institute, and host of the Idea Machines podcast
“Pieces of the Action catalogs the scientists and engineers who were pivotal to an Allied victory in World War II―and how the ad-hoc organizations born out of that crisis ultimately provided the blueprints for our modern scientific institutions. If you want to understand the ‘man in the arena’ at the center of it all, this discursive, blunt, and often funny memoir is the best place to start.”
—Alec Stapp, cofounder and co-CEO of the Institute for Progress
“Written without pretension. . . this volume will richly reward readers from a wide variety of fields―science, engineering, industry, education, the military, politics, and public and business administration.”
—Irvin Stewart, Science
“Pieces of the Action is an often-whimsical ride through time and the mind of the man whose insight, strategic instincts, and institutional empire-building formed the basis of the modern scientific state. One comes away with a view of scientific development that is anything but linear: the gravitational weight of historical contingencies, idiosyncratic personnel, and key management decisions described in Pieces of the Action continue to profoundly impact us today.”
—Caleb Watney, cofounder and co-CEO of the Institute for Progress
About the Author
Details:
Visit the Stripe Press Store
Pieces of the Action
QAR30073
Quantity:
Order today to get by 7-14 business days
This item qualifies for free delivery
Imported From: United States
At BOLO, we work hard to ensure the products you receive are new, genuine, and sourced from reputable suppliers.
Every product in the BOLO catalogue is sourced through our Verified Global Supply Network of verified sellers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.
Each product undergoes thorough inspection and verification at our consolidation and fulfilment centers to ensure it meets our strict authenticity and quality standards before being shipped and delivered to you.
If you ever have concerns regarding the authenticity of a product purchased from us, please contact Bolo Support. We will review your inquiry promptly and, if necessary, provide documentation verifying authenticity or offer a suitable resolution.
Your trust is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in every transaction.
While we strive to display accurate information, variations in packaging, labeling, instructions, or formulation may occasionally occur due to regional differences or supplier updates. For detailed or manufacturer-specific information, please contact the brand directly or reach out to BOLO Support for assistance.
Unless otherwise stated, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.
BOLO operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of Qatar. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the Qatar will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in Qatar are listed on our website.
All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.
All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.
Praise for Pieces of the Action
A front-row seat to the most important R&D work of the 20th century.
“Scientific and technological progress depend crucially on leadership. Bush understood this better than anyone, and he had a front-row seat to the most important R&D work of the 20th century. This candid memoir gave me a better understanding of how research leadership works and why it’s desperately needed.”
—Jason Crawford, writer at The Roots of Progress
Great things can be built in spite of stagnation . . . through determination and foresight.
“Pieces of the Action provides a window into the way Bush saw himself: as part of a larger cultural tradition, equipping new generations with knowledge from past ones. I came away inspired by the knowledge that great things can be built in spite of stagnation, rigid norms, and conventions, through the determination and foresight of people who work to change institutions.”
—Saloni Dattani, cofounder and editor of Works in Progress and researcher at Our World in Data
At the nexus of an astounding number of people and events that shaped the modern world.
“It’s hard to deny that Vannevar Bush was at the nexus of an astounding number of people and events that shaped the modern world. In Pieces of the Action, he works hard to give us a window into his thought processes, and from them distill timeless lessons about leadership, research, institution building, and human nature.”
—Ben Reinhardt, CEO of PARPA, researcher at the Astera Institute, and host of the Idea Machines podcast
A view of scientific development that is anything but linear.
"One comes away with a view of scientific development that is anything but linear: the gravitational weight of historical contingencies, idiosyncratic personnel, and key management decisions described in Pieces of the Action continue to profoundly impact us today.”
—Caleb Watney, cofounder and co-CEO of the Institute for Progress
Catalogs the scientists and engineers who were pivotal to an Allied victory in World War II.
“Pieces of the Action catalogs the scientists and engineers who were pivotal to an Allied victory in World War II—and how the ad-hoc organizations born out of that crisis ultimately provided the blueprints for our modern scientific institutions.”
—Alec Stapp, cofounder and co-CEO of the Institute for Progress
Not just about science and innovation, but about state capacity.
“Pieces of the Action is not just about science and innovation, it’s about state capacity. Anyone who longs for renewed, effective institutions will find the wisdom of a kindred spirit reflecting on how to build them.”
—Eli Dourado, economist and senior research fellow at the Center for Growth and Opportunity at Utah State University
More from this brand
Similar items from “World War II”
Share with
Or share with link
https://www.bolo.qa/products/U1953953204
Visit the Stripe Press Store
Pieces of the Action
QAR30073
Quantity:
Order today to get by 7-14 business days
This item qualifies for free delivery
Imported From: United States
At BOLO, we work hard to ensure the products you receive are new, genuine, and sourced from reputable suppliers.
Every product in the BOLO catalogue is sourced through our Verified Global Supply Network of verified sellers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.
Each product undergoes thorough inspection and verification at our consolidation and fulfilment centers to ensure it meets our strict authenticity and quality standards before being shipped and delivered to you.
If you ever have concerns regarding the authenticity of a product purchased from us, please contact Bolo Support. We will review your inquiry promptly and, if necessary, provide documentation verifying authenticity or offer a suitable resolution.
Your trust is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in every transaction.
While we strive to display accurate information, variations in packaging, labeling, instructions, or formulation may occasionally occur due to regional differences or supplier updates. For detailed or manufacturer-specific information, please contact the brand directly or reach out to BOLO Support for assistance.
Unless otherwise stated, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.
BOLO operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of Qatar. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the Qatar will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in Qatar are listed on our website.
All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.
All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.
Description:
Over a 60-year career in public affairs, Vannevar Bush—engineer, inventor, educator, and public face of government-funded science—sought to eliminate roadblocks to innovation in science and technology. In Pieces of the Action, a collection of memoir-essays, he reflects on his role in shaping the policies and organizations that powered American research and development in the mid-20th century.
As the architect and administrator of an R&D pipeline that efficiently coordinated the work of civilian scientists and the military during World War II, he was central to catalyzing the development of radar and the proximity fuze, the mass production of penicillin, and the initiation of the Manhattan Project. Pieces of the Action offers his hard-won lessons on how to operate and manage effectively within complex organizations, build bridges between people and disciplines, and drive ambitious, unprecedented programs to fruition. With wry humor, Bush also shares personal observations and anecdotes—pelting cows with apples, poking fun at servicemen who tried to keep his own invention secret from him—that offer a glimpse of the personality behind the accolades.
Originally published in 1970, this updated edition includes 15 archival images from Bush’s life and career and a foreword from entrepreneur and Idea Machines podcast host Ben Reinhardt that contextualizes the lessons Pieces of the Action can offer to contemporary readers: that change depends both on heroic individuals and effective organizations; that a leader’s job is one of coordination; and that the path from idea to innovation is a long and winding one, inextricably bound to those involved—those enduring figures who have a piece of the action.
Review
—Jason Crawford, writer at The Roots of Progress
“Pieces of the Action provides a window into the way Bush saw himself―not as a great man or leader, but as part of a larger cultural tradition, equipping new generations with knowledge from past ones. I came away encouraged and inspired by the knowledge that great things can be built in spite of stagnation, rigid norms, and conventions, through the determination and foresight of people who work to change institutions―and build new ones, too.”
—Saloni Dattani, cofounder and editor of Works in Progress and researcher at Our World in Data
“Pieces of the Action is not just about science and innovation, it’s about state capacity. Anyone who longs for renewed, effective institutions will find the wisdom of a kindred spirit reflecting on how to build them.”
—Eli Dourado, economist and senior research fellow at the Center for Growth and Opportunity at Utah State University
“It’s hard to deny that Vannevar Bush was at the nexus of an astounding number of people and events that shaped the modern world. In Pieces of the Action, he works hard to give us a window into his thought processes, and from them distill timeless lessons about leadership, research, institution building, and human nature. Bush was a scientist, a statesman, an entrepreneur, a tinkerer, a leader, an educator, and an excellent storyteller, and Pieces of the Action has a yarn and a lesson for everyone.”
—Ben Reinhardt, CEO of PARPA, researcher at the Astera Institute, and host of the Idea Machines podcast
“Pieces of the Action catalogs the scientists and engineers who were pivotal to an Allied victory in World War II―and how the ad-hoc organizations born out of that crisis ultimately provided the blueprints for our modern scientific institutions. If you want to understand the ‘man in the arena’ at the center of it all, this discursive, blunt, and often funny memoir is the best place to start.”
—Alec Stapp, cofounder and co-CEO of the Institute for Progress
“Written without pretension. . . this volume will richly reward readers from a wide variety of fields―science, engineering, industry, education, the military, politics, and public and business administration.”
—Irvin Stewart, Science
“Pieces of the Action is an often-whimsical ride through time and the mind of the man whose insight, strategic instincts, and institutional empire-building formed the basis of the modern scientific state. One comes away with a view of scientific development that is anything but linear: the gravitational weight of historical contingencies, idiosyncratic personnel, and key management decisions described in Pieces of the Action continue to profoundly impact us today.”
—Caleb Watney, cofounder and co-CEO of the Institute for Progress
About the Author
Details:
Praise for Pieces of the Action
A front-row seat to the most important R&D work of the 20th century.
“Scientific and technological progress depend crucially on leadership. Bush understood this better than anyone, and he had a front-row seat to the most important R&D work of the 20th century. This candid memoir gave me a better understanding of how research leadership works and why it’s desperately needed.”
—Jason Crawford, writer at The Roots of Progress
Great things can be built in spite of stagnation . . . through determination and foresight.
“Pieces of the Action provides a window into the way Bush saw himself: as part of a larger cultural tradition, equipping new generations with knowledge from past ones. I came away inspired by the knowledge that great things can be built in spite of stagnation, rigid norms, and conventions, through the determination and foresight of people who work to change institutions.”
—Saloni Dattani, cofounder and editor of Works in Progress and researcher at Our World in Data
At the nexus of an astounding number of people and events that shaped the modern world.
“It’s hard to deny that Vannevar Bush was at the nexus of an astounding number of people and events that shaped the modern world. In Pieces of the Action, he works hard to give us a window into his thought processes, and from them distill timeless lessons about leadership, research, institution building, and human nature.”
—Ben Reinhardt, CEO of PARPA, researcher at the Astera Institute, and host of the Idea Machines podcast
A view of scientific development that is anything but linear.
"One comes away with a view of scientific development that is anything but linear: the gravitational weight of historical contingencies, idiosyncratic personnel, and key management decisions described in Pieces of the Action continue to profoundly impact us today.”
—Caleb Watney, cofounder and co-CEO of the Institute for Progress
Catalogs the scientists and engineers who were pivotal to an Allied victory in World War II.
“Pieces of the Action catalogs the scientists and engineers who were pivotal to an Allied victory in World War II—and how the ad-hoc organizations born out of that crisis ultimately provided the blueprints for our modern scientific institutions.”
—Alec Stapp, cofounder and co-CEO of the Institute for Progress
Not just about science and innovation, but about state capacity.
“Pieces of the Action is not just about science and innovation, it’s about state capacity. Anyone who longs for renewed, effective institutions will find the wisdom of a kindred spirit reflecting on how to build them.”
—Eli Dourado, economist and senior research fellow at the Center for Growth and Opportunity at Utah State University
More from this brand
Similar items from “World War II”
Share with
Or share with link
https://www.bolo.qa/products/U1953953204