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Linked cover art

Linked

By: Albert-Laszlo Barabasi
Narrated by: Henry Leyva
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Summary

From a cocktail party to a terrorist cell, from an ancient bacteria to an international conglomerate - all are networks, and all are part of a surprising scientific revolution. A maverick group of scientists is discovering that all networks have a deep underlying order and operate according to simple but powerful rules. This knowledge promises to shed light on the spread of fads and viruses, the robustness of ecosystems, the vulnerability of economies - even the future of democracy.

Now, for the first time, a scientist whose own work has transformed the study of "links and nodes" takes us inside the unfolding network revolution. Albert-Laszlo Barabasi traces the fascinating history of connected systems, beginning with mathematician Leonhard Euler's first forays into graph theory in the late 1700s and culminating in biologists' development of cancer drugs based on a new understanding of cellular networks.

Combining narrative flare with sparkling insights, Barabasi introduces us to the myriad modern-day "cartographers" mapping networks in a range of scientific disciplines. Aided by powerful computers, they are proving that social networks, corporations, and cells are more similar than they are different. Their discoveries provide an important new perspective on the interconnected world around us.

Linked reveals how Google came to be the Internet's most popular search engine, how Vernon Jordan's social network affects the entire American economy, what it would take to bring down a terrorist organization like al Qaeda, and why an obscure finding of Einstein's could change the way we look at the networks in our own lives. Understanding the structure and behavior of networks will forever alter our world, allowing us to design the "perfect" business or stop a disease outbreak before it goes global.

Engaging and authoritative, Linked provides an exciting preview of the next century in science.

Also available in print from Perseus Publishing.

©2002 Albert-Laszlo Barabasi
(P)2002 Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"A sweeping look at a new and exciting science." (Donald Kennedy, Editor-in-Chief, Science Magazine)

"Captivating.... Linked is a playful, even exuberant romp through an exciting new field." (Time Out New York

What listeners say about Linked

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

So Good!

This is a fantastic book and one I have come back to and re-listened several times. The ideas presented here are just so fascinating. I never dreamed I would like this book so much. It's over six months ago since I first heard it but I still think about, and talk about, it a lot. This is not a lot of high foluting scientific stuff you can't understand, quite the opposite - it's clear, it's endlesly fascinating and relevant to everyday life - well my life anyway! After you've heard it you will be dying to play the Kevin Bacon game!

The narrator is great too. A pleasure to listen to.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
  • MJ
  • 06-04-17

Seven Bridges No Convenient Route

Fascinatingly insightful and wide reaching, which is typical of explorations into complexity. It wanders off down wonderful avenues, a few dead ends, but mostly looking back around synonymous with the characteristics of the networks being unfolded in the narrative. A few of the concepts have moved on considerably in the intervening years - after all it is the century of complexity - but the historical contexts and the building of the complementary concepts stands the test of time. Seven bridges no unique route! I think this is where Gladwell knicked most of his ideas, albeit that here they are steeped in the intricate windings of scientific provenance, rather than opinion.
Bit boring here and there, but hey, it's worth sticking with a classic!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful read, great subject area,

The book has a good pace with relevant depth, background and incite, allowing access to a new area of study for me, well worth a read

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

The Book is really good and worth Reading

The Book is really good and worth Reading , as this is said it is really a good book with lot of information.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Tediously labours the point

The points made are interesting but the author makes them time and time again and labours the point too often.

I don't know if he is trying to flesh out what should have been a briefer book or doesn't have confidence in his ability to explain the subject matter in a manner that the audience can understand.

I ended up becoming frustrated and thinking 'I know, you've said so five times already' when listening to this audiobook and is the only one I?ve not listened to all the way though. I think an abridged version would have been better!

There are far better science books out there about Emergence in my opinion - even though few are on audiobook yet.

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