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Little Blue Dot

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What to expect

Bloomsbury presents Little Blue Dot by Katherine Dunn, read by Laurel Lefkow

The unexplored history of GPS, a military technology turned daily necessity that impacts all aspects of our lives.

Gone are the days when we pulled off to the side of the road, twisted a map this way and that, and squinted in exasperation before saying, “We’re lost.” Now, a network of satellites that circles the earth points us in the right direction. The Global Positioning System is embedded not only in our phones but in our cultural history and our future. GPS, intangible but ubiquitous, has instigated a radical shift in our relationship to our own intuition and place in the world, making us critically dependent on technology we forget is even there.

Little Blue Dot uncovers GPS’s origins as a product of the Cold War, from the Space Race to the bombing campaigns in Vietnam, following along as its military and civilian uses expanded and shifted to become part of the fabric of modern life. With pulsating detail and witty expertise, investigative reporter Katherine Dunn takes us on a fascinating journey from the origins of the technology to its modern-day iteration, considering its role in international politics and conflict—and its rising vulnerabilities to manipulation. Initially a cog in the wheel of globalization, GPS has now taken on a new life and may even serve as a parable for the proliferation of AI and newer technologies on the horizon. Sharp and evocative, Little Blue Dot considers the future of GPS, its impact on our understanding of space and time, and the role of technology in our lives.

Critics Review

Riveting . . . a fascinating account of a singular technology that changed humanity’s relationship to the world.
Publishers Weekly, starred review
Compelling . . . climate journalist Dunn traces the improbable evolution of GPS from secret wartime radio experiments to the invisible infrastructure that guides modern life . . . Engaging, reflective, and accessible, this is a lively, appealing history of the ubiquitous locating system and the fragility behind its reassuring bluedot.
Library Journal
Dunn’s clear explanations of advanced concepts make this book accessible to nonscientific readers. Her deft integration of the stories of the many fascinating people who contributed to the development of GPS adds an engaging and important human element to the narrative. Final chapters about efforts to counter surprising security issues make this a timely book about current events in addition to a history.
Booklist
Little Blue Dot is both an invigorating history and a glimpse into the future of GPS usage, including its roles in climate tracking, military conflicts, artificial intelligence, and the commercialization of space. Dunn is an excellent guide through this shifting landscape. Her book's complex scientific material is accessible and packed with fascinating details for any reader curious about the technology's past and future.
Shelf Awareness
Little Blue Dot offers a concise, popular history of the development of a technology that has become deeply integrated into nearly all aspects of our lives . . . Dunn provides a warning about how vulnerable GPS is and, by extension, how vulnerable we are. . . Dunn makes clear that GPS was developed, improved, promoted, and implemented by scores of people. She takes particular interest in lesser-sung heroes.
The American Scholar
It’s the invisible network that runs our world. The story of the Global Positioning System is the story of modern life itself. In Little Blue Dot, Katherine Dunn tells the explosive, untold history of the twentieth century’s most important technology. A gripping narrative of spies, scientists, and the secret history of how we came to map the world. You’ll never look at that little blue dot the same way again.
Bradley Hope, co-author of BILLION DOLLAR WHALE and BLOOD AND OIL
The story of how you came to have, in your pocket, a way of knowing where you are, wherever you are, is an epic of human ingenuity. With pace, verve, and an eye for an illuminating anecdote, Katherine Dunn is the perfect guide to the greatest revolution in navigation since the age of sail.
Tom Whipple, Science Writer and Special Correspondent at The Times
Author Katherine Dunn
Narrator Laurel Lefkow
Duration 11 hours and 39 minutes
Release Date
ISBN 9781639734337
Format Audiobook
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing
Genre Historical maps and atlases
Availability US

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