The Rational Optimist

Why it’s on the list: Ridley’s argument that prosperity comes from exchange and specialisation — that ideas having sex, not individual genius, is the engine of human improvement.

Where I heard about it

• The replies to @typesfast — named in the thread asking “What’s the best history book you’ve read?” (June 2025); the full list is on What’s the best history book… (tweet).
• The replies to @SpencrGreenberg — named in his thread asking “What non-fiction book taught you the most about how the world really works?” (June 2025); the full list is on A question for you — What non-fiction… (tweet).
• Li Lu — on Li Lu’s Recommended Book List, under Science, Philosophy, Evolution, History of Human Civilization, Human History.

Connections

• What’s the best history book… (tweet) — the thread this came out of; the full recovered list lives there.
• A question for you — What non-fiction… (tweet) — the thread this came out of; the full recovered list lives there.
• Progress
• Globalization