Material World

Material World is a captivating book penned by the talented author Ed Conway. Published in 2023, this book takes you on a unique journey, immersing you in a world that is as intriguing as it is thought-provoking. The genre of this book is hard to pin down, as it seamlessly blends elements of various genres to create a narrative that is truly unique. The author, Ed Conway, has a knack for creating vivid imagery and engaging characters that draw you into the story and keep you hooked from start to finish. Published by Random House UK Ltd, Material World is a testament to the author's storytelling prowess and is a must-read for anyone looking for a refreshing and engaging read.

**Shortlisted for the Financial Times and Schroders Business Book of the Year Award**Picked as a Book of the Year by THE TIMES, FINANCIAL TIMES, ECONOMIST and NEW STATESMANA BBC RADIO 4 Book of the Week'A compelling narrative of the human story' TIM MARSHALL, author of Prisoners of Geography'Lively, rich and exciting... full of surprises' PETER FRANKOPAN, author of The Silk Roads_____________Sand, salt, iron, copper, oil and lithium. They built our world, and they will transform our future.These are the six most crucial substances in human history. They took us from the Dark Ages to the present day. They power our computers and phones, build our homes and offices, and create life-saving medicines. But most of us take them completely for granted.In Material World, Ed Conway travels the globe - from the sweltering depths of the deepest mine in Europe, to spotless silicon chip factories in Taiwan, to the eerie green pools where lithium originates - to uncover a secret world we rarely see. Revealing the true marvel of these substances, he follows the mind-boggling journeys, miraculous processes and little-known companies that turn the raw materials we all need into products of astonishing complexity.As we wrestle with climate change, energy crises and the threat of new global conflict, Conway shows why these substances matter more than ever before, and how the hidden battle to control them will shape our geopolitical future. This is the story of civilisation - our ambitions and glory, innovations and appetites - from a new perspective: literally from the ground up.