SKU: 42818727930

The Square and the Tower: Networks and Power, from the Freemasons to Facebook

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The Square and the Tower: Networks and Power, from the Freemasons to FacebookThe instant New York Times bestseller. A brilliant recasting of the turning points in world history, including the one we're living through, as a collision between old power hierarchies and new social networks. "Captivating and compelling." The New York Times "Niall Ferguson has again written a brilliant book In 400 pages you will have restocked your mind. Do it." The Wall Street Journal "The Square and the Tower, in addition to being provocative

The instant New York Times bestseller.

A brilliant recasting of the turning points in world history, including the one we're living through, as a collision between old power hierarchies and new social networks.

"Captivating and compelling." --The New York Times

"Niall Ferguson has again written a brilliant book...In 400 pages you will have restocked your mind. Do it." --The Wall Street Journal

"The Square and the Tower, in addition to being provocative history, may prove to be a bellwether work of the Internet Age." --Christian Science Monitor

Most history is hierarchical: it's about emperors, presidents, prime ministers and field marshals. It's about states, armies and corporations. It's about orders from on high. Even history "from below" is often about trade unions and workers' parties. But what if that's simply because hierarchical institutions create the archives that historians rely on? What if we are missing the informal, less well documented social networks that are the true sources of power and drivers of change?

The 21st century has been hailed as the Age of Networks. However, in The Square and the Tower, Niall Ferguson argues that networks have always been with us, from the structure of the brain to the food chain, from the family tree to freemasonry. Throughout history, hierarchies housed in high towers have claimed to rule, but often real power has resided in the networks in the town square below. For it is networks that tend to innovate. And it is through networks that revolutionary ideas can contagiously spread. Just because conspiracy theorists like to fantasize about such networks doesn't mean they are not real.

From the cults of ancient Rome to the dynasties of the Renaissance, from the founding fathers to Facebook, The Square and the Tower tells the story of the rise, fall and rise of networks, and shows how network theory--concepts such as clustering, degrees of separation, weak ties, contagions and phase transitions--can transform our understanding of both the past and the present.

Just as The Ascent of Money put Wall Street into historical perspective, so The Square and the Tower does the same for Silicon Valley. And it offers a bold prediction about which hierarchies will withstand this latest wave of network disruption--and which will be toppled.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin Group
Published: 01/22/2019
ISBN: 9780735222939
Pages: 592
Weight: 1.20lbs
Size: 8.30h x 5.40w x 1.40d
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SKU: 42818727930

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4.5 ★★★★★
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Madi lohr
Lowell, US
★★★★★ 5
my new favorite book
Format: Kindle
Ok so I never write reviews but this book was so good I felt the need to write this. Firstly your introduced to Huntyr you see her closed off hard core badass than towards the end you see the most subtle change and growth it’s amazing and the enemies to friends to lovers was just perfect, AND THE TWIST AT THE END GOT ME GOOD! You see one spicy scene the whole book but it doesn’t even MATTER BECAUSE THE BOOK WAS THAT GOOD. I’ve read 85 books in 2023-2024 so far and I’m pround to say this is my all time favorite. I’m so excited to read more of Emily Blackwoods books, this was my first time reading one of hers and I’m glad I did because HOLY!! Well done Emily well done
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Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2024
R
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Robin
Whiting, US
★★★★★ 4
Fast paced romantasy you will not want to put down!
Format: Kindle
4.25 stars! I LOVED this book with similar vibes to Hush Hush, Fourth Wing, and The Serpent and the Wings of Night! It was fast paced with easy world building and will keep you turning the pages late into the night because you will not want to put it down! Huntyr is a fierce bad@ss FMC trained to kill vampyres her entire life. She is sent on a mission to go to the academy and earn her spot into The Golden City. Upon arrival, she is forced to room with the delicious fallen angel, Wolf, who is the only one who knows about her assassin identity. The romance, the plot twists, the secrets revealed, the battles, and the tantalizing training scenes had me hooked! And that ending…. I’m holding my breath in need to know hell! Read if you love: 🪽 Fae, Vampyres, Fallen Angels 🪽 Academy setting with magical trials 🪽 Forced proximity and slow burn 🪽 Rivals to lovers 🪽 Hidden identities and secrets 🪽 Tend your wounds “𝘖𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘐 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥.” “𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘴, 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘴𝘬.” “𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘮𝘺 𝘷𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘴, 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘢 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2024
B
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Bernadette Smith
Boise, US
★★★★★ 5
Excellent Rivals to Lovers!!
Format: Kindle
The tension and banter between Huntyr and Wold was delectable. I absolutely love the fallen angel and all of his flaws. Huntyr is amazing too being a badass FMC with some major trauma. The world building was great and I enjoyed the training aspect of the story. The writing was immersive and was in the story the whole time. The ending had quite a twist that I hadn’t anticipated and made my jaw DROP. Excellent job! I also loved the narration. Laura is one of my fave narrators!
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2025
E
Verified Purchase
❈ Elizabeth ❈ | Breakawayreads
Boise, US
★★★★★ 5
Fallen Angels, fae, vampires, oh my!
Format: Kindle
Rating: 4.5 | Spice: 2 (but a good slow-burn) • Main Characters: Huntyr and Wolf • I couldn’t wait to read this book; there was so much hype about it! And there was no doubt why. I fell in love with the characters and the plot itself. This book is mainly plot driven more than friction driven but it’s easy to follow along with. The characters are fun, easily understood. The main setting is at an academy where both the main characters are going through trials and building strength for the final test, The Transcendent. There are fantastic side characters as well. I loved the camaraderie between Huntyr and her friends. But we don’t like Lanson. 😆 We do have some plot twists that come into play throughout the book. Secrets and betrayal to be seen. I did adore Wolf and Huntyr’s relationship. It was a classic slow burn trope. They didn’t hit it off fast, but in time their feelings grew. I loved their banter, so sexy. Wolf is your next book boyfriend; Huntyr is your next vampire assassin independent bad-a*s female. Themes include loyalty, trust, self-discovery, a true slow burn romance. Side note: book ends on a angsty cliffhanger! • Emily, thank you for writing this awesome novel and I cannot wait to devour Book 2, Blood So Brutal! 😍 • Happy reading, my lovelies! xo
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2024
M
Verified Purchase
MelsABookworm
Boise, US
★★★★★ 4
“My heart bows to you and you only, Huntress.”
Format: Kindle
3.5 🌟 This book popped up in my KU recommended reading suggestions and the synopsis sounded like what I was in the mood for. I'm so glad I took a chance on it. I went into this knowing absolutely nothing about it and ended up really liking it. I love when this happens. The main characters are likeable and I easily found myself rooting for them. There is a mystery element to each of their backstories that I enjoyed watching unfold and can't wait to get more of. Wolf, in particular, has me fixated. Love him. I found this to be an entertaining, addictive read with a plot that moves along at a good pace. It reads so easily I found myself very reluctant to put it down. Lots of twists and turns and the angst is there. A good set up for the next book to come, for sure. My issues with this book....the dialogue feels a bit juvenile at times and there is a repetitive over use of a particular word phrasing that I found myself giving the ole eye-roll to. There are, without a doubt, some pretty cliche moments that gave me a bit of the cringe. I think this could've certainly 100% benefited from more depth regarding the world building. Perhaps the world building was sacrificed to keep the pacing quick? Just a guess. Also, the lack of consistency of character for the FMC was really evident and so she feels quite illogical at times. Overall, this was a fun and enjoyable read that hit the spot well enough for me. That ending certainly has me impatiently pining for book 2!
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Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2024

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