Pieces of the Action

An inside account of one of the most innovative R&D ecosystems of the 20th century, from the man who was at the center of it all.

Over a 60-year career in public affairs, Vannevar Bush—engineer, inventor, educator, and public face of government-funded science—sought to eliminate roadblocks to innovation in science and technology. In Pieces of the Action, a collection of memoir-essays, he reflects on his role in shaping the policies and organizations that powered American research and development in the mid-20th century.

As the architect and administrator of an R&D pipeline that efficiently coordinated the work of civilian scientists and the military during World War II, he was central to catalyzing the development of radar and the proximity fuze, the mass production of penicillin, and the initiation of the Manhattan Project. Pieces of the Action offers his hard-won lessons on how to operate and manage effectively within complex organizations, build bridges between people and disciplines, and drive ambitious, unprecedented programs to fruition. With wry humor, Bush also shares personal observations and anecdotes—pelting cows with apples, poking fun at servicemen who tried to keep his own invention secret from him—that offer a glimpse of the personality behind the accolades.

Originally published in 1970, this updated edition includes 15 archival images from Bush’s life and career and a foreword from entrepreneur and Idea Machines podcast host Ben Reinhardt that contextualizes the lessons Pieces of the Action can offer to contemporary readers: that change depends both on heroic individuals and effective organizations; that a leader’s job is one of coordination; and that the path from idea to innovation is a long and winding one, inextricably bound to those involved—those enduring figures who have a piece of the action.

From the Publisher

Praise for Pieces of the Action

A front-row seat to the most important R&D work of the 20th century.

“Scientific and technological progress depend crucially on leadership. Bush understood this better than anyone, and he had a front-row seat to the most important R&D work of the 20th century. This candid memoir gave me a better understanding of how research leadership works and why it’s desperately needed.”

—Jason Crawford, writer at The Roots of Progress

Great things can be built in spite of stagnation . . . through determination and foresight.

“Pieces of the Action provides a window into the way Bush saw himself: as part of a larger cultural tradition, equipping new generations with knowledge from past ones. I came away inspired by the knowledge that great things can be built in spite of stagnation, rigid norms, and conventions, through the determination and foresight of people who work to change institutions.”

—Saloni Dattani, cofounder and editor of Works in Progress and researcher at Our World in Data

At the nexus of an astounding number of people and events that shaped the modern world.

“It’s hard to deny that Vannevar Bush was at the nexus of an astounding number of people and events that shaped the modern world. In Pieces of the Action, he works hard to give us a window into his thought processes, and from them distill timeless lessons about leadership, research, institution building, and human nature.”

—Ben Reinhardt, CEO of PARPA, researcher at the Astera Institute, and host of the Idea Machines podcast

A view of scientific development that is anything but linear.

“One comes away with a view of scientific development that is anything but linear: the gravitational weight of historical contingencies, idiosyncratic personnel, and key management decisions described in Pieces of the Action continue to profoundly impact us today.”

—Caleb Watney, cofounder and co-CEO of the Institute for Progress

Catalogs the scientists and engineers who were pivotal to an Allied victory in World War II.

“Pieces of the Action catalogs the scientists and engineers who were pivotal to an Allied victory in World War II—and how the ad-hoc organizations born out of that crisis ultimately provided the blueprints for our modern scientific institutions.”

—Alec Stapp, cofounder and co-CEO of the Institute for Progress

Not just about science and innovation, but about state capacity.

“Pieces of the Action is not just about science and innovation, it’s about state capacity. Anyone who longs for renewed, effective institutions will find the wisdom of a kindred spirit reflecting on how to build them.”

—Eli Dourado, economist and senior research fellow at the Center for Growth and Opportunity at Utah State University

About the author

Vannevar Bush (1890–1974) was an engineer, inventor, and architect of public-sector funding for scientific research. As chairman of the U.S. National Defense Research Committee and director of the U.S. Office of Scientific Research and Development during World War II, he oversaw a wide-ranging R&D program that paired government funding with scientific research, resulting in the development of radar and the initiation of the Manhattan Project. He conducted foundational research in computer science, including the invention of the differential analyzer. He served as vice president of MIT and first dean of the MIT School of Engineering, president of the Carnegie Institute of Washington, and chairman of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. His 1945 essay “As We May Think” is credited with anticipating aspects of personal computing and the internet, while his government report Science, The Endless Frontier laid the groundwork for the founding of the National Science Foundation.

About the publisher

Stripe Press publishes ideas for progress in science, technology, and economics. Our collection includes new ideas from emerging and established thinkers and industry leaders, as well as reimagined editions of enduring works. We curate our titles for a global audience of builders and practitioners who are shaping the future of policy and industry.

Stripe Press is based in South San Francisco, with team members across the US and in London. We are a part of the global payments infrastructure company Stripe.

Related titles by Stripe Press:

The Dream Machine by M. Mitchell WaldropThe Art of Doing Science and Engineering by Richard W. HammingAn Elegant Puzzle by Will LarsonThe Big Score by Michael S. Malone

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Stripe Press; Second edition (June 28, 2022)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 376 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1953953204
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1953953209
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1.25 x 9 inches