An intellectual odyssey, a traveler's diary, and a comic novel all rolled into one. Smart, original, and utterly delightful. -Daniel Gilbert, Harvard professor and bestselling author of Stumbling on Happiness A charming mix of history and wisdom cloaked as a rollicking travelogue. -Walter Isaacson, bestselling author of Steve Jobs Travel the world with Eric Weiner, the New York Times bestselling author of The Geography of Bliss, as he journeys from Athens to Silicon Valley-and throughout history, too-to show how creative genius flourishes in specific places at specific times. In The Geography of Genius, acclaimed travel writer Weiner sets out to examine the connection between our surroundings and our most innovative ideas. He explores the history of places, like Vienna of 1900, Renaissance Florence, ancient Athens, Song Dynasty Hangzhou, and Silicon Valley, to show how certain urban settings are conducive to ingenuity. And, with his trademark insightful humor, he walks the same paths as the geniuses who