Radical Abundance

How a Revolution in Nanotechnology Will Change Civilization

By: K. Eric Drexler

Narrated by: Tim Pabon

Length: 11 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

K. Eric Drexler is the founding father of nanotechnology - the science of engineering on a molecular level. In Radical Abundance, he shows how rapid scientific progress is about to change our world. Thanks to atomically precise manufacturing, we will soon have the power to produce radically more of what people want, and at a lower cost. The result will shake the very foundations of our economy and environment.

Already, scientists have constructed prototypes for circuit boards built of millions of precisely arranged atoms. The advent of this kind of atomic precision promises to change the way we make things - cleanly, inexpensively, and on a global scale. It allows us to imagine a world where solar arrays cost no more than cardboard and aluminum foil, and laptops cost about the same.

A provocative tour of cutting edge science and its implications by the field’s founder and master, Radical Abundance offers a mind-expanding vision of a world hurtling toward an unexpected future.

©2013 K. Eric Drexler (P)2013 Gildan Media LLC

the book is what it says it is

This shows you the future of nanotechnology from the eyes of Eric K Drexler

He explains his journey and experiences with the field. Painting a picture of many trial and tribulations. He really feels nanotechnology is misunderstood, but what isn’t as it’s first being created.

This is honestly a book better read than to audible. If you aren’t as technically sound many parts of the book may be a tough read or cause you to stop what your doing to simply rewind to google a term in order to understand the capacity of what he is saying.
Honestly I would recommend reading the book multiple times.
It seems to be the only way to fully grasp every concept.

Technical Walkthrough

This Book is a thorough examination of Nano scale manufacturing and its potential impact future applications in medicine technology etc. A kinda of self help book for intellectuals in my view, this book explains how engineers and scientists can help foster in a new era of possibilities that are far reaching and could exponentially create a future of abundance while remaining vigilant of the perils that accompany precise manufacturing.

very interesting but VERY repetitive

I like the book very much, it is much too repetitive. I do not need to have the same thing started to me in ten different ways. Still worth listening to though.

Excellent overview of the broad applications and state of the art of atomically precise manufacturing (apm)

Drexel presents a compelling case for the impact of APM. Although he doesn't go into much detail, he provides excellent reasons to explore APM further and personally engage with the topic on some level.

I would highly recommend the book to anyone who's excited about the history and future scope of technology on a broad scale.

Grounded and Clarifying.

A successful effort from the conceptual founder of a field worthy of public attention, as it states where we were, where we are, and what there is still left to be done. 'The challenges remaining are primarily conceptual and institutional'.

Eric Drexler Knows one out of the park

What made the experience of listening to Radical Abundance the most enjoyable?

Eric Drexler has been thinking about this stuff for so long, that his intuitive understanding out strips anyone in the field. This is the iphone of sciences books, this is a carefully constructed masterpieces.His, metaphors and analogies are spot on with the careful consideration, of a master craftsman. This is the book worth waiting 27 years for. The maturity of his writing style from his first book Engines of creation really shows, in a really good way. There is no magic hand waving hear, and no bar graphics to consider just an intuitive exercise.

What other book might you compare Radical Abundance to and why?

This is one of the major engines in Ray Kurzweil's the Singularity is Near, this explains in detail what ray Kurzweil is talking about when he talks about nanotechnology. Eric and ray had a falling out somewhere along the line, probably because Erics a more concrete thinker, I am saying this because Eric was supposed to be in Rays documentary but was not. So it interesting to keep that in mind. Regardless the Singularity is near is a good comparison contracting work, and Rays lack of description was likely due to the fact that it really was Eric's job to do it right. And that he does.

Which scene was your favorite?

Playing with Atoms.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I felt like I was playing with a really cool lego set.

Any additional comments?

This is what the end of analog looks like

Interesting perspective into nanotechnology

A good read. Very thought provoking. If we can control and manage assemblies at the atomic level the future will get very interesting quick!

I loved this book !!

Audiophile # 1 -
Top science, a thinking black hole, once in..., infinite new thought from physical science, no getting out.
A genius can't say how or why private enterprise delayed. lol
Feel blessed author, not long ago the Dulles bros might have waved at this amazing book, disappearing your book and maybe you too..., as a black cloud blocked the sun for a millisecond.
Any serious audiophile will instantly see, this amazing NEW science is a stand alone, unsurpassed book by a good guy.
Microbiological, neural...,, science books scrutinized by interdisciplinarity have so wowed us, application outside the human body goes to that blank spot on the right brain, like para science. So unbelievable, so amazing, one can miss that this is so big a science field, it is beyond us, in application and easy mentalizing..., for the moment.

There were no reviews when I got this book, the reviews I saw validate my observations.

A most difficult book for a layman

What did you like best about Radical Abundance? What did you like least?

The best part was the concept. The worst part was 28 hours of listening and never really understanding how this was going to happen. Eric Drexler proposed this theory 25 years ago in a book, and apparently it created a big stir, to the point where, in 2000 President Clinton got Congress to appropriate a big chunk of cash to research the concept, and mind you it's a concept, not anywhere near something that's a reality. Here we are another 13 years later and I just don't see anything in this book that says we're any nearer. The author seems to be saying "we can do this if only the researchers would not keep side-tracking "ATM", the core of the concept. No question the concept is provocative, but where's is the reality? Also, parts were repetitive and really wordy. For example, describing the difference between a scientist and an engineer took at least two hours of listening. I gritted my teeth and listened to it all. What I took away was that Atomically-Precise Engineering ("ATM" as it's called in the book) is a theory. It's never been done, and I didn't hear in the book that anyone, anywhere is seriously trying to do it. .

What did you like best about this story?

The concept.

What aspect of Tim Pabon’s performance would you have changed?

The problem is not the narrator. It's understanding the book.

Did Radical Abundance inspire you to do anything?

Yes, I'll be on the lookout for more on this subject.

wordy and just ok on nanotech content

this audiobook is bookended with wobbly, old stock music. it's got some wordy and sleep-inducing info on nanotech dreams. more specifically green-new-deal dreams mixed in with a dose of climate change pseudoscience. its not all bad but kind of a grind to get through.