Book · 2014 · Biography
The Innovators
The Innovators by Walter Isaacson has been mentioned in 7 episodes across 5 podcasts (1 episode recommends it and 6 episodes discuss it), through . Most frequently brought up by Matt Ridley (1 episode), Lex Fridman (2 episodes) and Lee Vinsel (1 episode) on EconTalk (2 episodes), Lex Fridman Podcast (2 episodes) and a16z Podcast (1 episode).
- episodes
- 7
- podcasts
- 5
- people
- 6
- episode recommends it
- 1
One of the questions the book addresses is whether it is individuals or groups that turn the tides of history.
Lex Fridman · Lex Fridman Podcast · Sep 2023 Listen at 1:24:44 Questions about The Innovators by Walter Isaacson
Who recommends The Innovators by Walter Isaacson on podcasts?
Matt Ridley (1 episode) has recommended The Innovators by Walter Isaacson on podcasts. In all, 6 people brought it up across 5 podcasts (1 person recommended it).
Which podcasts mention The Innovators the most?
EconTalk (2 episodes), Lex Fridman Podcast (2 episodes), a16z Podcast (1 episode), Freakonomics Radio (1 episode) and The Joe Rogan Experience (1 episode).
Is The Innovators recommended, or only discussed?
The Innovators by Walter Isaacson was recommended in 1 episode and discussed without a recommendation in 6 episodes, as of 2026-11-09.
What do people say about The Innovators?
Lex Fridman on Lex Fridman Podcast (2023-09-10): "One of the questions the book addresses is whether it is individuals or groups that turn the tides of history."
When was The Innovators last mentioned on a podcast?
The Innovators by Walter Isaacson was last discussed on EconTalk by Russ Roberts on 2026-11-09.
What they say about it
- Discusses creation of digital revolution“creation of the digital revolution”3
The best things said about it
I draw very heavily on Walter Isaacson's wonderful book The Innovators to understand that story.
This is a book about the entire creation of the digital revolution, starting with Ada Lovelace, but mainly with Alan Turing, the computers, Andy Grove, Gordon Moore, Bob Noyce, creation of the microchip, all the way to Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg.
Walter Isaacson EconTalk · Nov 2026 The innovators tells you about all the people who created the digital revolution.
Walter Isaacson EconTalk · Nov 2026 Where and when it comes up
Most episodes, by podcast
6 people who brought it up
Why people recommend it
The Innovators by Walter Isaacson is a comprehensive historical account of the people who created the digital revolution, beginning with Ada Lovelace. Matt Ridley recommended the book on EconTalk to explain the history of the invention of the computer, noting that he drew heavily upon it. During a later appearance on EconTalk, Russ Roberts and Walter Isaacson discussed various facets of the book. Roberts mentioned the new preface while asking Isaacson about his stance on the AI debate, and Isaacson brought up the new introduction to illustrate why he insists on writing personally rather than using AI. Isaacson also cited the book to demonstrate how Steve Jobs linked the liberal arts with creativity, and used it to explore traits like empathy and humility among technology builders. Furthermore, he clarified that the volume serves as a history of creators rather than a how-to guide, while describing the reporting methods behind its creation and subsequent paperback editions.
Every mention
Matt Ridley i mean i have a section in the book called who invented the computer and i draw very heavily on walter isaa… 1
“i mean i have a section in the book called who invented the computer and i draw very heavily on walter isaacson's wonderful book the innovators to to understand that story”
Lex Fridman In 'Innovators,' another book of yours that I love, you write about individuals and groups. One of the ques… 2
“In 'Innovators,' another book of yours that I love, you write about individuals and groups. One of the questions the book addresses is whether it is individuals or groups that turn the tides of history.”
“this is this idea of uh he's a famous biographer but I think it's called the innovators the biographer of Steve Jobs of Albert Einstein”
Lee Vinsel and then Walter isacson published a book called The innovators how a group of hackers Geniuses and Geeks cr… 1
“and then Walter isacson published a book called The innovators how a group of hackers Geniuses and Geeks created the digital Revolution”
Michael Shellenberger Walter Isaac who's writing a book about Elon right now by the way but Walter Ison in his biography of Steve… 1
“Walter Isaac who's writing a book about Elon right now by the way but Walter Ison in his biography of Steve Jobs he was like he was like look Steve Jobs was just too much of an [ __ ]”
Russ Roberts In your book, The Innovators, you tend to, you say in your new preface, you're in the Ada camp. 1
“In your book, The Innovators, you tend to, you say in your new preface, you're in the Ada camp.”
Walter Isaacson Every sentence I write, whether it's an email, whether it's an op-ed piece, or whether it's my new introduc… 1
“Every sentence I write, whether it's an email, whether it's an op-ed piece, or whether it's my new introduction to the innovators, or my forthcoming book on Marie Curie, every sentence is tight by my fingers and comes from my head and from my heart.”
“In my book, The Innovators, and even in the new introduction for the new edition of The Innovators, I talk about how Steve Jobs, whenever he did his product presentations in the Yerba Linda Center in San Francisco, he ended with a slide”
“The question I ask in the innovators and ask in the new introduction to this book, and this is a book about the entire creation of the digital revolution, starting with Ada Lovelace, but mainly with Alan Turing, the computers, Andy Grove, Gordon Moore, Bob Noyce, creation of the microchip, all the way to Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg.”
“So I don't recommend not having the virtue of humility, but it is something that in both the book, the innovators and in the series that of podcasts that I'm dropping called the Builders, we talk about empathy and humility, two traits that we think make for a good person”
“I write biographies. My builder's podcast tells you what these builders think deep inside. The innovators tells you about all the people who created the digital revolution. But they're not how-to books.”
“Well, they're also reporters, which is a little bit different from what's done in the academy, which means when I go and did the book, The Innovators, and even when I did the new introduction to it, that's, you know, for the paperback that's come out this week, I go out there.”
“And so that's the story of a lot of the builders I talk about in the Builders podcast. And a lot of the people in my book, The Innovators, that we've just come out with a new issue.”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker1
“yeah I mean with Walter Isaacson's book you know the innovators and it's really interesting so how much progress was made at the intersection of humanities and funny”
Other mentions (4: passing, ad reads, own books)
“His book on the digital revolution, The Innovators, has a new edition out.”
“Then Walter Isaacson published a book called 'The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution'.”
“there you go and that is the ison's the innovators is again the list and it is a business book”
“walter is the author of best-selling biographies on leonardo da vinci einstein and steve jobs and has a new book out today which is called the code breaker jennifer doudna gene editing and the future of the human race”