How to Invent Everything

Name: How to Invent Everything
ISBN: 9780753552544

Rebuild All of Civilization

by Ryan North

Why it's on the shelf

A funny but surprisingly informative guide to the inventions civilization runs on, from the plow to the battery.

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Edition data verified 2026-10-25 with Open Library. Newer printings may exist. Blank fields couldn't be verified.

Sources

Cody Lundin

Survival is about keeping your core temperature normal, and Lundin builds the whole book around that idea.

FEMA (U.S. Department of Homeland Security)

FEMA's own preparedness guide covering hazards from floods to chemical spills. A government publication you can print for free.

Clifford W. Ashley

The encyclopedia of knots, with thousands of numbered illustrations. The reference other knot books cite.

Robert Birkby, Boy Scouts of America

The Scouts' handbook covers camping, first aid, knots, and navigation in a format kids and adults can use.