Maintenance: Of Everything

Reviews / Votes

"The always original mind of Stewart Brand here makes a persuasive case that keeping the human show on the road through well-planned maintenance is as vital and as fascinating a task as innovation and discovery themselves-and that it is, in itself, an art as much as a craft. A deliciously good book."

-Matt Ridley, author of The Rational Optimist




"Civilization is maintenance. No one else but Stewart Brand is talking about the art and science of maintenance and how to do it well. This will be an instant classic."


-Kevin Kelly, founding executive editor of Wired




"No one inspires long-term thinking better than Stewart Brand, and he is in top form with this exploration into what it takes to make things last. Brand masterfully takes us on a journey through the world of the fixers keeping the gears of civilization rolling. If you're the kind of person who wants to know why things break and how to stop it, you should read this book."


-Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit




"Once again, Stewart Brand reframes our worldview with a new perspective. You may not imagine you would be interested in rust, Soviet tanks, or tricked-out Model Ts-that is, until Brand reexamines them through the lens of maintenance. He draws you in with tales of heroism and tragedy, brilliant foresight and deep stupidity. Along the way, you'll discover some surprising information about the hidden umbrellas in Rolls-Royce doors, packing for a sea voyage, and building a stone wall. Maintenance: Of Everything will change the way you look at everything. It is destined to be a classic."


-Danny Hillis, cofounder of Applied Invention




"Stewart Brand is back with a manifesto on maintenance, the tool that empowers all tools. Preventative maintenance, deferred maintenance, and emergency maintenance: this much-needed, no-nonsense treatise illuminates the difference, and why it counts."


-George Dyson, author of Darwin Among the Machines and Turing's Cathedral




"What a splendid book to read while fixing an old house. I stopped moaning and whining and became a quiet hero of relentless 'sustainment.'"


-Bruce Sterling, author and editor of Mirrorshades: The Cyberpunk Anthology




"I got the print galley, then faced a problem. My wife, an engineer and designer, stole it from me and gobbled it down in a few days, refusing to let me put my hands on it, all the while saying irritating things like, 'Wow, this is really interesting!' or 'Huh, I didn't know that!' or, worst of all, suddenly laughing and saying, 'I won't spoil it for you, but I think you'll really like this bit.' So I didn't get a chance to read it until the weekend. Then I became the annoying one... I was constantly taking breaks to read the book and popping up to talk about Model Ts spawning a culture of repair, or how Germany adopted French ideas to beat France on the battlefield, or how we need modern-day Joseph Moxons, and so on. I felt smarter for having read this book and lucky for being alive at a time when Stewart Brand is writing it."


-Charles C. Mann, author of 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus