In Pursuit of Elegance:  Why the Best Ideas Have Something Missing, 2009

In Pursuit of Elegance: Why the Best Ideas Have Something Missing, 2009

In this thought-provoking exploration of why certain events, products, and people capture our attention and imaginations, Matthew E. May examines the elusive element behind so many innovative breakthroughs in fields ranging from physics and marketing to design and popular culture. Combining unusual simplicity and surprising power, elegance is characterized by four key elements—seduction, subtraction, symmetry, and sustainability. In a compelling, story-driven narrative that sheds light on the need for elegance in design, engineering, art, urban planning, sports, and work, May offers surprising evidence that what’s “not there” often trumps what is.

Reviewed by Carol Campbell, PhD

Vice President for Education

Southwestern Union Conference

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