The Next Big Thing    by Richard Faulk Order:  USA  Can Zest, 2015 (2015) Softcover, e-Book     Reviewed by Bob Walch You may not always agree with the author that the paradigm-shifting events and discoveries listed in this book, were really the so-called game changing inventions the author claims. Yes, TV console games and birth control pills did have an impact on how we live our daily lives but perhaps the advent of Rock 'n' Roll music and TV dinners weren't as earthshaking as the author would like us to believe. In sifting through 3,000 years of history, Richard Faulk selects things from the invention of the chariot, the flying buttress, and movable type to the Kodak camera, the Walkman and the Apple iPhone to add to his list of game changers. Faulk includes a number of cerebral milestones that range from Greek philosophers and the move towards religion as personal faith, on to the appearance of scientific racism, Freudianism, and the midlife crisis and to irony and a chapter he labels The End of History! The 37 chapters in this book also feature an array of trivia, informative sidebars, and an eclectic array of quotes that are mixed in with a few illustrations. This material helps to flesh out the text and provide additional food for thought or debate. Each entry includes an overview of its claim to fame (or infamy), time of origin and assigned ratings (hype factor and impact factor). You can jump around and read the sections that interest you or tackle the book in an orderly fashion and plow through it from cover to cover. No matter your approach you'll discover some fascinating tidbits and pieces of information you'll want to share with family and friends. I think that as you read this book you'll probably find yourself not only remembering how these things might have impacted your own life. In some cases these game changers were either before your time or you just ignored or dismissed them as fleeting fads not worthy of wasting time on. But either way you'll be able to judge the author's assessment of the big things against your own experiences. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Teens books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews