[T]his is a fascinating book. After examination of evidence from all over the world, it seeks to construct new theories about the process of industrialization… It seeks to show—and does show—how almost all past generalizations, from Marx to recent works by American economists, are dead wrong on many counts… Industrialism, [the authors] argue convincingly, is the greatest social transformation in the history of mankind; it will be everywhere complete in another century, and it will by no means frustrate the achievement of the good life.
-- New York Times Book Review