Daniel Borstin: Cleopatra's nose.
Random House 1994.  "The author, a former Librarian of Congress and Professor of History at  the University of Chicago, has written a book of essays about the relationship between American culture and the history of discovery, creative endeavors and technology.  The title refers to an observation made by Blaise Pascal (1623-62) that a small chance variation in Cleopatra's beauty would have changed the course of world history.  Mistakes, going up blind alleys and accidental observations are all part of the art of discovery and creation.  As Boorstin demonstrates in these essays, most of the important developments in the arts and technology are the result of chance occurrences.  His discussions of these occurrences involve some fascinating ideas that can help gifted students to better understand the future direction of American society.  Some of the author's major ideas related to producing this understanding are as follows:
   The unification of the cultures of discovery and creation has been occurring for the last 500 years ("The Cultures of Pride and Awe," "An Odd Couple: Discoverers and Inventors").  This combining process has led to powerful developments in science and technology.  The history of discovery has emphasized groups of individuals working toward common goals, while the history of creation has stressed the uniqueness of individual achievement in the arts, crafts and technology.  Today we need individual creativity in all areas of society more than ever.  
   We have been living in "The Age of Negative Discovery" as illustrated by the astounding seafaring voyages of Columbus, Vasco da Gama and Captain James Cook.  Some examples (page 7) of negative discovery from astronomy and modern space sciences are: the Earth is not the center of the Universe,  the Sun in not the center of the Universe, and our galaxy is not the center of the Universe.  In this age, the amount of data produced by scientific research has increased at an "ever-accelerating" pace, leading to "hosts of answers to questions not yet asked."
   We are living in the Fourth Kingdom -- The Machine Kingdom ("Darwinian Expectations," "Statistical Expectations").  This kingdom, as contrasted with the animal, vegetable and mineral domains, is governed by the principle of "expatiation" which means to walk or wander freely.  According to this principle, technological progress is unpredictable and largely  due to negative discovery.  Regarding the Fourth Kingdom, Boorstin says (page 153): "The career of Thomas A. Edison, paragon of inventors in the fourth       
kingdom, suggests that if there is a law of invention, it is not a law of evolution or linear advance.  To expatiate -- 'to wander freely' and toy with the problem -- is the way of the inventor. . . ."
   Major technological breakthroughs are in many cases by-products or unexpected offshoots of planned technologies such as the steam engine and telescope ("An Odd Couple: Discoverers and Inventors," "Statistical Expectations").  Boorstin emphasizes the idea of unexpected discoveries throughout his essays.
   He addresses other issues concerned with the social and political history of the United States.  Among these are: 
  Great writers have expressed concern for society through the Public Conscience and Private Conscience ("The Writer as Conscience of the World").  The author discusses how these concerns have influenced current politics, law and social behavior.  In "Our Conscience-Wracked Nation" he shows how the modern conscience has led to extremes of rights without responsibilities, the lowering of academic and work standards, and the Balkanization of our nation.  Additional matters he writes about are: the importance of the White House (the building itself) in American history, the role of the printing press in the adoption and dissemination of the United States Constitution, the design of the Capitol, Tocqueville's America, and the new machine kingdom that requires a search for the laws of the unexpected.
The concluding chapters on his roots, his father and his vision of the nation's future demonstrate a humbleness and optimism that encourage us to take pride in America's history, accomplishments and future.  As a model for gifted students, Boorstin exemplifies the Yiddish idea of a "Mensch" -- an individual who cares about his fellow human beings.  His vision of the United States is one of hope for our culture and technology.  This book has significant implications for educating gifted students and for understanding the advanced industrial/technological age in which we live." (Maurice Fisher)