Predictions of a grim future have been a constant occurrence throughout human history, but they haven’t come to pass. Quite the opposite, our lives have improved dramatically in terms of life expectancy, nutrition, wealth, literacy and other measures. The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves by Matt Ridley argues that this positive trend will continue, focusing on how humanity as a species succeeded and why we should embrace an optimist view of the world going into the future.