title: [Book Sharing] Dyson - The Invention Life of James Dyson
published: false
date: 2024-11-30 00:00:00 UTC
tags:
canonical_url: https://www.evanlin.com/reading-dyson/
---
[](https://moo.im/a/5qxHLT "Dyson")
Dyson - The Invention Life of James Dyson
Invention : A Life of Learning Through Failure
Author: James Dyson
Original Author: James Dyson
Translator: Lin Jinhui, Zhang Yufen
Publisher: Baoding
#### Book Recommendation Website:
- Readmoo: [Buy it here](https://moo.im/a/5qxHLT).
# Preface:
This is the 11th book I finished reading in 2024. Although it was written in 2025, because I haven't read many books recently, and I haven't started writing blog posts to record them.
As for why I wanted to read this book in the first place, it's mainly because everyone knows that Dyson is a private company that promotes itself with its CEO being an engineer (when the author wrote this article, it was still not publicly listed). As for what kind of philosophy the founder and CEO Dyson uses to run this creative company, I think it's something that everyone in the entrepreneurial industry and the information industry needs to learn and understand.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0TNC1460UxI?si=fzeb7AmBcBsrxQoY" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
# Summary:
Dreaming of becoming an engineer, designer, and manufacturer at the same time
In an era when the word "design" had not yet appeared in newspapers and magazines, Dyson, who was originally a middle-achieving student in the eyes of his teachers, obtained admission to an art school based on his art grades. Through self-taught engineering design, he became a rare expert in both design and engineering in the UK. In the 1970s, at the age of 21, Dyson would design engines, and at 23, he invented the high-speed landing craft "Sea Truck," which is still in use today. However, his talent was out of sync with the social atmosphere of valuing humanities over science at the time, and Dyson wanted to prove his worth with his own hands.
The first venture was kicked out by shareholders, just like Apple's Jobs
In the most turbulent mid-1970s, Dyson started his first venture with the re-creation of the spherical handcart. This red spherical wheel handcart not only amazed consumers but also received the recognition of the Good Design Award, and through a chance encounter, he met his lifelong "love," the cyclone machine. Unfortunately, when the company's business was getting on track, he was kicked out of the company by shareholders and lost the patent rights for the improved handcart. Although he was penniless, he secretly conceived the idea of a revolutionary vacuum cleaner, which became the beginning of a turning point in his life.
Before Dyson became a well-known company, Dyson experienced more than 5,000 failures
Before Dyson successfully invented the world's first bagless vacuum cleaner "G-Force" in 1983, he conducted 5,126 failed experiments in 4 years. During the research and development process, he almost bankrupted himself. Even after successfully inventing the vacuum cleaner, he still struggled with patent lawsuits and cultivating the market. Until 1993, the first generation of Dyson vacuum cleaners, "DC01," was officially launched in the UK, becoming the most innovative and best-selling vacuum cleaner. Subsequently, it gradually became popular in the US, Japan, Australia, Canada... and other countries, and Dyson gradually established its position as a home appliance kingdom.
Invention is a lifelong career, it is the life James Dyson has lived
From vacuum cleaners to hand dryers, electric fans to hair dryers, Dyson has refreshed the design concept of the industry with every move, achieving unprecedented success and becoming one of the world's leading home appliance brands. However, Dyson is not satisfied with becoming a wealthy man and owning the world's number one home appliance brand. Instead, he actively invests in the research and development of electric vehicles, ventures into technological agriculture, and establishes the Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology. Because what truly drives him is the desire to solve current and future problems with innovative products and spirit, and to discover young people who yearn for a better world and work together!
Chapter 1 Childhood
Chapter 2 Life at Art School
Chapter 3 Sea Truck
Chapter 4 Spherical Wheel Handcart
Chapter 5 Carriage House
Chapter 6 DC01
Chapter 7 Pioneering Core Technology
Chapter 8 Going Global
Chapter 9 Entering Automotive Design
Chapter 10 Supporting Sustainable Agriculture
Chapter 11 Education: The Cradle of Young Talent
Chapter 12 Shaping the Future
# Thoughts:
James Dyson is the CEO and one of the main founders of Dyson, a private company. He is a very pragmatic engineer with an unusual obsession and focus on optimization and experimentation. This can be seen from his 5126 failed motor experiments, and he is also very willing to share his ideas. He founded many design schools in the UK, so that Dyson, an industry that requires a high degree of manpower and intelligence, can still take root in the UK.
This book also shares a lot about Dyson's own views (written quite angrily in the book) about the [concept of fan hand dryers](https://www.dyson.tw/hand-dryers.aspx), because he was attacked by many paper towel companies at the time, and they gave some unfair test reports in conjunction with schools. This matter is also explained quite clearly in this book. However, as expected of an engineer, he can use patents or related papers to fight back against his own products.
If you want to understand how the boss of a company that started with engineering design judges his own company. You should take a look at how he turns the constant experiments into every wonderful experience in the book. It's quite admirable.
Top comments (0)