Bill Wasik

Bill Wasik is one of the most innovative and influential authors of the 21st century. His works have created an entirely new genre for readers to explore, pushing the boundaries of traditional journalism, technology, and culture. From his groundbreaking book, And Then There’s This: How Stories Live and Die in Viral Culture, to his critically acclaimed anthology of short stories, Subtopia, Wasik’s career as an author has taken him around the world, bringing the most exciting and provocative ideas in the world of literature to readers everywhere.

Wasik was born in 1970 and raised in Connecticut, where he attended prestigious schools like the Loomis Chaffee School and Harvard College. After graduating from Harvard, Wasik moved to San Francisco, working as an editor and writer for various magazines, including Wired and The New York Times Magazine.

In 2004, Wasik published his first book, And Then There’s This, which is considered to be the first full-length exploration of the ways in which stories travel, thrive, and die in modern viral culture. Dubbed a “viral ethnography” due to its unique combination of journalism and anthropology, the book went on to receive mainstream recognition, including being named one of Amazon’s Top 10 Books of the Year.

Since then, Wasik has authored five more books, including Subtopia (2008), a collection of linked short stories set in a near-future dystopian world; The Wall Street Journal Guide to Power Concise (2009), a comprehensive guide to developing power and influence in the business world; and Rabid: The Cultural History of the World’s Most Diabolical Virus (2013), a riveting and compulsively readable exploration of infectious disease and its impact on human history.

In addition to his books, Wasik’s writing has been published in many prominent publications, including The New Yorker, The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, Harper’s Magazine, and The Believer. He has also been a resident fellow at Harvard’s Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities, a senior editor at Wired, and the co-creator of the widely influential “flash mob” trend that began in 2003.

Most recently, Wasik launched Contagious: Why Things Catch On (2011), an exciting and groundbreaking look into the psychology of why and how ideas spread. The book has become a must-read and top seller, offering readers an invaluable look at what makes certain ideas and stories particularly persuasive, persuasive enough to capture our attention— and potentially even change our lives.

Whether it be through his books, articles, or other projects, Wasik’s influence has been far reaching and continues to shape the way we consume and interact with the world. By looking at things from a variety of angles and developing bold and often daring theories, Wasik has become an important voice in the ever-evolving world of culture and communications.