The book The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves by Matthew Ridley is a fascinating study of how human society came to be as we see it today. The author argues that, contrary to popular opinions about threats and problems, people are living in the best period of history and that the future can be even better. Matthew Ridley uses a large number of examples and evidence to support his thesis - from the development of technology to the increase in agricultural productivity. He proves that it was optimism, a rational approach and technological progress that were the forces that pushed society to constantly move forward. This book will be a valuable resource for those interested in economics, the history of human development, and the search for optimism even in the most dramatic moments. "Rational Optimist" convincingly shows that optimism and faith in development are the keys to further prosperity of our society.