If Then

by Jill Lepore
If Then cover
Good Books rating 4.0
History
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  • ID: 2685
  • Added: 2025-10-16
  • Updated: 2025-10-16
  • ISBN: 9781529386172
  • Publisher: John Murray
  • Published: 2021-06-24
  • Formats: 1
  • Reviews: 3

If Then delves into the fascinating and somewhat unsettling history of the Simulmatics Corporation, a company that pioneered data science and behavioral prediction decades before modern tech giants like Facebook and Google. Founded in 1959, Simulmatics worked with high-profile clients including John Kennedy's presidential campaign and the Department of Defense, using innovative techniques to influence voters and consumers. The book explores how these early data scientists laid the groundwork for today's digital age, often with controversial and far-reaching consequences. /n/n Harvard historian Jill Lepore uncovers the stories of the women behind Simulmatics and examines the corporation's impact on society, politics, and technology. Through meticulous research and engaging storytelling, Lepore reveals how Simulmatics' innovations both advanced and complicated the modern world, leaving a legacy that continues to shape our lives today.

Reviews
Society for US Intellectual History · Michael J. Kramer · 2021-12-04
engaging 3.50

The book employs narrative techniques from fiction to tell a compelling story of a forgotten piece of history. The reviewer praises the engaging storytelling but notes that the focus on detail sometimes overshadows the broader historical context.

Michael J. Kramer highlights how the book borrows tactics from fiction to create a compelling narrative about the Simulmatics Corporation. The reviewer appreciates the engaging storytelling and the focus on telling details, which make the history of Simulmatics come alive. However, Kramer notes that the book's emphasis on specific details sometimes overshadows the broader historical context, making it feel more like a series of vignettes rather than a cohesive historical account. Overall, the reviewer finds the book to be an enjoyable and thought-provoking read.

Quick quotes

    If Then borrows tactics from fiction: a startling opening, a story arc, a focus on telling details rather than dry, abstracted prose.

    The book’s strength lies in its ability to make the history of Simulmatics come alive through engaging storytelling.

    At times, the focus on specific details overshadows the broader historical context, making the narrative feel fragmented.

The Times Literary Supplement · Paul Duguid · 2021-04-02
critical 4.50

The book explores the rise of behavioural social science and its damaging effects when allied with profit-driven computing. The reviewer finds the book to be a critical examination of the ethical implications of data-driven politics.

Paul Duguid reviews the book as a critical examination of the rise of behavioural social science and its alliance with profit-driven computing. The reviewer praises Lepore's exploration of the ethical implications of data-driven politics, particularly during the Cold War era. Duguid finds the book to be a timely reminder of the long-standing issues surrounding the use of data to influence political outcomes. The reviewer appreciates the book's historical context and its relevance to contemporary debates about technology and democracy.

Quick quotes

    The book explores the rise of behavioural social science, and in Lepore's view, the profound and damaging effects of its alliance with profit-driven, computer-driven politics.

    Lepore's exploration of the ethical implications of data-driven politics is both timely and necessary.

    The book serves as a reminder that the issues we face today have deep historical roots, and that the quest for predictive power has always come with significant ethical dilemmas.

The New York Times · 2020-09-15
intriguing 4.00

The book delves into the early days of data science and its intersection with politics, highlighting the ambitious but flawed attempts to predict human behavior. The narrative is engaging, though the technical details can be dense.

The reviewer finds the book to be a fascinating exploration of the Simulmatics Corporation's ambitious but ultimately flawed attempts to predict human behavior using early computing technology. The story is well-told, with a focus on the intersection of technology and politics during the Cold War era. However, the technical details can be quite dense, which might make it challenging for some readers. The reviewer appreciates the historical context and the insights into the origins of data-driven politics, but notes that the book sometimes struggles to balance technical detail with narrative flow.

Quick quotes

    In “If Then,” the historian Jill Lepore recounts the story of the Simulmatics Corporation, which tried to use primitive computing power to predict human behavior and influence political outcomes.

    The book is a reminder that the dream of using data to predict and control human behavior is not new, and that the ethical dilemmas we face today have deep historical roots.

    Lepore’s narrative is engaging, but the technical details can be dense, making it a challenging read at times.

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