Quick Summary Noah Hawley’s latest novel Anthem offers a disturbing yet captivating vision of a near-future America plagued by political strife, climate disaster, and teenage suicide. Published in January 2022, the book has garnered attention for its timely themes and fast-paced, cinematic storytelling. In this review, I will give a quick plot overview, an extended…
Quick Summary In White Fragility, Robin DiAngelo explains that white people are insulated from racial stress because we live in a society that caters to white people as the norm. This builds our expectations for racial comfort, causing defensiveness and hostility when we are confronted with the reality of racism. DiAngelo examines topics like white…
Quick Summary In his latest book “A Hacker’s Mind: How the Powerful Bend Society’s Rules, and How to Bend Them Back”, security expert Bruce Schneier explores how people with power, influence, and technical skills can exploit systems for their own gain. He provides insight into the hacker mindset and how regular people can fight back…
Quick Summary Radical Technologies: The Design of Everyday Life provides a nuanced examination of how emerging technologies like AI, cryptocurrencies, and self-driving cars are impacting society. Author Adam Greenfield analyzes the complex ethics, economics, and psychology involved. Extended Summary The proliferation of new technologies is fundamentally changing how we live, work, and interact. In his…
The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin This is book one of the “Remembrance of Earth’s Past” triology. Read more reviews on Goodreads. How strongly I recommend this book: 8/10 The Book in Three “Sentences” Set against the backdrop of China’s Cultural Revolution, a scientist is drawn into a conspiracy involving a computer game and an…
A Brief History of Earth: Four Billion Years in Eight Chapters by Andrew Knoll Read more reviews on Goodreads. How strongly I recommend this book: 8/10 The Book in Three Sentences An approachable overview of the history of the Earth that grounds its narrative in the scientific evidence.The book focuses on what happened and how…
When we try to learn a new concept, we’re often overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information on a topic. As an example, take one of my fields, digital literacy. There is a large amount of research on the topic. It also is a challenge to stay informed as the one constant is change. In…
Death ends a life, not a relationship. Mitch Albom It is interesting to watch our considerations of death and the changes brought about by the influx of technology and social networks. In earlier posts, I’ve written about my own use of social networks and technology to understand how and when celebrities die. I’ve been struck…
This past summer I stepped away from social media for the month of August. I continued to use digital tools and spaces. Still watched YouTube. Still held meetings. Still taught classes online. Still sat in front of my computer for hours on end meeting, talking, writing, reading, and thinking. But, no Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIN, Mastodon,…
At an early age, we are taught to tell the truth, no matter how hard it may be. As a parent, I’m busy helping my kids understand the clear difference between right and wrong. However, as we get older, the differences between right and wrong become much more nuanced. We all see the world through…