Jenny Odell
[isbn]
In 2020, we were forcibly thrust into the long-promised future of virtual hyper-connectivity. Given this new landscape, Jenny Odell's perceptive analysis of the anxious routines of our online lives has taken on new meaning. Going beyond simple critique, she offers a considered framework for reimagining our relationship with the virtual and the real.
Recommended by Emily B.
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Anna Wiener
[isbn]
Uncanny Valley is the truest thing I’ve ever read. It’s such a precise picture of the last decade in the tech industry, told in matter-of-fact prose that made me gasp and cringe and laugh. Anna Wiener takes readers on her journey from barely-scraping-by publishing assistant to well-compensated tech worker, and how she grapples with the slow burn of false promises and the unforeseen consequences of the venture-backed playground of Silicon... (read more)
Recommended by Michelle C.
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Danny Caine
[isbn]
I bought copies of this for everyone on my holiday gift list this year. Amazon has become so ubiquitous, and has formed and acquired so many subsidiaries over the years, that I figured everyone in my life was probably supporting them in some way — perhaps without even realizing — and might benefit from this concise, thoughtful zine. Danny Caine has seen firsthand the impact Amazon has had on the bookselling industry, and here he offers a quick... (read more)
Recommended by Tove H.
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Jaron Lanier
[isbn]
Social media is certainly affecting your life and your perceptions more than you realize, and you should challenge yourself to contend with Lanier’s arguments, which are clear, concise, and (unlike so much other technology writing) neither utopian nor dystopian.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Gareth Cook, Robert Krulwich
[isbn]
I always enjoy the annual edition of the Best American Infographics, and the latest is no exception. This election year, there are a lot of startling political infographics, but there's so much more than the election here. I love flipping through this in my downtime; I always learn something new.
Recommended by Ashleigh B.
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Kirsten Kearney
[isbn]
This new book by Kirsten Kearney, author of the bestselling Block City, features 34 mind-blowing Minecraft building projects by the best Minecraft masters. Marvel at the 12,000-block version of the Museum of Natural History, and follow the easy tutorial on how to build a T. rex on the next page.
Recommended by Kim T.
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Ken Jennings
[isbn]
Ken Jennings's Maphead: Charting the Wide, Weird World of Geography Wonks is an intriguing (dare I say, captivating?) look into the realm of maps, geography, and cartophiles. Jennings writes remarkably well, infusing his engrossing subject with a surprising amount of both wit and humor. Each chapter of Maphead offers insight into a different aspect of map lore, from the historical to the hypermodern. Collectors, cartographers,... (read more)
Recommended by Jeremy G.
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Christian Rudder
[isbn]
Using the data he collected from his dating website as well as other social media sources, Harvard grad and OkCupid cofounder Christian Rudder presents us with a highly readable, honest, and funny look at human behavior. From flirting demographics to marital success stats, he demonstrates our changeable yet predictable nature in a way that is neither plauditory nor judgmental. The charts, graphs, and illustrated tweets throughout are the perfect... (read more)
Recommended by Aubrey W.
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Erik Brynjolfsson, Andrew McAfee
[isbn]
As we become more technologically advanced as a society, challenges such as job loss and failing industries are inevitable. In The Second Machine Age, a compelling case is made for shifting our policies toward preparing for technological progress and stemming economic decline.
Recommended by Jen C.
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Ina Saltz
[isbn]
In Body Type, accomplished graphic designer and typographer Ina Saltz offers a glimpse into the diverse, imaginative, and deeply personal world of typographic tattoos. From nicknames and birth dates to poetry, song lyrics, mantras, and memorials, the written word takes on new meaning when etched in flesh, and the images captured in Saltz's book comprise a stunning (and admittedly voyeuristic) tribute to the angst, love, devotion,... (read more)
Recommended by Tove H.
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Kirsten Kearney and Yazur Strovoz
[isbn]
Block City is an excellent Minecraft how-to book for beginners as well as those looking for inspiration, with jaw-dropping examples from master builders all over the world! You'll find great tips for choosing a platform, tools, blocks, and mods. Witness the limitless lands of creative online architects who don't have the restrictions of gravity to hold them back!
Recommended by Kim T.
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