Editor’s Reading List: The Technology Issue
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The Man Who Stalked Einstein
Bruce J. Hillman, Bernd C. Wagner, Birgit Ertl-Wagner
This is a gripping tale of the feud that brewed up between Nazi scientist Philipp Lenard and Albert Einstein, characterized by their polarizing views with regards to physics and the conflict that WWI introduced. Track Lenard’s descent into a lifetime of petty squabbles, his growing feelings of inferiority affecting both his professional and personal relationships. And laugh at the many injections of Einstein’s humor and wit, of which there is plenty to go around.
Culture and Technology
Jennifer Daryl Slack and J. Macgregor Wise
The perfect primer for anyone interested in media and communications, this book covers all the basics from “culture and technology to technological culture.” From a historical overview of different cultural receptions of technology to theoretical unpackings of the more recent notions that progress and technology are inextricably tied, this book offers something for anyone interested in exploring the numerous ways in which technology affects our lives.
Mind Change: How Digital Technologies Are Leaving Their Mark on Our Brains
Susan Greenfield
Neuroscientist Susan Greenfield explores how daily computer, smartphone and social media use is rewiring our brains, uncovering both the disadvantages and advantages to a life with digital technology. This book sets out to ensure that our relationship with technology fosters creative thinking, rather than impede it – and given that adults spend an average of 10 hours a day online, we most certainly need the advice.
Geek Sublime: The Beauty of Code, the Code of Beauty
Vikram Chandra
In a genre-bending memoir/essay/treatise form, coder and novelist Chandra explores the intricacies of computer language and culture. In evaluating the aesthetic merits of whether code should be considered art, he ultimately concludes that it should not, but in the process, his eloquent penmanship might nearly be mistaken as making a case for the counterargument.
Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World
Haruki Murakami
You don’t have to be a big sci-fi fan to be immersed in Murakami’s fantastical storytelling. Written in 1985, the story alternates between narratives of two future (and whacky) worlds, delving into societal mores associated with big data and biotechnology. Although the storylines are imagined and far-fetched, it’s fascinating to read the future as envisioned in the 1980s, much like the experience of watching Back to the Future (also 1985) is now.
MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference
Known in sport circles as “The World Series for Nerds,” the 9th Annual MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference offered a live stream of the conference this year via their YouTube channel. The “Wearable Technology Analytics” panel was fascinating as sport management professionals are using technology to understand athlete performance at a genetic level. Overall though, other industries can learn so much from the global sport industry as they’re truly leading the way with respect to harnessing the power of big data to drive innovation.