150-WORD BOOK REVIEW: Bold by Peter Diamandis and Stephen Kotler

Bold cover

Bold cover

‘Go big, create wealth and impact the world.’ Bold’s subheading is quite a boast, and for two thirds of the book, it will certainly inspire most readers to think they can do exactly that. The book starts by giving examples and case studies of businesses engaged in disruptive/exponential technologies like 3D printing, biotech, AI, robotics and more.

The second part of the book explores how people can get into the ‘bold’ mindset – looking at some of the world’s greatest entrepreneurs and their moonshots as well as digging into psychological theories like flow and others.

As with their previous book, Abundance, the authors are at their best when they’re broadening the reader’s horizons and talking about those technological leaps we’re likely to make over the next 10 to 20 years. Sadly the final third of this book gets slightly lost with what felt like digressions into creating communities, crowdfunding and more.

Read it. Be inspired. Skip chapter 8 on.

150-WORD BOOK REVIEW: The Dark Net by Jamie Bartlett

Dark Net Cover The Internet that most people use on a day to day basis is a veneer. The part that lies unindexed by Google and unvisited by most is only occasionally glimpsed in tabloid exposes or dodgy pop-up ads on sites people visit for ‘research’.

The Dark Net is about the layers – rotten and amazing – that lie beneath. Free from the academic ruminations or tabloid hysteria that has characterised so many other books on this topic, Bartlett explores this semi-walled garden.

These include Camgirls, Silk Road dealers, trolls, transhumanists, perverts and many others by exploring those people who live and make a living from the more opaque, obscure and occasionally illegal and immoral corners of the Internet.

Not only are the characters perfectly cast, their stories are expertly told. You’ll either be horrified or racing to download Tor afterwards. Or maybe both. Regardless. You’re going to want to read this.

REVIEW: 9.75/10

150 WORD REVIEW: Made With by John Grant

Made With book coverWhat Grant defines as the ‘Interland’ is one of the most fascinating, fastest growing regions in the world. Ranging from Turkey to North Africa and covering everywhere from the MIddle East right through to Indonesia, the Interland is a place where traditional thinking says that ‘East and West collide’. In reality, these are incredibly youthful societies going through some huge changes – socially and economically.

While most books and reports about this region are dominated by religion, conflict and general unpleasantness, ‘Made With’  focuses on creativity, brands and entrepreneurship. The result is a book that is an interesting primer, though perhaps one that perhaps would have benefitted from a tighter focus, more case studies and more interviews and interviewees. The sections featuring these are the ones that really shine, and it’s a shame there aren’t more of them. With that said, ‘Made With‘ is still well worth a look.

150-WORD BOOK REVIEW: Computerised You by Shane Richmond

Kindle- Computerised You.inddAs the ex-editor of the Technology section of the Telegraph and one of the few journalists to have interviewed Apple’s Jonny Ive, Richmond has produced a little gem on ‘wearables’, the technology that we will all eventually use.

Citing watches, Google Glass and even future subcutaneous wearables, Computerised You has interviews with global influencers and mavens and is a quick read, not least because it’s so well-written. The content therein may alarm some readers as Richmond appears to have no problem with the forthcoming merger of man and machine, but in many respects this book be used as a reference for the future.

It may be more than 25 years before the Singularity is upon us, but it’s probably best to prepare for it now (especially if you have children). This book is a very useful asset in doing exactly that.

The book is available for £1.49 on Kindle and Amazon… Richmond blogs about technology here.

REVIEW: 8.25/10

150-WORD REVIEW: To Save Everything, Click Here by Evgeny Morosov

To Save EverythingI am occasionally guilty of being slack jawed when it comes to technological advancement. We’re constantly presented with Ted Talks, books and articles which lionise the tech industry as being the source of solutions for everything from healthcare to education and politics to death.

For every ying of utopian thinking, there needs to be a yang of realism and occasional cynicism. That is what Evgeny Morosov presents in his latest book. He dissects topics ranging from social media’s role in the Arab Spring to the quantified self movement – criticisng what he sees as “techno-solutionism” and “cyber-utopianism”.

You might not agree any of much of what he says (many won’t agree with any of it), but you owe it to yourself to at least read some of the counter-arguments that are out there. Read it. I guarantee it will give you pause for thought.