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Trend Spotting: Big, Bad Tech
Perhaps it's the Bad Blood effect—last year's blockbuster nonfiction book about the deception of Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes—or perhaps it has to do with stories ripped from the headlines, but the evil protagonist in many new books across genres is big, bad tech.
And it shows no sign of slowing down. At this year's BookExpo America—the largest annual book trade fair in the United States—publishing houses contributed to a panel of what they predicted will be their upcoming hit books. Of the six titles presented to the overflowing room of booksellers and librarians, two were about the evils of technology: the sci-fi thriller The Warehouse and the disillusioned millennial–in–San Francisco memoir Uncanny Valley.
We've rounded up some notable 2019 new (and upcoming) releases on the "bad tech trend" to add to your Want to Read shelf. Have some great books to add to the discussion? Let's talk in the comments section!
And it shows no sign of slowing down. At this year's BookExpo America—the largest annual book trade fair in the United States—publishing houses contributed to a panel of what they predicted will be their upcoming hit books. Of the six titles presented to the overflowing room of booksellers and librarians, two were about the evils of technology: the sci-fi thriller The Warehouse and the disillusioned millennial–in–San Francisco memoir Uncanny Valley.
We've rounded up some notable 2019 new (and upcoming) releases on the "bad tech trend" to add to your Want to Read shelf. Have some great books to add to the discussion? Let's talk in the comments section!
Genre: Self-Help. The Georgetown computer scientist makes the case that in order to live well in our high-tech world, we need to learn to unplug. He argues that our addiction to personal tech has taken a dark turn.
Release date: February 5
Release date: February 5
Genre: Thriller. In this high-intensity read, a child is kidnapped and will only be released when the child's parents kidnap a replacement. This novel makes good use of Bitcoin, the dark web, and parents' social media habits to fuel the suspense.
Release date: July 9
Release date: July 9
Genre: Young Adult. Seventeen-year-old Aidan awakes to find himself in bed with a dead guy. And suddenly he's on the run from faceless federal agents and, naturally, a cyberterrorist group.
Release date: August 6
Release date: August 6
Genre: Science Fiction. In a near-dystopian future, the best you can hope for is to land a gig at the Cloud, an all-powerful tech company. However, not all is what it seems to be in this thriller, which is already in the process of being adapted for film by director Ron Howard.
Release date: August 20
Release date: August 20
Genre: Nonfiction. Investigative reporter Mike Isaac delivers a gripping account of Uber’s rapid rise, the company’s toxic work culture, and the bare-knuckle tactics used in its quest for dominance.
Release date: September 3
Release date: September 3
Genre: Memoir. An idealistic 20-something takes what she thinks is going to be a dream job at a San Francisco tech company. Instead she recounts her experience within the reckless start-up culture at a time of unchecked ambition, unregulated surveillance, and growing political power.
Release date: January 14, 2020
Release date: January 14, 2020
What are you looking forward to reading? Let's talk books in the comments!
Check out more recent articles:
The Big Books of Fall
7 Great Books Hitting Shelves This Week
The Most Read Books on Goodreads in August
Check out more recent articles:
The Big Books of Fall
7 Great Books Hitting Shelves This Week
The Most Read Books on Goodreads in August
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Jim
(new)
Aug 29, 2019 10:36AM
tech isn't bad. (some) people made tech, (some) people have let tech over their lives. (some) people are bad. tech is just a medium to allow (some) people to amplify their badness.
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Jonathan wrote: "heroin isn't bad. (some) people made heroin, (some) people have let heroin take over their lives. (some) people are bad. heroin is just a medium to allow (some) people to amplify their badness."yep.
Technology as a stand alone isn't bad, but how it is deployed and used can create issues. Anything left unchecked and unfettered is up for abuse and evil, that is why it must be regulated and cannot be treated any differently than any other human invention.
