Digital Journal — Admit it. You want to read more books, especially non-fiction, but you don’t know what to choose amidst the bevy of new releases. To help you select the best books filled with technology, science and humour, Digital Journal suggests recent titles that can be both startling and insightful, and always worth reading.
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How to Survive a Robot Uprising by Daniel H. Wilson (Bloomsbury)
At first glance, this small book is a cheeky look into protecting ourselves against a robot rebellion. Unusually, the deadpan tone gives the impression the author is completely serious about his manual for robo defence. Even some headings sound like they’re ripped from government dossiers (“How to Treat a Laser Wound” or “How to Detect Robot Speech”).
But what makes the quasi-manual an informative read are the robot-related facts dotting the how-to sections. Since Wilson is a Ph.D. candidate at the Robotics Institute of Carnegie Mellon University, he knows technology well. We learn how roboticists are developing human features for prototypes, such as one robot that tells unruly children, “Please get out of my way!” Wilson also spends an entire chapter instructing humans on how to evade the very real thermal imaging target tracker. Is this humorous science fiction or a preview of the future?
As strange as it sounds, shelving this book with Dave Barry books and Mad Magazine collections would be a bad move. Better yet to keep this book within easy access, in case a robot revolution thunders to a neighbourhood near you.
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eBay Scams! Protect Yourself As You Master eBay by Mark Gabriel (Mimosa Books)
Forget the latter part of the title — there are no tips on mastering eBay, only advice on defending against the many scammers who stalk the site for easy targets. As a 344-page warning, this book is ideal for the online auctioneers who feel the sting of scams such as phantom bidding or feedback padding. In an easy-to-read format, Gabriel outlines each ruse with flow charts and questions and answers at the end. The book achieves clarity without dumbing down the potential danger of the scams.
While the book simplifies the scams, it also has the look of a Grade 10 textbook. The font is bland and the writing uninspiring. The pages desperately need a splash of colour to enliven the text. As well, a conclusive chapter would have been a nice parting shot to the eBay professionals who want one last word on protecting their wallet and pride.
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The Hypochondriac’s Pocket Guide to Horrible Diseases You Probably Already Have by Dennis DiClaudio (Bloomsbury)
Don’t feel guilty about laughing at a flesh-eating disease. Or snickering when reading about maggots living under human skin. It’s perfectly natural to laugh at the sly comedy infecting this book about all the unnatural diseases you’ll likely never contract but now fear. Comedian Dennis DiClaudio explains each disease with the thoroughness of a scientist, but adds breezy humour with the ease of an early Saturday Night Live writer.
Sub-sections are divided by disease type, such as parasitic, bacterial or viral. Creepy sketch drawings accompany each disease, along with tips for treatment. But will advice truly be necessary for cyclic vomiting syndrome or Norwegian scabies? Not likely, but learning about the many scary diseases befalling Earth could bring out the hypochondriac in you — or the wannabe doctor who is fascinated by all that could possibly ail us.
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Painting the Digital River by James Faure Walker (Pearson Education):
Is digital art still art? Accomplished painter James Faure Walker answers this question among many others to explain the evolution of fine art onto the digital platform. In concise arguments, he writes how new media requires knowledge about the software and hardware needed to design intriguing pieces, just as the classical artist needs to learn about paint and brush.
Most fascinating is Walker’s journey into various digital artwork that is expanding the notion of aesthetics. One page will discuss the beauty of a 28-foot-high laser print of a scanned pig’s intestine, and another will praise a picture of water currents stitched together in Photoshop from a video taken in South Africa. Walker is almost breathless in his philosophies concerning how digital art is changing the cultural landscape. His adulations can get repetitive but for artists seeking a manifesto on how “digital art has a life of its own,” this book is a refreshing read.
Have you read any of these books? If so, tell us what you liked or disliked. If not, what types of books are of interest to you? Post your views on Digital Journal’s Official Blog!
