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richardleis's reviews
524 reviews
Robots Will Steal Your Job, But That's OK: How to Survive the Economic Collapse and Be Happy by Federico Pistono
3.0
There is much I appreciate about this book, including the author's obvious enthusiasm and attention to the subject of automation and robots replacing human labor for good. There are particular sections about happiness and some good advice that I found personally useful.
Unfortunately, the book as a whole does not quite gel into a cohesive exploration of these important topics, and in fact, the book ends abruptly, without an explanation as to why the last topics are important to any overarching thesis. In particular, Part 3 and its focus on solutions is a collection of short chapters that might serve as good self help advice, but still doesn't provide an overall solution to millions of people losing their jobs to technology. There is a start of a solution there, and I appreciate that it focuses on the individual, but I think any good solution will need to address multiple scales, from the individual to humanity as a whole, and will need to be explored in a narrative that people will feel compelled to pay attention to. It might be okay to let robots take all the jobs, and it might be best for each of us to pursue self actualization and the right kinds of happiness in the right kinds of ways, but the two of these alone are only the very tip of an overall solution.
I was also put off by the number of spelling and grammatical errors, as well as some statements that felt naive or dismissive when the topic at hand required a deeper look. However, the author is relatively young and I think he will continue to improve rapidly as he continues to explore these and other topics and continues to lecture and write more. In the end, I was thankful for a good summary of the current issue and links to additional resources. This discourse needs to continue, and I am looking forward to it maturing and getting into more comprehensive solutions.
Unfortunately, the book as a whole does not quite gel into a cohesive exploration of these important topics, and in fact, the book ends abruptly, without an explanation as to why the last topics are important to any overarching thesis. In particular, Part 3 and its focus on solutions is a collection of short chapters that might serve as good self help advice, but still doesn't provide an overall solution to millions of people losing their jobs to technology. There is a start of a solution there, and I appreciate that it focuses on the individual, but I think any good solution will need to address multiple scales, from the individual to humanity as a whole, and will need to be explored in a narrative that people will feel compelled to pay attention to. It might be okay to let robots take all the jobs, and it might be best for each of us to pursue self actualization and the right kinds of happiness in the right kinds of ways, but the two of these alone are only the very tip of an overall solution.
I was also put off by the number of spelling and grammatical errors, as well as some statements that felt naive or dismissive when the topic at hand required a deeper look. However, the author is relatively young and I think he will continue to improve rapidly as he continues to explore these and other topics and continues to lecture and write more. In the end, I was thankful for a good summary of the current issue and links to additional resources. This discourse needs to continue, and I am looking forward to it maturing and getting into more comprehensive solutions.
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
4.0
A joyful and exciting read, full of color and nostalgia. While some authors write books that are obviously intended to be turned into a movie, Ready Player One takes the time to remember it is a book first. Therefore, we get fully realized characters and fun geeky exposition.
There is a lot of deus ex machina, in the form of "oh, by the way: I knew that already and here's that flashback". The villains are comically so. The personal growth is obvious and naive. However, all of these work because the book so revels in the 1970s and 1980s and the pop culture of the time that could also be accused of these. At these moments in the book, if you the reader has tapped into the nostalgia, then you won't mind at all, or even get a gleeful feeling at the more cartoon moments.
There is a lot of deus ex machina, in the form of "oh, by the way: I knew that already and here's that flashback". The villains are comically so. The personal growth is obvious and naive. However, all of these work because the book so revels in the 1970s and 1980s and the pop culture of the time that could also be accused of these. At these moments in the book, if you the reader has tapped into the nostalgia, then you won't mind at all, or even get a gleeful feeling at the more cartoon moments.
The Minerva Virus by Brian Shuster
3.0
I enjoyed the plot and the escalating disaster that propelled the story rapidly forward. The characters were satisfactory, though their internal thoughts were often a bit purple and emotions changed I realistically rapidly. Unfortunately, the writing itself left something to be desired, though I'm guessing this is a first book and I expect the author will have improved quickly in later books. I feel another draft or two could have tightened up things considerably and eliminated much of the purple prose.
Aeternum Ray by Tracy R. Atkins
2.0
I had read a few positive reviews and interviews with the author on various singularity-related websites, so I added the book to my Amazon wish list and my sister purchased it for me as a gift. That forced me to keep reading it, even when I discovered how poorly written it was, especially during the first half of the book. This also allowed me to finish it, so I could appreciate the much better second half.
The problem with most of the book is simply one of a new writer tending toward exposition, timelines, platitudes, cliches, and grand proclamations rather than an actual narrative. That is also why the second half improves so much; the novel finally becomes a narrative, though I think some people are going to have trouble getting to that point.
There are great ideas explored in the novel, especially when the story improves beyond a list of events and technological breakthroughs. I especially liked the last quarter of the book and the ideas expressed there. However, there are some weaknesses in the ideas, including how in this utopian future society there appears to be little control over pain or emotions.
I'm not sure that I exactly recommend this book. These ideas have been and will continue to be explored more successfully elsewhere. The read was generally tedious. I added a star simply because I really enjoyed the ideas introduced in the last quarter of the book.
The problem with most of the book is simply one of a new writer tending toward exposition, timelines, platitudes, cliches, and grand proclamations rather than an actual narrative. That is also why the second half improves so much; the novel finally becomes a narrative, though I think some people are going to have trouble getting to that point.
There are great ideas explored in the novel, especially when the story improves beyond a list of events and technological breakthroughs. I especially liked the last quarter of the book and the ideas expressed there. However, there are some weaknesses in the ideas, including how in this utopian future society there appears to be little control over pain or emotions.
I'm not sure that I exactly recommend this book. These ideas have been and will continue to be explored more successfully elsewhere. The read was generally tedious. I added a star simply because I really enjoyed the ideas introduced in the last quarter of the book.
The Rise of Siri by Shlok Vaidya
3.0
While I am only giving this short novella three stars, it is only because I'm not sure of the merits of what I read; that is, what exactly is a "Startup Dystopia" story? Furthermore, I'm not sure how I feel about using so many real and contemporary people as fictional characters. Is this just a fad, or is there useful commentary here? While we know these real people, in the story they are not really fleshed out, coming across more like caricatures.
What seems to be important, though, are the ideas of a world losing trust and respect for nation-states and turning to particular corporations instead. I do highly recommend reading the novella, because it is so unique, clever, and fast-paced, with a strong beginning, middle, and end in its plotting.
What seems to be important, though, are the ideas of a world losing trust and respect for nation-states and turning to particular corporations instead. I do highly recommend reading the novella, because it is so unique, clever, and fast-paced, with a strong beginning, middle, and end in its plotting.