June 2019 books

This was our June book club pick; not our usual fare, but a lot of fun.

This is a collection of Robert Darnton's articles about books and libraries, published in 2009. Organized in three sections (Future, Present, Past), chapters include: Google and the future of books, The information landscape, The future of libraries, Lost and found in cyberspace, E-books and old books, Gutenberg-e, Open access, A paean to paper, The importance of being bibliographical, The mysteries of reading, What is the history of books. Very interesting reading.

This was an excellent look at how the algorithms that run common computer applications contains many faults that can have long-lasting and detrimental impacts on people.

 This was a beautiful novel, well-written and moving.

This incisive look at Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google will give you a lot to think about. The author has done extensive research into the formation and management of these four companies. His insights will have you questioning their predominance in society and raises concerns about their impact on the economy and modern life.

This is the story of parents Jacob and Eidel, and their children Max and Lydia. Framed by Max's recollections of their times in Auschwitz, the novel alternates between narratives focusing on Jacob and Eidel and their varying experiences in the camp. Losing Lydia early on leads Jacob to gamble on a way to help Max survive. Very sobering.

Coming out in September 2019, this is a funny and heartfelt memoir by comedian and writer Josh Gondelman. I thoroughly enjoyed this book by one of the writers on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and Desus & Mero.

This is a fascinating deep dive into the history of the Oxford English Dictionary, and some of the many people who were responsible for leading the project over he 68 years that it took to complete the first edition. And I thought editing a special issue of a journal was challenging!