The Historical Context of Technological Change AI and technological change are transforming our world at an unprecedented pace. In The Coming Wave, Mustafa Suleyman dives deep into the implications of rapid advancements in AI, warning of both its promises and its perils. The book critically examines how these developments will reshape society, economics, and global ...
There is something deeply disturbing about Peter Dutton. It’s not his looks, though they don’t help. There is something that comes across to me as being deeply inhuman. He sounds as if he doesn’t care about mankind – or at least certain parts of mankind – and that is reflected clearly in his politics. A ...
In February 2017, Scott Morrison, the then Treasurer and later Prime Minister, took a piece of coal into the Australian Parliament. “This is coal. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be scared. It’s coal.” His demonstration highlighted the Liberal Party’s unwavering support for fossil fuels. Now, Peter Dutton, Morrison’s successor, has pivoted to nuclear power in Australia, ...
The Romanticized View of Victorian Street Life At Christmas time, TV fare always includes something by Charles Dickens. Usually Oliver Twist, but it could be Great Expectations, Nicholas Nickleby, or one of his other stories repeatedly adapted into films, musicals, or TV series. The portrayal of the poor in Victorian London seems to align with ...
In her best-selling book SPQR, Mary Beard told the history of ancient Rome in a conventional, historical way. She has moved away from that in her latest book, Emperor of Rome. In this book, she looks at the emperors who ruled the Roman Empire, starting with Julius Caesar (assassinated in 44 BCE) and moving through ...
Yuval Noah Harari’s delves into the dangers of AI but uniquely examines this issue through the lens of human societal development and the lessons we may or may not have learned. Yuval Noah Harari’s Nexus asks, “Why are we so good at accumulating more information and power, but far less successful at acquiring wisdom?” Beginning ...
Josephine Quinn (Bloomsbury) Challenging the Myth of Western Civilization Origins How the World Made the West is a revolutionary book that challenges the myth of Western Civilization Origins. Josephine Quinn argues that our understanding of history was shaped by modern interpretations, not ancient truths. What we see when we look back into the past is ...
Revisiting Orwell’s Life This is a long book, and D J Taylor, who wrote a George Orwell biography 20 years ago, believes there is significant value in revisiting the subject.. There is new biographical evidence available in terms of letters between Orwell and his friends and lovers. Sadly, Taylor identified only eleven people who knew ...
The Great Hippopotamus Hotel by Alexander McCall Smith, the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency is a very popular series of books. The series initially took time to gain recognition in the USA. It has now sold millions of copies worldwide, with new books eagerly awaited by fans. The first book was published in 1998 and ...
Peter Wheeler, a political activist for the Labour Party in the UK, reflects on the pivotal 2024 British General Election, which marked a significant shift in the country’s political landscape. He has been a local government councillor as well as having held senior posts within the Labour Party. He campaigned tirelessly in the recent election. ...