Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI by Yuval Noah Harari
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

None of this may be all that new or groundbreaking for those of us who keep our eyes open to the events of today, but it IS a well-written overview of the flow of information.

It's not a science text. It's a social text. I mean, anyone who controls the information, has the power, right? 1984.

Here's where this book stands apart: church, politics, lack of informational dissemination, all the way to the age of science, totalitarian governments, and what AI means in this mix. Step by step, this is a historical survey of the world BY WAY of informational networks.

I loved it for what it is: a great survey.

Here's what it isn't: shrill doomerism. It's careful, logical, conversational, and erudite. It's a voice of reason. It assumes that you, the reader, want a clear look at where we came from and where we might be going.

Of course, with AI already here, and the worries about all the said control of information, this book might already be slightly behind the curve. Even so, if you read it with that small caveat, I'm sure you'll get a lot out of it. I know I did.

As for me, I just hope we do NOT go the way of a totalitarian nightmare. Big Brother is slightly lesser-tech than what we have now. Where we're going should make us pause. Maybe we CAN make things better, yes?

Please?




Personal note:
If anyone reading my reviews might be interested in reading my own SF, I'm going to be open to DM requests. I think it's about time I get some eyes on them.

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