3 book recommendations from Eliot Peper
Bandwidth is available for preorder and we're gearing up for release on May 1. Many of you know that it's a science fiction thriller featuring spies and hackers grappling over the geopolitics of tech and climate change, with a group of utopian activists hijacking the global feed to influence the psychology of world leaders. Brad Feld calls it "spectacular near-term science fiction" and Publisher's Weekly describes it as, "A very credibly rendered near future… Peper guides his story with a sure hand, lacing its narrative with issues and references that resonate powerfully in the age of net neutrality, algorithms, and social media hacks."
I need your help. If you’re in the media or have an audience or you have any ideas or connections or assets that might be valuable when we launch this thing, I would be eternally grateful. Books succeed when they become part of the larger cultural conversation, and that depends entirely on reader support and enthusiasm. Just tell me who you are, what you’re willing to offer, what it might be good for, and how to be in touch.
And now, books I love that you might too:
Gnomon by Nick Harkaway is a mind-bending labyrinth of a science fiction novel that splices the allure and danger of an algorithmically optimized society into a fiendish Borgesian puzzle box. Detectives, artists, financiers, alchemists, and conspirators vie for position in a dance that nobody completely understands, but that will shape the future of a nation. Harkaway's prose is a literary disco ball that glitters with big ideas, satisfying twists, and resonant characters. He's one of those writers who I will follow almost anywhere and I recommended his debut novel in a previous edition of the newsletter.
Deep Work by Cal Newport is an inspiring, practical guide to doubling down on concentration in an age of distraction. With overflowing inboxes, packed schedules, and social media only a click away, it's amazing we get anything done at all. Newport taps research in fields as diverse as neuroscience and economics to show the results focus can yield and dispenses no-nonsense advice for protecting and investing time and attention. This book provided great motivation as I finished up the manuscript of my next novel.
Overview by Benjamin Grant is a breathtaking photography collection of stunning satellite images of Earth's surface. Named for the overview effect, the cognitive shift astronauts report when viewing Earth from space, this book is filled with dazzling eye-candy that will change your perspective on the world we live in. Industrial landscapes, tropical rainforests, urban infrastructure, eroded mountain ranges, and pristine coastlines pop off the page and spark a sense of wonder at the beauty and diversity of our pale blue dot.
Bonus recommendation: Last week, I led a workshop on storytelling and entrepreneurship at the Ignite Conference in San Diego with Josh Anon and Greg Horowitt. I've learned an enormous amount from Josh and Greg over the years and if you missed the workshop, you can check out some of my take-aways here.
In other news, I just handed in the second revision of Borderless, the sequel to Bandwidth, and I'm really happy with how the story is coming together. On April 9th, I will be speaking about science fiction and tech with John Hanke, CEO of Niantic and creator of Google Maps and Pokémon Go, at the GamesBeat Summit 2018 in Marin (you can get 30% off the tickets by using "peper" as the discount code). On April 10-13, I will be speaking on a series of panels about technology, society, and the future at the Conference on World Affairs in Boulder. Finally, I've been working with Peter Nowell and Phoebe Morriss on a *secret project* that I'm itching to tell you about. More soon.
If you enjoy this newsletter and want to support it, forward this email to a friend. I love sharing amazing stories that explore the intersection of technology and culture. The goal of this newsletter is to recommend books, both fiction and nonfiction, that crackle and fizz with big ideas, keep us turning pages deep into the night, challenge our assumptions, help us find meaning in a changing world, and make us think, feel, and ask hard questions. In an age of digital abundance, quality is the new scarcity. The right book at the right time can change your life.
I also pull back the curtain on my creative process. When I'm not reading books, I'm writing them. If you're interested, you can find my books right here. They've been praised by Businessweek, Popular Science, TechCrunch, io9, and Ars Technica. I'd love to hear what you think if you give them a read.
Cheers, Eliot
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