The history of overhyped tech, and a new graphic novel from Charles Burns

Richard Powers Playground is a novel of contrasts: a place of constant discovery and wondrous creatures constantly at play against the vast unknowns of Earth’s oceans, technological progress and the rise of artificial intelligence; the unlikely friendship between a young poet and a boy whose life revolves around coding; a remote island with a small population still feeling the effects of a history of exploitation and a technological elite who envision it as a stepping stone to their own utopia.

Through the perspectives of four characters who come together in Makatea, an atoll in the South Pacific, Playground explores friendship, play, the wonders of the natural world, and humanity in the age of artificial intelligence. Powers’ writing is beautiful and Playground promises to leave you with a lot to think about.

The Long History of the Future: Why Tomorrow’s Technology Isn’t Here Yet is a surprisingly entertaining look at the failed promises of technologies long reported to be on the horizon, and the grand ambitions of the innovators behind them. Tech and science journalist Nicole Kobie takes us on a decades-long journey tracing the roots of some of the biggest ideas that never quite materialized as they were once envisioned—flying cars, the hyperloop, robots that could actually do it. doing all our work for us etc. Kobie provides witty analysis and plenty of rich anecdotes, making for a really informative deep dive that’s quite fun to read.

It’s a big week for anyone who’s been waiting years for Charles Burns to be released in English. Daedalus – Final CutAs the English version says, here. Final Cut After a group of friends, led by talented filmmaker Brian, set out to make a fantastic horror film. Invasion of the Bodyguards, Brian’s favorite movie. But in a nightmarish mix of obsession, romantic longing (for the film’s star Laurie) and artistic creativity gone too far, Brian is caught up and things take a dark and disturbing turn. As is characteristic of Burns, Final Cut surreal and disturbing, made all the more effective by its crisp illustrations. In a way, it feels like its spiritual successor A black holeand I expect this to be one I keep coming back to.