Finished up "Little Brother" by Cory Doctorow on the commute this morning and the sequel, "Homeland" just as the work day was winding down. "Little Brother" (a play on words paying homage to Orwell's Big Brother) is about the aftermath of another major terrorist attack (San Francisco's Bay Bridge gets destroyed), the government's response and the how the people react to the government clamp down on fucking everything. It's a realistic, and quite frightening, look at where we are as a nation and what we could easily become if we give in to fear. Or, just as bad but more likely, give in to the fear mongering of our government.
This is the first I've read from Doctorow, but "Little Brother" was easily the best book I've read this year. "Homeland" was more about the corruption of the government sworn to protect and uphold the constitution and the people it protects and was very good as well.
I'm currently reading "Information Doesn't Want to Be Free: Laws for the Internet Age," also by Doctorow. It's more a collection of essays and thought experiments on the themes of copyright, the "protections" they put in place for it and whether it's really a good idea to put digital locks on media content or if it's counter productive. Doctorow is adamantly against DRM because while it protects the middle-men, it hurts the artists and alienates the consumers. His audio books aren't available at audible.com, the worlds largest audio book seller, because they refuse to offer audio books without DRM and he refuses to sell a book with a digital lock on it.
This is the first I've read from Doctorow, but "Little Brother" was easily the best book I've read this year. "Homeland" was more about the corruption of the government sworn to protect and uphold the constitution and the people it protects and was very good as well.
I'm currently reading "Information Doesn't Want to Be Free: Laws for the Internet Age," also by Doctorow. It's more a collection of essays and thought experiments on the themes of copyright, the "protections" they put in place for it and whether it's really a good idea to put digital locks on media content or if it's counter productive. Doctorow is adamantly against DRM because while it protects the middle-men, it hurts the artists and alienates the consumers. His audio books aren't available at audible.com, the worlds largest audio book seller, because they refuse to offer audio books without DRM and he refuses to sell a book with a digital lock on it.
Thief and assassin for hire. Member in good standing of the Rogues Guild.