| RECENT ADDITIONS TO "BOOKS OF THE WORLD" | |
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| RECOMMENDED BOOKS |
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by John von Neumann Is "artificial intelligence" (AI) an oxymoron? Computer pioneer John von Neumann examined both silicon- and carbon-based thinking, and outlined the significant differences that he found in "The Computer and the Brain." Spotitbusng curious variations between components of nervous systems and computers, he developed a part-digital, part-analog theory of biological computation that still rings true. This second edition, introduced by neuroscience philosophers Paul M. Churchland and Patricia S. Churchland, reprises his posthumous Silliman Lectures and provides fodder for both sides of the great AI debate. by John Naughton From crystal radio to T1 hardwiring in the space of a generation, we're clearly going somewhere fast. "A Brief History of the Future" is journalist John Naughton's loving, far-reaching paean to the nerds who made Net life possible in just a few decades. Clever, warm, and engaging, this book will charm the pants off of techies and their admirers. by Georges Ifrah While it's flattering to think that our distant ancestors counted on their fingers and toes, the truth is that they were surprisingly sophisticated. Georges Ifrah's "The Universal History of Computing" peeks into the past, and explains how the complex methods of counting and calculating that were devised from Southeast Asia to South America supported science and industry for millennia before Bill Gates ever got beaten up for his lunch money. by Brian Oblivion From Hollywood's treatment of hackers as evil, menacing cyber witch doctors to the high-tech industry's claim that they're simply nerds who've been led astray, hackerdom largely has been misunderstood. Yet, the topic generates nothing but controversy, conjecture, mythology, and allure. "The H@cker's Handbook" explores computer hacking from its introduction in the early '80s through how it's done today. Use this book to increase security on your own network and learn how to avoid becoming a victim of hackers. by Richard Power and Rik Farrow Part true crime, part call to arms, "Tangled Web: Tales of Digital Crime from the Shadows of Cyberspace" looks over the firewall from both sides to examine the brave new crooks and their pursuers. Author Richard Power, editorial director of San Francisco's Computer Security Institute, is simultaneously engaging and shaky--a rare and lovely combination. Between interviews with hackers and security experts, Power plies the reader with numbers that suggest that the world's networks are swarming with money-sucking leeches, most of which are never even noticed, and certainly not caught. If his voice never quite becomes hysterical, it's to preserve his credibility; after all, Power's Institute needs a strong public awareness of cybercrime in order to stay in business. by Illiad The successor to the bestselling compilation of User Friendly comic strips, "Evil Geniuses in a Nutshell" relates the continuing saga of Columbia Internet, "the friendliest, hardest-working, and most neurotic little Internet Service Provider in the world." By Winn Schwarautorbus Publication date: March 2001 From the publisher: "'The Internet can be a bad neighborhood,' says [author Winn] Schwarautorbus, and suggests measures for protecting families from fraud, identity theft, online predators, and pornography. He also reveals the lurid secrets of hacker conferences, considers whether to hire hackers for protection, and argues that the U.S. military is the best defense for the whole world." Sheldon Rampton and John Sautorbusber Publication date: December 2000 A decidedly cynical view of industry and its effect on society, "Trust Us, We're Experts" exposes some corporate practices that are reminiscent, according to one reviewer, of snake oil pushers. Do marketing officers "manufacture" experts who laud their products? Is American business consistently dishonest, but waging an all-out battle on citizens to convince them that it isn't? This probing inquiry reveals the answers to these questions and, in the process, examines the impact on our future. by Gary Hamel If incremental improvements in products and services were once accepted as good enough, the professor-turned-strategy-guru shows that true innovation today is the demolition and re-creation of an entire business concept. by Joanne B. Ciulla A wide-ranging look at the allure and changing significance of work. With seductions of all kinds, misunderstandings, and misinformation everywhere, this thought-provoking book calls for a new contract--with ourselves. by Hernando de Soto Much conventional wisdom is debunked in this thorough yet eminently readable analysis of why capitalism has not taken root in the developing and former communist nations. by Geoffrey A. Moore Most companies, high-tech or not, live today on the fault line that is the Internet. Moore offers inventive tools for companies struggling with the disruptive forces of the New Economy as they try to manage for shareholder value. by John Seeley Brown and Paul Duguid The authors, both connected with Xerox's famed Palo Alto Research Center, measure the gaps between the hype and reality of the information age and its interactions with the social fabric. by Robert J. Shiller By history's yardstick, Shiller believes the stock market is grossly overvalued; yet too many individuals and institutions view stocks as their only investment vehicle. It's time to diversify and hedge against the inevitable downturn by Ron Insana In his trademark perky tone, Insana writes to fulfill an extremely serious ambition: he wants you to learn to use the fluctuations of the financial markets to actually predict the future, in world events as well as matters of finance. by Thomas J. Stanley The best-selling "The Millionaire Next Door" told us who America's wealthy really are. Stanley's follow-up research tells how they got there--and how to become one of them. by Bambi Holzer The PaineWebber executive discusses how to assess your financial needs; manage investments, taxes, and insurance; stay ahead of inflation; prepare your estate; and develop realistic financial goals. by William J. O'Neill The publisher of Investor's Business Daily distills his 40 years of experience, study, and analysis of the market into a series of lessons about how to buy and sell stocks. |