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List: New Nonfiction Books in December 2024


A photo of The ballerina of Auschwitz

The ballerina of Auschwitz

"Edie is a talented dancer and skilled gymnast with hopes of making the Olympics. Between her rigorous training and her struggle to find her place in a family where she's considered the daughter "with brains but no looks," Edie's too busy to dwell on the state of the world. But life in Hungary in 1943 is dangerous for a Jewish girl. Just as Edie falls in love for the first time, Europe collapses into war, and Edie's family is forced onto a train bound for the Auschwitz concentration camp. Even in that darkest of moments, Edie's beloved, Eric, kindles hope. "I'll never forget your eyes," he tells her through the slats of the cattle car. Auschwitz is horrifying beyond belief, yet through starvation and unthinkable terrors, dreams of Eric sustain Edie. Against all odds, Edie and her sister Magda survive, thanks to their sisterhood and sheer grit. In this young adult edition of her bestselling, award-winning memoir The Choice, renowned psychologist and Holocaust survivor Dr. Edith Eger gives readers a gift of hope and strength"-- Provided by publisher.

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A photo of Explorers : a new history

Explorers : a new history

"Unfurling a tapestry of surprising and historically overlooked figures spanning forty centuries and six continents, historian Matthew Lockwood narrates lives filled with imagination and wonder, curiosity, connection, and exchange. Familiar icons of exploration like Pocahontas, Columbus, Sacagawea, and Captain Cook find new company in the untold stories of people usually denied the title "explorers," including immigrants, indigenous interpreters, local guides, and fugitive slaves. He highlights female voyagers like Gudrid Far-Traveler and Freydís Eiríksdóttir, Viking women who sailed to North America in 1000 AD, and Mary Wortley Montagu, whose pioneering travels to Constantinople would lead to the development of the world's first smallpox vaccine. Figures like Ghulam Rassul Galwan, a guide for European travelers in the Himalayas, reveal the hidden labor, expertise, and local enthusiasm behind many grand stories of discovery. Other characters, like David Dorr, a man born into slavery in New Orleans who embarked on a Grand Tour of Europe and Egypt, embody discovery and wonder as universal parts of the human condition.As Lockwood makes clear, people of every background imagine new worlds. Adventurers from every corner of the globe search for the unknown and try to understand it, remaking the world and themselves in the process. Exploration is for everyone who sets off into the unknown. It is the inheritance of all"-- Provided by publisher.

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A photo of The silver snarling trumpet : the birth of the Grateful Dead : the lost manuscript of Robert Hunter

The silver snarling trumpet : the birth of the Grateful Dead : the lost manuscript of Robert Hunter

"Discovered at last, the legendary lost manuscript of Grateful Dead cofounder and primary lyricist Robert Hunter, written in the early 1960s--a ... remembrance of 'the scene' in Palo Alto that gave rise to an incredible partnership of Hunter and Jerry Garcia, and then to the Grateful Dead itself ... The lost manuscript is augmented with a foreword by John Mayer, an introduction by Dennis McNally, and an afterword by Brigid Meier, who was part of their scene in the San Francisco Bay Area that served as a bridge from the beatniks to the hippies. Also included is Hunter's own 1982 assessment of his work--about how he shared it with close confidants but then decided to leave it unpublished. Five years after Hunter's death, the text has been found, so readers and fans of Hunter's indelible poetry and song can explore the origin of his genius and his craft"--Dust jacket flap.

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A photo of The Spamalot diaries

The Spamalot diaries

"On March 17, 2005, Spamalot debuted on Broadway to rapturous reviews for its star-studded creative team, including creator Eric Idle, director Mike Nichols, and stars Hank Azaria, David Hyde Pierce, Sara Ramirez, John Cleese, and more. But long before show was the toast of Broadway and the winner of three Tony Awards, it was an idea threatening to fizzle before it could find its way into existence. Now, in The Spamalot Diaries, Eric Idle shares authentic journal entries and raw email exchanges--all featuring his whip-smart wit--revealing the sometimes bumpy but always fascinating path to the show's unforgettable run. In the months leading up to that opening night, financial anxieties were high with a low-ceiling budget and expectations that it would take two years to break even. Collaborative disputes put decades-long friendships to the test. And the endless process of rewriting was a task as passionate as it was painstaking. Still, there's nothing Idle would change about that year. Except for the broken ankle. He could do without the broken ankle. Chronicling every minor mishap and triumph along the way, as well as the creative tension that drove the show to new heights, The Spamalot Diaries is an unforgettable look behind the curtain of a beloved musical and inside the wickedly entertaining mind of one of our most treasured comic performers"-- Provided by publisher.

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A photo of How women made music : a revolutionary history from NPR Music

How women made music : a revolutionary history from NPR Music

Turning the Tables, launched in 2017, has revolutionized recognition of female artists, whether it be in best album lists or in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This volume brings this impressive reshaping to the page and includes material from more than fifty years of NPR's coverage plus newly commissioned work. A must-have for music fans, songwriters, feminist historians, and those interested in how artists think and work, including information on Joan Baez, Dolly Parton, Patti Smith, Nina Simone, Taylor Swift, Odetta, and others.

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A photo of Cut, shape, assemble : easy woodworking crafts for small spaces

Cut, shape, assemble : easy woodworking crafts for small spaces

"Step-by-step projects for all skill levels to spruce up your home, from bookends to breakfast trays to birdhouses. With the right tools, guidance, and attitude, anyone can create beautiful and useful home goods from wood. In Cut, Shape, Assemble, award-winning artist Boo Paterson empowers you to craft with confidence and embark on your own creative journey. With information on tools and materials, clear instructions, full-color photography, and one-of-a-kind, hand-drawn blueprints, she guides you through easy-to-make projects that can be pulled together on the floor of a small apartment. All the designs in this book are stylish and modern, with everything a homeowner needs, like a knife block, plant stand, and even a table! Cutting boards, bookends, and serving platters make for wonderful additions to your home or great gifts for friends and family. Whether you're a woodworking enthusiast, hobbyist crafter, or complete newcomer, this encouraging guide will inspire you to elevate your living space, your creativity, and your confidence as you experience the joy of making something of your own out of wood.

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A photo of Zahav home : cooking for friends & family

Zahav home : cooking for friends & family

"Award-winning chefs and bestselling authors of the James Beard Award-winning Zahav, Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook invite you to cook the way they do at home, with 125 new recipes for simple and achievable meals"-- Provided by publisher.

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A photo of The official Bridgerton cookbook

The official Bridgerton cookbook

"With dishes from all of our favorite Bridgerton characters that offer new takes on traditional Regency recipes, this gorgeously photographed book features only the most fabulous fare, alongside stills from the series, favorite quotes, and historical asides, certain to fascinate even the savviest of dinner guest"-- Provided by publisher.

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A photo of A sweet year : Jewish celebrations and festive recipes for kids and their families

A sweet year : Jewish celebrations and festive recipes for kids and their families

"In Jewish tradition, holidays are a time for family and feasting, and for Joan Nathan, nothing embodies the holiday spirit more than cooking delicious festive favorites with friends and loved ones. When her own children were young, Nathan published the first version of this book, which covers nine Jewish holidays and includes step-by-step instructions for kids and their families to prepare accessible feasts. Now she updates a beloved go-to resource for her grandchildren's generation (Out with the Pot Roast! In with the Tahini Shakes!) and adds a heaping helping of new recipes. Included are dishes old and new, traditional and novel, and mouthwatering recipes that everyone will enjoy, from Moroccan Apricot Chicken and Chicken Schnitzel Tenders to Mushroom Kreplach Dumplings and Veggie Quiche. Included are essays on the history of Jewish holidays, instructions for how to celebrate them, and craft activities such as making challah covers and candlesticks. Here are also personal essays on how Nathan's family celebrates the holidays and various menus that can be mixed and matched. For young chefs, recipes also specify the ingredients, equipment, and steps suitable for children to do both by themselves or with adults. This charming book is the comprehensive guide to Jewish holidays and celebrations, and it will help make memories that will last a lifetime. Included are recipes such as: *Rainbow-Colored Challah *Bagels with Apple and Cream Cheese Spread* Shakshouka *Banana strawberry pancakes *Fruit Noodle Kugel *Pasta with Pesto and Vegetables *Potato Latkes *Apple honey cupcakes *Date Tahini Banana Milkshake"-- Provided by publisher.

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A photo of The weekday vegetarians. Get simple : strategies + so-good recipes to suit every craving + mood

The weekday vegetarians. Get simple : strategies + so-good recipes to suit every craving + mood

"100 accessible, stress-free recipes to make plant-forward cooking more streamlined than ever, from the bestselling author of The Weekday Vegetarians. Jenny Rosenstrach's bestselling cookbook, The Weekday Vegetarians, introduced home cooks to the idea that you don't have to be a vegetarian to eat like one. In Get Simple, she shares 100 new recipes that make eating meat-free even easier, even tastier. Jenny focuses on solutions to common misconceptions and roadblocks-like "Vegetarian cooking is so complicated!" which she counters with the skillet and sheet pan dinner chapter and recipes like a cozy Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Butternut Squash. Or, "Vegetarian dinners just aren't filling!" which became the comfort food chapter, rich with recipes for hearty dishes like a Golden Greens Pie and Mushroom-Chard Bread Pudding. And, "I don't want to eat pasta every single night!" as a driver for showcasing dinner-worthy bowls like Crispy Eggplant Bowls with Pistachios & Basil and Farro Piccolo with Crispy Mushrooms & Parm. If you're new to eating less meat and need an easy "just start here" option, go straight to Jenny's vegetarian starter kit that mixes and matches 15 ingredients into 8 different meals, from Carbonara with Cabbage & Miso to Tostada with Eggs & Pickled Onions. And like in her first Weekday Vegetarians cookbook, home cooks will find a whole new battery of hooks, sauces, and sides that will leave you loving your meat-free nights"-- Provided by publisher.

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A photo of The driving machine : a design history of the car

The driving machine : a design history of the car

"In this lively and entertaining work, Witold Rybczynski--hailed as "one of the best writers on design working today" by Publishers Weekly--tells the story of the most distinctive cars in history and the artists, engineers, dreamers, and gearheads who created them. Delving into more than 170 years of ingenuity in design, technology, and engineering, he takes us from Carl Benz's three-wheel motorcar in 1855 to the present-day shift to electric cars. Along the way, he looks at the emergence of mass production with Henry Ford's Model T; the Golden Age of American car design and the rise of car culture; postwar European subcompacts typified by the Mini Cooper; and the long tradition of the streamlined and elegant sports car. Rybczynski explores how cars have been reflections of national character (the charming Italian Fiat Cinquecento), icons of a subculture (the VW bus for American hippies), and even emblems of an era (the practical Chrysler minivan). He explains key developments in automotive technology, including the electric starter, rack-and-pinion steering, and disc brakes, bringing to light how the modern automobile is the result of more than a century of trial and error. And he weaves in charming accounts of the many cars he's owned and driven, starting with his first--the iconic Volkswagen Beetle."-- provided by publisher.

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A photo of Feeding the machine : the hidden human labor powering A.I.

Feeding the machine : the hidden human labor powering A.I.

Silicon Valley has sold us the illusion that artificial intelligence is a frictionless technology that will bring wealth and prosperity to humanity. But hidden beneath this smooth surface lies the grim reality of a precarious global workforce of millions laboring under often appalling conditions to make A.I. possible. This book presents an urgent, riveting investigation of the intricate network that maintains this exploitative system, revealing the untold truth of A.I.

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A photo of More, please : on food, fat, bingeing, longing, and the lust for "enough"

More, please : on food, fat, bingeing, longing, and the lust for "enough"

"An unflinching and deeply reported look at the realities of binge-eating disorder from a rising culture commentator and writer for Vogue. Millions of us use restrictive diets, intermittent fasting, IV therapies, and Ozempic abuse to shrink until we are sample-size acceptable. But for the 30 million Americans who live with eating disorders, it isn't just about less. More, Please is a chronicle of a lifelong fixation with food--its power to soothe, to comfort, to offer a fleeting escape from the outside world--as well as an examination of the ways in which compulsory thinness, diet culture, and the seductive promise of "wellness" have resulted in warping countless Americans' relationship with healthy eating. Melding memoir, reportage, and in-depth interviews with some of the most prominent and knowledgeable commentators currently writing about food, fatness, and disordered eating--Virginia Sole-Smith, Virgie Tovar, Aiyana Ishmael, Leslie Jamison, and others--Emma Specter explores binge-eating disorder as both a personal problem and a societal one. In More, Please, she provides a context, a history, and a language for what it means to always want more than you'll allow yourself to have."-- Provided by publisher.

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A photo of Atlas obscura : Wild life : an explorer's guide to the world's living wonders

Atlas obscura : Wild life : an explorer's guide to the world's living wonders

"From the bestselling authors of Atlas Obscura and Gastro Obscura, comes Wild Life, an over-the-top, dazzling collection of the world's most fascinating, most unusual, and least-understood natural wonders. It's more than a field guide--it's an adventure. From the curious minds of Atlas Obscura, authors of #1 New York Times bestselling Atlas Obscura and Gastro Obscura, comes an unputdownable tour through the world's most extraordinary natural wonders and curiosities. Learn how dung beetles navigate by the stars and trees communicate through their roots. Meet one of the strongest animals in the world: the puny peacock mantis shrimp. Visit a 44,000 year old shrub, float along flying rivers, and explore a garbage dump teeming with endangered storks. There are first-person interviews: hear from a honey hunter and his avian partners, a scientist working to understand the hidden language of prairie dogs, an offshore radio DJ who is at the heart of the local fishing community. Examine old examples of bird song notation written on sheet music. Featuring over 500 extraordinary plants, animals, and natural phenomena with illustrations and photos on every page, first-person interviews, and engaging infographics, the book takes readers around the globe, with stops in every continent--from Arctic deserts to lush jungles, to the deepest fathoms of the ocean, and into the heart of our densest cities. In a time where the world that feels more knowable than ever, where can access anything with the click of a mouse or a swipe of a finger, and where nature documentaries are a dime a dozen, Wild Life finds a way to reinvigorate our send of wonder about the natural world"-- Provided by publisher.

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A photo of Blind spots : when medicine gets it wrong, and what it means for our health

Blind spots : when medicine gets it wrong, and what it means for our health

"More Americans have peanut allergies today than at any point in history. Why? In 2000, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a strict recommendation that parents avoid giving their children peanut products until they're three years old. Getting the science perfectly backward, triggering intolerance with lack of early exposure, the United States now leads the world in peanut allergies. Could it be that many modern-day health crises have been caused by the hubris of the medical establishment? Experts have been refusing menopausal women hormone replacement therapy based on flawed data, causing unnecessary suffering. They prescribed antibiotics liberally, causing a drug-resistant bacteria crisis. They demonized natural fat in foods, driving Americans to processed carbohydrates as obesity rates soared. When modern medicine issues recommendations based on good scientific studies, it shines. Conversely, when modern medicine is interpreted through the harsh lens of opinion and edict, medical dogma can take on a life of its own, molding beliefs that harm patients and stunt research for decades. In Blind Spots, Dr. Makary explores the latest research on critical topics ranging from the microbiome to childbirth to nutrition and longevity and more, revealing the biggest blind spots of modern medicine and tackling the most urgent yet unsung issues in our $4.5 trillion health care ecosystem"-- Dust jacket flap.

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A photo of Framed : astonishing true stories of wrongful convictions

Framed : astonishing true stories of wrongful convictions

"A fundamental principle of our legal system is a presumption of innocence, but once someone has been found guilty, there is very little room to prove doubt. Framed shares ten true stories of men who were innocent but found guilty and forced to sacrifice friends, families, and decades of their lives to prison while the guilty parties remained free. In each of the stories, John Grisham and Jim McCloskey recount the dramatic hard-fought battles for exoneration. They take a close look at what leads to wrongful convictions in the first place, and the racism, misconduct, flawed testimony, and corruption in the court system that can make them so hard to reverse. Told with page-turning suspense as only John Grisham can deliver, Framed is the story of winning freedom when the battle already seems lost and the deck is stacked against you"-- Provided by publisher.

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A photo of Ghosts of Crook County : an oil fortune, a phantom child, and the fight for Indigenous land

Ghosts of Crook County : an oil fortune, a phantom child, and the fight for Indigenous land

"In the early 1900s, at the dawn of the 'American Century,' the United States had all but completed its takeover of Indigenous lands. Tribes had been forced onto reservations, many of them in Oklahoma. The US Congress, through its Dawes Commission, was assimilating Native Americans into white society by turning them into capitalist landowners, carving the tribes' collectively owned reservations into 160-acre tracts allotted to individual tribe members. All was going according to plan--until oil was discovered on some of the allottments. Unscrupulous white oilmen poured into Indian Territory, snatching up the oil-rich land by hook or (more often) by crook: impersonating, defrauding, and murdering Native allottees. One especially valuable allotment had been assigned to a young Muscogee boy, Tommy Atkins, who seemed to have disappeared with no known next of kin. Undaunted, an oilman named Charles Page found a woman in Seattle claiming to be Tommy's mother. But then two other women came forward, each insisting that she was Tommy's true mother. Moreover, a Muscogee freedman named Henry Carter claimed to be Tommy Atkins himself. All had executed oil leases or deeds to oil companies. But the Muscogee Nation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Department of Justice countered that Tommy Atkins was 'a lie, pure and simple.' At the center of that lie, they alleged, was Charles Page, and a virtual army of fraudsters. In its day, the saga of Tommy Atkins dominated newspaper headlines and led to three court cases, one of which went all the way to the Supreme Court. Yet today this story is all but forgotten ... Writer and fourth-generation Oklahoman Russell Cobb draws on historical archives, Native American boarding school records, interviews with surviving Atkins family members, and thousands of pages of court documents to tell the whole, true story, all in one place, for the first time"-- Provided by publisher.

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A photo of The hidden globe : how wealth hacks the world

The hidden globe : how wealth hacks the world

"Borders draw one map of the world. Money draws another. A globe shows the world we think we know: neatly delineated sovereign nations that grant or restrict their citizens' rights. Beneath, above, and tucked inside their borders, however, a parallel universe has been engineered into existence. It consists of thousands of extraterritorial zones that operate largely autonomously, and increasingly for the benefit of the rich and powerful. Atossa Abrahamian traces the rise of this hidden globe to thirteenth-century Switzerland, where poor cantons marketed their only commodity: bodies, in the form of mercenary fighters. Over time, economists, theorists, statesmen, and consultants evolved ever more sophisticated ways of exporting and exploiting statelessness, in the form of free trade zones, flags of convenience, offshore detention centers, charter cities controlled by foreign corporations, and even into outer space. By mapping this countergeography, which decides who wins and who loses in the new global order--and helping us to see how it might be otherwise--The Hidden Globe fascinates, enrages, and inspires"-- Provided by publisher.

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A photo of Unlock your aesthetic

Unlock your aesthetic

"Are you ready to discover your signature visual brand? Maris Jones invites you to take a deep dive into her vibrant world of color and imagination to help you find your aesthetic, whether that's for your everyday life or your creative pursuits. What's Your Aesthetic? guides readers on a journey of brand self-discovery through a series of personal stories, visually captivating guides, and quirky prompts. Jones helps you tap into your creative voice by building on your specific interests and tastes in everything from fashion, music, art, décor, color, and more. You'll learn how to bring your unique creative visions to life, whether you're putting together a show-stopping look for a big party, or creating a video for your social media channel. Whether you are a seasoned professional or just beginning your creative journey, this book offers valuable insights and practical tips for finding your own aesthetic and expressing it through every aspect of your life. With Jones's expert guidance, you'll learn how to embrace your interests and passions and turn them into a visually stunning cohesive brand that will help you set yourself apart"--Publisher's description.

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A photo of A history of Christianity : 2,000 years of faith

A history of Christianity : 2,000 years of faith

How did Christianity get shared around the world? And how has Christian belief changed over the last 50 years? Providing some of the answers to these and many other questions, this overview charts the 2,000-year-long history of the world's largest religion. A History of Christianity covers everything from the world of the Old Testament to Christianity in the 21st century, including topics such as the early martyrs, the birth of the monasteries, the Crusades, the Reformation, and the rise of the Church in the Americas and Africa. Explore the wide-ranging beliefs and doctrines found within the Church and the role Christianity plays in people's lives. Discover the key events, figures, and movements that helped shape the Church, with a fresh and highly visual approach.

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A photo of Digital dharma : how AI can elevate spiritual intelligence and personal well-being

Digital dharma : how AI can elevate spiritual intelligence and personal well-being

"In a world captivated yet bewildered by artificial intelligence, spiritual icon Deepak Chopra, MD, illuminates AI's untapped potential to unravel the enigma of consciousness, positioning AI not as a threat but as a catalyst for personal and collective growth. In Digital Dharma, Chopra navigates the balance between technology and expanded awareness, explaining that while AI cannot duplicate human intelligence, it can vastly enhance personal and spiritual growth. Chopra shows readers how the most popular, freely available chatbots can serve as guides through every level of human potential--survival and safety, emotional connection, self-worth, abundance, creativity, wisdom, and the infinite possibilities of cosmic consciousness. AI chatbots offer information, advice, and exploratory avenues of untapped potential about any aspect of human awareness. In practical terms, making AI your ally and guide depends on the art of the prompt, the questions a user poses to a chatbot. As Chopra shows in detail, by asking the right questions, you can bring AI into your inner world, which is where personal growth happens. Chopra provides a personal assessment for you to better understand yourself and exercises to help you expand your awareness in any part of your life. Digital Dharma masterfully helps readers to harness AI, not merely as a technological tool but as a partner in crafting a future where human potential solves the urgent problems facing the planet and each of us as individuals. Deepak Chopra invites us to transcend our limitations and explore a relationship with AI that elevates collective consciousness and personal evolution at the same time." Publisher's website.

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A photo of Supremacy : AI, ChatGPT, and the race that will change the world

Supremacy : AI, ChatGPT, and the race that will change the world

"In November 2022, a web page was posted online with a simple text box. ChatGPT was unlike any technology people had used before. It seemed more human than a customer service agent, more convenient than a Google search. But it was born out of an intense rivalry. Behind the scenes, battles for control and prestige at the world's two leading AI firms, OpenAI and DeepMind, have remained elusive--until now. In Supremacy, Parmy Olson, a technology columnist at Bloomberg, tells the astonishing story of how these companies grappled to use their AI for good as they served two tech giants whose power was unprecedented in history. At the center of it all were two CEOs who cultivated an almost religious devotion to their mission to build godlike, superintelligent machines: Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, and Demis Hassabis, CEO of DeepMind. Supremacy sharply alerts readers to the real threat of artificial intelligence that many of its top creators are ignoring: the profit-driven spread of flawed and biased technology into industries, education, media, and more. With exclusive access to a network of high-ranking sources, Parmy Olson uses her more than thirteen years of experience covering technology to bring to light the exploitation of the greatest invention in human history, and how it will impact us all"-- Provided by publisher.

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