furtl by Strobe Witherspoon

Review
"furtl" is a near-future technopolitical dystopian satire with tie-ins to current events... and the book has the potential to be prophetic.

The book is set in 2026, and it follows the dying American tech company, furtl, as a Chinese company takes over the market.

With hopes of quelling the Chinese company's take over, furtl lobbies the government to ban Holospace technology -- and the government requests user information in return.

As a reader, lots of words come to mind while reading: NSA, wikileaks, Snowden, National Defense Authorization Act, Bradley Manning, and more. You will catch yourself reminiscing on many current events as you read -- it's inevitable!

No matter what side of the whole privacy-vs-safety thing you're on, "furtl" will make you think. Furthermore, it will entertain you... and it WILL make you laugh. A great read for anyone who likes technology and politics and dystopian fiction!

More Information
Buy on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/furtl-Strobe-Witherspoon-ebook/dp/B00GK8SRDS

Cinema at the Margins (New Perspectives on World Cinema) by Wheeler Dixon

 

Review

Wheeler Winston Dixon's "Cinema at the Margins" brings the reader on a journey through a forest of older films to reveal that the public's taste for modern films is, at least in part, due to access, rather than quality.

Dixon argues that today's generation would  (and does when exposed to them) love the films of previous generations if they were more available.

"Cinema at the Margins" begins with an introduction that sheds light on digitization in the film industry.

The rest of the text is divided into three sections, genre, history, and interviews, each offering evidence for Dixon's assertion.

Dixon's research is extraordinarily thorough and references a variety of sources, from films themselves to directors.

It's clear that Dixon spent as much time in the presentation of his findings as he did in the research, for the text, images, and citations are optimally organized, making it easy for the reader to digest the material.

Whether you're a casual movie fan or a film scholar, you'll enjoy learning about the impact of technology on film history and the ramifications for the future -- which is why you should not hesitate and pick up a copy of "Cinema at the Margins" immediately.

More Information

Buy it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Cinema-Margins-New-Perspectives-World/dp/1783080167

Book Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheeler_Winston_Dixon
Book blog page: http://blog.unl.edu/dixon/2013/12/01/new-book-cinema-at-the-margins/
Publisher page: http://www.anthempress.com/cinema-at-the-margins-hb