hdunaway's review
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
As with any collection, the stories and articles included are hit or miss--some are memorable and introduce new perspectives while others are unremarkable and rather boring. On the whole, I enjoyed the thought experiments presented and many left me chewing over new concepts or alternate perspectives concerning the interrelationship of business--particularly technological innovation--and civic life as well as the privatization of public goods, services, spaces, etc.
Some might critique the short stories for being simplistic or far-fetched, but the drastic nature of the city structures presented highlights potential pitfalls (think classic dystopian: BNW, 1984, etc.). Also keep in mind that authors had complete liberty to write either a creative piece or a more informational piece, so while most of the works are fictional short stories, the book includes everything from poetry to articles. Some of my favorites include the following:
- "City of Loops" [Alphabet] by Mark Graham
- "I_am_the_score_machine" [Ant Financial] by Jathan Sadowski
- "Subprime Language and the Crash" [Google AdWords] by Pip Thornton
- "The Allure of the Frictionless City" [Takealot] Nancy Odendaal
- "Swipe Right to Welcome, Left to Reject" [Tinder] Linnet Taylor
Some might critique the short stories for being simplistic or far-fetched, but the drastic nature of the city structures presented highlights potential pitfalls (think classic dystopian: BNW, 1984, etc.). Also keep in mind that authors had complete liberty to write either a creative piece or a more informational piece, so while most of the works are fictional short stories, the book includes everything from poetry to articles. Some of my favorites include the following:
- "City of Loops" [Alphabet] by Mark Graham
- "I_am_the_score_machine" [Ant Financial] by Jathan Sadowski
- "Subprime Language and the Crash" [Google AdWords] by Pip Thornton
- "The Allure of the Frictionless City" [Takealot] Nancy Odendaal
- "Swipe Right to Welcome, Left to Reject" [Tinder] Linnet Taylor
adrianaceric's review
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
A bit too dystopian, but a lot of stories were fun to read!
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