Discerning readers may want to wait for a more comprehensive and compelling book on this subject.
An abbreviated history of the self-driving car industry from its past to its uncertain future.
Beginning with the late 19th century, Fallon (Dodgerland, 2016, etc.) constructs a linear account of automobile development, starting as early as 1478 with depictions of a self-propelled cart imagined by Leonardo da Vinci and going up through recent self-driving Google, Tesla, and Mercedes-Benz concept cars. An introduction and five short chapters cover the first self-propelled vehicles, with steam engines from the 1770s, the rise of American consumer car culture, and the inner workings of self-driving technology and the potential benefits of and obstacles to implementing it in practice. With many references to research studies scattered throughout, the book is generously illustrated with black-and-white and color photographs, maps, diagrams, etc. Isolated text boxes offer additional information. However, the book lacks a strong narrative, and Fallon fails to maintain a neutral tone; some chapters read like advertisements for certain car manufacturers. The subject is timely and interesting, but the prose unfortunately does not render the material noteworthy. The text also fails to address questions surrounding the ethical and social implications of self-driving vehicles and the potential hazards of the advancement of artificial intelligence.
Discerning readers may want to wait for a more comprehensive and compelling book on this subject. (timeline, source notes, glossary, selected bibliography, further information, index) (Nonfiction. 13-18)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5415-0055-6
Page Count: 104
Publisher: Twenty-First Century/Lerner
Review Posted Online: May 14, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Small but mighty necessary reading.
A miniature manifesto for radical queer acceptance that weaves together the personal and political.
Eli, a cis gay white Jewish man, uses his own identities and experiences to frame and acknowledge his perspective. In the prologue, Eli compares the global Jewish community to the global queer community, noting, “We don’t always get it right, but the importance of showing up for other Jews has been carved into the DNA of what it means to be Jewish. It is my dream that queer people develop the same ideology—what I like to call a Global Queer Conscience.” He details his own isolating experiences as a queer adolescent in an Orthodox Jewish community and reflects on how he and so many others would have benefitted from a robust and supportive queer community. The rest of the book outlines 10 principles based on the belief that an expectation of mutual care and concern across various other dimensions of identity can be integrated into queer community values. Eli’s prose is clear, straightforward, and powerful. While he makes some choices that may be divisive—for example, using the initialism LGBTQIAA+ which includes “ally”—he always makes clear those are his personal choices and that the language is ever evolving.
Small but mighty necessary reading. (resources) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 2, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-09368-9
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
Though not the most balanced, an enlightening look back for the queer future.
An adaptation for teens of the adult title A Queer History of the United States (2011).
Divided into thematic sections, the text filters LGBTQIA+ history through key figures in each era from the 1500s to the present. Alongside watershed moments like the 1969 Stonewall uprising and the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 1990s, the text brings to light less well-known people, places, and events: the 1625 free love colony of Merrymount, transgender Civil War hero Albert D.J. Cashier, and the 1951 founding of the Mattachine Society, to name a few. Throughout, the author and adapter take care to use accurate pronouns and avoid imposing contemporary terminology onto historical figures. In some cases, they quote primary sources to speculate about same-sex relationships while also reminding readers of past cultural differences in expressing strong affection between friends. Black-and-white illustrations or photos augment each chapter. Though it lacks the teen appeal and personable, conversational style of Sarah Prager’s Queer, There, and Everywhere (2017), this textbook-level survey contains a surprising amount of depth. However, the mention of transgender movements and activism—in particular, contemporary issues—runs on the slim side. Whereas chapters are devoted to over 30 ethnically diverse gay, lesbian, bisexual, or queer figures, some trans pioneers such as Christine Jorgensen and Holly Woodlawn are reduced to short sidebars.
Though not the most balanced, an enlightening look back for the queer future. (glossary, photo credits, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 11, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-8070-5612-7
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Beacon Press
Review Posted Online: March 12, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
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