Editor's Comment:  If you are not a fan of satire, and i am generally not, this is a tough read. But reading it six years after its publication makes it just a little less shallow, absurd. Eggers makes an Orwellian attempt to warn of monolithic technology companies' (think Apple, Facebook, Google) threat to our privacy if not moderated. Live streaming lives lead to its fantastic story lines that include murder, sex and even world domination...but isn't that the job of satire? As with the prophecies of "1984", required reading of my youth, the moral nuance of Eggers themes are since and now becoming more noticeable.

Editor’s Comment: I haven’t seen this movie but my daughter has told me this song is sung by a man who is turning his life around. As one who has seen many do it successfully, the song simply moves me.

Editor’s comment:  Davidson spends a little too much time on criticism and not enough on solutions but what I like about the book is it uses lots of examples of the people and methods of change.  It’s a complex problem, developed over hundreds of years so her suggesting of mixing pedagogy with technology is certainly better thinking than what we’ve done so far.  Such “solutions” as “put technology in the classrooms” or “move education online” are way too one-size-fits-all solutions which is the soul of my agreement with the book and Davidson’s theories.

Editor's Comment:   The poem below, appearing as this month’s quote, is written by my son, Timmy.

Editor’s Comment:  Perhaps in honor of Martin Luther King day and all the immigration and human trafficking issues we face, this song came to me recently.  When I listened to it again, I got the chills I always do.  More importantly, I resolved (again) to lose more of my shyness about such issues.

“For last year’s words belongs to last year’s language and next year’s await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.”
-T.S. Eliot

Editor’s Comment:  I like to think my life was “saved” by Amy Skerry and Paul Gellman who led me to meditation practice back in the 1990s.  The stress of starting a business while raising a family had led me to physical maladies that were anxiety-induced.  For eight years I sat most days and attended group meditation weekly.  Now, many years later I can come to the moment, particularly in times of greatest stress just by noticing my anxiety and actions that result from the clutter.  Jon Kabat-Zinn was one teacher and I’ve long recommended his books, retreats and audios on the subject but I will now add this great book to my collection.  It’s more thorough than anything I’ve read and keeps things western and simple.  If you struggle with anxiety, consider meditation; if you struggle with meditation, read this book.  As the authors point out, meditation is not something to “do well”, in fact I still struggle with monkey mind when I sit.  But it’s life changing just to notice your mind and where it’s taking you.