9 books communicators should read

Like Dietrich, I was a literature major in college, and see value not only in studying the written word, but in creativity, metaphorical lessons, and storytelling.

Reading these posts made me think of books that seem relevant to today’s online communications conversation.

With that, the following are my nine recommendations.

1. “The Diamond Age (Or, a Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer)” by Neal Stephenson. This is quintessential cyberpunk from when Stephenson still wrote novels instead of tomes. This is number one because of the powerful statement it makes about technology and algorithms (for all of you Klout fans). If you gave three young girls with different backgrounds a primer based on the ultimate algorithm-based artificial intelligence, their lives would still end up different. And those with the most advantages may have the largest handicaps. It’s a brilliant analysis of semantic technologies, and quite a dystopian look at nano-technology, too. Check it out.