Disconnect: A Personal Journey Through the Internet

The Irish Times has compiled a list of the top 20 summer reads, including works by Mark O'Connell, Amy Liptrot, Lisa McInerney, and Roisin Kiberd. These books explore the blurred line between the internet and real life, examining the impact of technology on culture and politics. They highlight the benefits and drawbacks of our connected lives, from the allure of endless scrolling to the dangers of self-optimization.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 04 March 2021
Publisher: Profile Books Ltd

TOP 20 SUMMER READS - IRISH TIMES




Unsettling, illuminating, and perversely fun - by a writer of extraordinary style and intellectual range Mark O Connell, author of To Be A Machine Excellent ... I felt both seen and like I could see more after reading Amy Liptrot, author of The Outrun Spectacular ... lion-hearted in its honesty, and insightful to the point of brilliance - Lisa McInerney, author of The Glorious Heresies




We all live online now: the line between the internet and IRL has become porous to the point of being meaningless. Roisin Kiberd knows this better than anyone. She has worked for tech startups and as the online voice of a cheese brand; she's witnessed the bloated excesses of tech conferences and explored the strangest communities on the web. She has traced the ripples these hidden worlds have sent through our culture and politics, and experienced the disorienting effects on her own life.




In these interlinked essays, she illuminates the subject with fierce clarity, revealing the ways we are more connected than ever before, and the disconnect this breeds. From the lure of the endless scroll, to the glamour of self-optimisation; from the cult of Energy Drinks to the nostalgic world of Vaporwave music; and from silicon town centres to dating tech bros, Kiberd explores the strange worlds, habits, and people that have grown with the internet. She asks what we have gained, what we have lost, and what we have given willingly away in exchange for this connected life.




About the Author


Roisin Kiberd is a writer and journalist based in London. She has written for The Guardian, The New Yorker, and other publications, and is the author of the memoir The Trick of Light. Her work explores the intersection of technology, culture, and identity, and has been praised for its wit, insight, and ability to make complex ideas accessible to a wide audience.

Weight: 392g
Dimension: 137 x 215 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781788165778
Edition number: Main