Tomorrowland by Steven Kotler (New Harvest, May 2015) is a collection of previously published essays about the new frontiers available in science. The subtitle suggests that the text provides examples of how science fiction has become “science fact.”
I am not a scientist, so as I read, I found myself impressed with where humankind has gone. Chapters include explorations of man-made limb replacements, artificial vision surgery, flying motorcycles, space diving, the potential of stem cells, and DNA explorations. I was dutifully impressed with the details and possibilities explored.
That said, something about the collection as a whole rubbed me the wrong way. Possibly it was the knowledge that many of the articles were previously published. The notes before each chapter, though, did not indicate where and when the chapter was published, nor did they explain which aspects of the articles had been updated since that first publication. I had no way of knowing how up-to-date or out-of-date the information was!
Further, while I enjoyed the author’s opinions and the various explorations, and I certainly believe his qualifications since he’s published in a number of incredible places in the past, I still felt it was a bit lacking in authority. All quotes were, I assume, from the people the author spoke with directly since no scientific notes or references were included. Yes, I realize this is pop science. However, I guess I wanted a little bit more science over the opinions!
In short, Tomorrowland was a fascinating and quick read for me, but I cannot say it was a favorite. The ideas inside were intriguing, but it left me wanting more.
Note: I received a digital copy of the book for review consideration.
