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Searches: Selfhood in the Digital Age

Searches: Selfhood in the Digital Age

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  • Create Date：2025-05-05 01:20:29
  • Update Date：2025-09-07
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  • Author：Vauhini Vara
  • ISBN：B0DCHMRS4B
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Summary

From the author of The Immortal King Rao， finalist for the Pulitzer Prize， a personal exploration of how technology companies have both fulfilled and exploited the human desire for understanding and connection A MOST ANTICIPATED Esquire ， Foreign Policy ， Lit Hub， Electric Literature

When it was released to the public in November 2022， ChatGPT awakened the world to a secretive teaching AI-powered machines to write。 Its creators had a sweeping ambition—to build machines that could not only communicate， but could do all kinds of other activities， better than humans ever could。 But was this goal actually achievable？ And if reached， would it lead to our liberation or our subjugation？

Vauhini Vara， an award-winning tech journalist and editor， had long been grappling with these questions。 In 2021， she asked a predecessor of ChatGPT to write about her sister’s death， resulting in an essay that was both more moving and more disturbing than she could have imagined。 It quickly went viral。

The experience， revealing both the power and the danger of corporate-owned technologies， forced Vara to interrogate how these technologies have influenced her understanding of her self and the world around her， from discovering online chat rooms as a preteen， to using social media as the Wall Street Journal’s first Facebook reporter， to asking ChatGPT for writing advice—while compelling her to add to the trove of human-created material exploited for corporations’ financial gain。 Interspersed throughout this investigation are her own Google searches， Amazon reviews， and the other raw material of internet life—including the viral AI experiment that started it all。 Searches illuminates how technological capitalism is both shaping and exploiting human existence， while proposing that by harnessing the collective creativity that makes humans unique， we might imagine a freer， more empowered relationship with our machines and， ultimately， with one another。

*Includes a downloadable PDF of images from the book

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Reviews

Pais ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 Wow okay I love the cover of this book， the sk connection， the structure and format is diverse and complex， and the responses from women to all the questions was such a perfect way to end it

Selina⚔️ ，

*TW: Death of a Loved One due to CancerVery informative and creative！ Better to purchase its audiobook because the back and forth between the author and the 'AI' is entertaining。However， the editor should’ve pointed out that too many literary embellishments is so。。。。 annoying。Under Notes on Process chapter， it was said that the editor and the author already crossed out some sections， but I think there are still plenty left that should've been trimmed。Compared to other reviewers who liked it， I r *TW: Death of a Loved One due to CancerVery informative and creative！ Better to purchase its audiobook because the back and forth between the author and the 'AI' is entertaining。However， the editor should’ve pointed out that too many literary embellishments is so。。。。 annoying。Under Notes on Process chapter， it was said that the editor and the author already crossed out some sections， but I think there are still plenty left that should've been trimmed。Compared to other reviewers who liked it， I really think they should've remembered less is more mindset dkdkfI get its purpose but yeah。（This is really my complaint with writers who took MA degrees in Creative Writing etc or attend too many workshops with like-minded writers or mentors。）Despite this complaint， it's a great book that tackles AI and complex issues behind its 'unescapable' presence in society。 。。。more

Amber ，

Finished copy gifted by the publisher and ALC from @prhaudioThe most interesting parts about the book is learning about the author’s experience growing up during the tech boom， and how her sister’s death affected her youth （as always， f*ck cancer）It’s interesting reading this book as a collaborative project between a writer and chatgpt， even though I feel like parts got a bit repetitive。 I think for readers who don’t use chargpt as much， it could be an insightful experience into seeing the poten Finished copy gifted by the publisher and ALC from @prhaudioThe most interesting parts about the book is learning about the author’s experience growing up during the tech boom， and how her sister’s death affected her youth （as always， f*ck cancer）It’s interesting reading this book as a collaborative project between a writer and chatgpt， even though I feel like parts got a bit repetitive。 I think for readers who don’t use chargpt as much， it could be an insightful experience into seeing the potential and pitfalls of AI。 For heavy chatgpt users （unfortunately a necessity for my job 😓）， some chapters between the author and AI can feel repetitive （or dare I say… a misuse of an immature technology 😅） 。。。more

Sydney Barnett ，

I purchased this book from an independent bookshop in Nashville。 It was a book club pick， and since I'm new in town， I thought I'd buy this book to get access to the club and hopefully make some smart cookie new friends。I say all this because I don't know if I would have picked up the book otherwise。 I don't consider myself a tech junkie， though I do use AI nearly everyday for my work and I have wondered about the long-term implications of AI。 The themes explored in this book were somewhat on my I purchased this book from an independent bookshop in Nashville。 It was a book club pick， and since I'm new in town， I thought I'd buy this book to get access to the club and hopefully make some smart cookie new friends。I say all this because I don't know if I would have picked up the book otherwise。 I don't consider myself a tech junkie， though I do use AI nearly everyday for my work and I have wondered about the long-term implications of AI。 The themes explored in this book were somewhat on my radar， I just never felt compelled to go down the rabbit hole。However， I'm so glad I did。 And I'm so grateful to Vauhini Vara for doing all the hardcore rabbit-holing for us readers。 She did her due diligence in researching this book， let me tell you。 There is so much packed into this book， yet， she interweaves her points with personal storytelling in a clever and entertaining way。 She openly shares her own struggle with technological dependence， sharing her Google search history and Amazon purchase reviews， which helps the reader to stay with her。 It's deeply relatable。 Glimpses into her inner conflict with using AI and other products from big tech， reflected my own concerns， and ultimate compliance。 The unique way in which she supported her claims bore truth to her creative genius - so unmatched by AI。 I appreciated the cunning， subtle points made throughout her exhibited ChatGPT conversations。 That being said， the book is dense。 You may need to reread certain parts to fully grasp it。 Still， I found myself looking forward to picking up the book at the end of my day to keep the conversation going。 I'm left with the wish that more people were aware of what's happening right underneath our noses - that technological capitalism is both shaping and exploiting our very existence。 Can't wait to unpack this with strangers （soon to be friends？） at the book club。 。。。more

Sebastian ，

First read: April 28， 2025， Monday

Layne ，

I really wanted to like the book but it fell flat for me。 poetic but also all over the place。 Had the opportunity do make more of an impact but lacked focus。

Louise Foerster ，

GOOD FRIENDS by Priya Vulchi explores that most essential and overlooked aspect of a well-lived， fully loved life: friendship and love between friends。 Friendship is a tremendous subject and an important one as we attempt to navigate seemingly impossible chasms between individuals， communities， and cultures and while Vulchi raises important points and gave me further material to defend my own ideas of friendship， the actual book itself was not illuminating nor a special pleasure to read。 While V GOOD FRIENDS by Priya Vulchi explores that most essential and overlooked aspect of a well-lived， fully loved life: friendship and love between friends。 Friendship is a tremendous subject and an important one as we attempt to navigate seemingly impossible chasms between individuals， communities， and cultures and while Vulchi raises important points and gave me further material to defend my own ideas of friendship， the actual book itself was not illuminating nor a special pleasure to read。 While Vulchi may well be a tremendous personality and presenter in person， her passion and power failed to make it to the page in a coherent， enjoyable way and keep me interested in reading it。 I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own， unbiased thoughts。 。。。more

Philemon - ，

The author is clearly a brilliant memoirist， but for me much less impressive as a technical analyst。 The lengthy ChatGPT sections came off as flat and unconvincing。 Mixing the two types of material ended up creating a Frankenstein experience for me。 I ultimately felt manipulated as if by a writer / publisher team pushing a gimmick， and consequently lost confidence in the author。

Sarah Jensen ，

Book Review: Searches: Selfhood in the Digital Age by Vauhini VaraIntroductionIn Searches: Selfhood in the Digital Age， Vauhini Vara explores the profound impact of technology on personal identity and human relationships。 This collection of essays is not just an examination of digital landscapes but also a poignant reflection on how these landscapes shape our understanding of self in an increasingly interconnected world。 Vara， a seasoned technology reporter and Pulitzer Prize finalist， navigates Book Review: Searches: Selfhood in the Digital Age by Vauhini VaraIntroductionIn Searches: Selfhood in the Digital Age， Vauhini Vara explores the profound impact of technology on personal identity and human relationships。 This collection of essays is not just an examination of digital landscapes but also a poignant reflection on how these landscapes shape our understanding of self in an increasingly interconnected world。 Vara， a seasoned technology reporter and Pulitzer Prize finalist， navigates complex themes through personal anecdotes， cultural critiques， and insightful observations that resonate with the challenges of modern existence。Content OverviewThe book is structured around the author’s experiences and the societal implications of digital technology。 Vara begins with a personal narrative rooted in her adolescence， recounting how the diagnosis of her sister’s cancer led her to seek solace in the virtual world through search engines。 This early experience sets the tone for the essays that follow， each addressing different aspects of our digital lives—from the omnipresence of social media and its influence on self-image to the ethical dilemmas posed by artificial intelligence。Throughout the essays， Vara employs a blend of humor and gravitas， dissecting how technology mediates our relationships and reshapes our perceptions of reality。 She critically examines the role of algorithms in shaping information consumption and the often-unseen consequences of our digital footprints。 The exploration of AI， particularly her own interaction with ChatGPT in the writing process， raises fundamental questions about creativity， authenticity， and the nature of human expression in the age of machines。Critical AnalysisOne of the major strengths of Searches is Vara’s ability to interlace personal narrative with broader societal commentary。 This approach not only enhances the relatability of her insights but also underscores the interconnectedness of individual experiences and collective digital culture。 Her reflections on loss， identity， and the quest for understanding resonate deeply， inviting readers to reflect on their own digital interactions。Moreover， Vara’s writing is characterized by clarity and wit， making complex topics accessible without sacrificing depth。 Her examination of how technology both connects and isolates individuals is particularly timely。 The book serves as a reminder of the dual-edged nature of digital communication， highlighting how it can foster community while also leading to alienation and misunderstanding。However， while Searches is rich in personal insights and critical observations， some readers may find themselves longing for more concrete solutions or actionable insights regarding the dilemmas presented。 While Vara adeptly identifies issues， her reflections may leave those seeking specific guidance on navigating the digital world slightly wanting。 Nevertheless， this lack of prescriptive solutions might be intentional， as the book encourages readers to engage more thoughtfully with their digital selves。ConclusionSearches: Selfhood in the Digital Age is a compelling and thought-provoking exploration of the intersections between technology， identity， and human connection。 Vauhini Vara delivers a work that is both personal and universal， prompting readers to reconsider their own digital experiences and the ways in which they shape their understanding of self。 This collection of essays is a significant contribution to contemporary discussions about technology’s role in our lives， making it a must-read for anyone interested in the implications of living in a digital age。RecommendationThis book is highly recommended for scholars， students， and general readers interested in technology， media studies， and personal identity。 Vara’s engaging prose and insightful analysis make Searches a valuable resource for understanding the complexities of selfhood in the digital era， encouraging readers to reflect deeply on their own interactions with technology and its impact on their lives。 。。。more

Sekar Writes ，

A critique of technology presented in a unique way， distinct from other works in the genre。 Vara navigates from the dawn of internet culture in the 1990s to our hyper-connected present， illustrating how technology has subtly and profoundly altered our lives， thoughts， and relationships。 Drawing from her personal digital artifacts， such as Google search history， Amazon reviews， Adsense data， and even ChatGPT conversations， she goes into the interplay between technology， creativity， and human conn A critique of technology presented in a unique way， distinct from other works in the genre。 Vara navigates from the dawn of internet culture in the 1990s to our hyper-connected present， illustrating how technology has subtly and profoundly altered our lives， thoughts， and relationships。 Drawing from her personal digital artifacts， such as Google search history， Amazon reviews， Adsense data， and even ChatGPT conversations， she goes into the interplay between technology， creativity， and human connection。A particularly intriguing chapter in my opinion focuses on Google Translate， where language serves as both barrier and bridge。 It transcends linguistic accuracy， serving as a metaphor for how technology mediates communication， revealing its limitations。 。。。more

Miranda McKown ，

I really wanted to love this book。 Reading the synopsis it seemed like something very relevant to our world today， how does the internet impact our sense of self？ Instead I received a half AI generated essay collection with a few essays worth reading mixed in。 A few of the chapters were extremely well written and show that Vara can write amazing pieces！ Unfortunately the other chapters either read as a Silicon Valley history lesson or are just a straight up copy-paste text interaction with ChatG I really wanted to love this book。 Reading the synopsis it seemed like something very relevant to our world today， how does the internet impact our sense of self？ Instead I received a half AI generated essay collection with a few essays worth reading mixed in。 A few of the chapters were extremely well written and show that Vara can write amazing pieces！ Unfortunately the other chapters either read as a Silicon Valley history lesson or are just a straight up copy-paste text interaction with ChatGPT。 。。。more

Tasha ，

Loved this inventive and reflective memoir by a fellow geriatric millennial。

Dana Mauriello ，

This book is endlessly creative and thought provoking - I loved it！ Vara pairs memoir-style essays that explore the role of technology in her life （as a tech journalist and a consumer） with experimental essays that leverage the technology she’s discussing in unexpected ways。 For example， in an incredible testament to her skill as a writer， she moved from reflections on her first encounter with Google in college to an experiment where she created a poetic story of the last decade of her life usin This book is endlessly creative and thought provoking - I loved it！ Vara pairs memoir-style essays that explore the role of technology in her life （as a tech journalist and a consumer） with experimental essays that leverage the technology she’s discussing in unexpected ways。 For example， in an incredible testament to her skill as a writer， she moved from reflections on her first encounter with Google in college to an experiment where she created a poetic story of the last decade of her life using only a string of her Google searches results。 Just wow。 This book will stay with you for a long time。 。。。more

Stella McMahon ，

Beautiful commentary on technological capitalism， espresso relating to ai

CatReader ，

Vauhini Vara （b。 1982） is a technology journalist and writer; she spent nearly 10 years at the Wall Street Journal covering tech companies。 Her 2025 memoir， Searches， is one of the most creative， ambitious memoirs I've read in a long time。 This memoir is composed of a series of largely chronological essays about the technology that's become pervasive from the '90s onwards， and how these technologies have fundamentally changed how we function in and even perceive the world。 Vara focuses the lens Vauhini Vara （b。 1982） is a technology journalist and writer; she spent nearly 10 years at the Wall Street Journal covering tech companies。 Her 2025 memoir， Searches， is one of the most creative， ambitious memoirs I've read in a long time。 This memoir is composed of a series of largely chronological essays about the technology that's become pervasive from the '90s onwards， and how these technologies have fundamentally changed how we function in and even perceive the world。 Vara focuses the lens of these stories on her own experiences， sharing intimate details about her technological life， such as her Google search history， her Adsense demographic data， her Amazon product reviews， and her chat transcripts with early versions of ChatGPT as feeds it chapters of her book and asks for feedback and reflection。 One of the most powerful chapters in my opinion was chapter 10， Ghosts （adapted from this 2021 long-form article）， in which she presents iterations of a very personal story she prompted ChatGPT to finish about her older sister， who died as a young adult after several years of battling Ewing sarcoma。 Though the audiobook version of this chapter gets very repetitive as the same story is read repeatedly with Vara's voice narrating what she wrote and a voice actor， Anastasia Davidson， taking on what sounds like a synthetic voice narrating ChatGPT's contributions （a narrating arrangement followed throughout the book）， it's a fascinating meta commentary on the creative process in our post-ChatGPT era。There are a few other reasons precluding me from 5-starring this book that also stem from its adaptation from the print/Ebook version to an audiobook （which I think overall was very thoughtfully conceptualized）。 Listening to Vara's very long Google search history， Amazon product reviews， and presentation of survey results about what it's like to be alive as a woman today （chapter 16， which lasts for around 1 hr 20 min and is apparently collated from Mechanical Turk surveys Vara paid women to fill out and presented largely without commentary or analysis） were like nails on a chalkboard for me。 I presume these are parts of the written book that people will generally skim rather than read with interest。 I also lost interest in most of the long dialogues between Vara and ChatGPT， as honestly I read enough of what ChatGPT writes that I don't need to listen to it for hours longer。 I unfortunately also found Chapter 8， I am Hungry to Talk， which is presented in the audiobook as Vara narrating an Spanish language essay in the background while Davidson translates in English in real time， jarring while listening （probably as I understand some Spanish and my brain was attempting to process both languages at once）。I do think Vara's analysis on on-point and important， and this memoir is worth a read and many reflections （though do as I say， not as I did， and pick up the physical book or Ebook， rather than the audiobook）。 And while you're at it， take a look at what demographics Google has assigned to you that influence your ad tracking， and contemplate a） how Google got that impression of you （correctly or not） based on what you inputted， and b） what it's like to live in a society where we all have this vapor trail following us around digitally。 I'll share mine from my primary browser （despite largely blocking ads with add-ons） and leave fellow GR users to contemplate what's true and what's false:Relationships: MarriedHousehold income: Moderately high incomeEducation: Bachelor's degreeIndustry: Not enough infoEmployer size: Large employer （250-10，000 employees）Homeownership: HomeownersParenting: Not parents（ChatGPT was not used to write， revise， or comment on any part of this review ;） ）Further reading: reflections on the digital ageFilterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture by Kyle Chayka | my reviewThe Worlds I See: Curiosity， Exploration， and Discovery at the Dawn of AI by Fei-Fei Li | my reviewThe Big Nine: How the Tech Titans and Their Thinking Machines Could Warp Humanity by Amy WebbCo-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI by Ethan Mollick | my reviewCode Dependent: Living in the Shadow of AI by Madhumita Murgia | my reviewMy statistics:Book 123 for 2025Book 2049 cumulatively 。。。more

Emily ，

Fascinating and provocative。 Full disclosure: I've known the author since our older sisters were about to start their freshman year at Duke in 1998。 I remember and miss Krishna， so this book by Vauhini was deeply affecting on a personal level。 The essays "Ghosts" and "Record the World" were standouts。 Fascinating and provocative。 Full disclosure: I've known the author since our older sisters were about to start their freshman year at Duke in 1998。 I remember and miss Krishna， so this book by Vauhini was deeply affecting on a personal level。 The essays "Ghosts" and "Record the World" were standouts。 。。。more

Laura ，

I enjoyed the reflections on the relationship between humans and developing AI。 I probably would have enjoyed this book more in print because then I could scan the lists of questions and searches instead of listening to the lengthy reading of them。

Tony ，

kinda mind-blowing

Alvaro Zinos-Amaro ，

Thought this started with great promise， and there were some good observations and a few nice lines all the way throughout。 But I found the ChatGPT literary device far outstayed its welcome， becoming a tedious gimmick past a certain point， and I really didn't care for the crowd-sourcing approach in the final section。 Thought this started with great promise， and there were some good observations and a few nice lines all the way throughout。 But I found the ChatGPT literary device far outstayed its welcome， becoming a tedious gimmick past a certain point， and I really didn't care for the crowd-sourcing approach in the final section。 。。。more

Valerie ，

Remarkable， a book that gave me new eyes

mari ，

i found this book interesting though some elements are much stronger than others。overall， though， it gives interesting context to the time and place we find ourselves with technology， ai， the rise of the tech billionaires， and the power they wield。

Lydia Wallace ，

I could relate to Vara in this pull between knowing all the things that entities like Meta， Amazon， and Google due to surveil us and yet not being able to stop using their services due to the convenience and reliance we’ve developed with them。 Highly recommend。

John West ，

There's a genre of book that I， glibly， call "the internet is weird， huh？" I've had to read a lot of books in this genre， and SEARCHES is the best entry I've ever read—so good， in fact， that it breaks the genre， transcends it。 A true five-star book。 There's a genre of book that I， glibly， call "the internet is weird， huh？" I've had to read a lot of books in this genre， and SEARCHES is the best entry I've ever read—so good， in fact， that it breaks the genre， transcends it。 A true five-star book。 。。。more

Arcanum ，

Thank you to the giveaway organisers。 I will update this once I receive the book。

Ben ，

Thanks to NetGalley and Pantheon for the ARC of this title。This is a 3。5 rounded up to 4。 When the essays in this book nail it， they nail。 it。 Moving， thoughtful， doing great work in thinking about what the current round of LLM can do and is useful for。I'm fine with the overall bridging sections with a Chat GPT （or ChatGPT-alike） reviews the last few chapters as a framing mechanism， but so many of the essays feel like good conceptual _ideas_ for essays set up in the chapter immediately preceding Thanks to NetGalley and Pantheon for the ARC of this title。This is a 3。5 rounded up to 4。 When the essays in this book nail it， they nail。 it。 Moving， thoughtful， doing great work in thinking about what the current round of LLM can do and is useful for。I'm fine with the overall bridging sections with a Chat GPT （or ChatGPT-alike） reviews the last few chapters as a framing mechanism， but so many of the essays feel like good conceptual _ideas_ for essays set up in the chapter immediately preceding them that， once executed， are nowhere near as fun to engage with as a reader vs。 as a thought experiment。"I decided if I was going to use Amazon less， I'd need to write a review for any product I purchased。"Cool。[an essay consisting of the product reviews]Meh。An essay engaging with AI image generation's biases around women and people of color？ Great！A story that uses AI image generation to showcase this in the form of a fictional investor pitch that shows how those tools illustrate some claims vs。 others when race/gender in included in the prompt？ interesting as a thought experiment as a potential illustration， deeply frustrating to read， especially thinking about the resources needed to generate （and possible re-generate） the images。The essays that were the clear driver for this book shine， I just wish the rest wasn't so reliant on engaging with LLMs to do the work。 。。。more

Brown Girl Bookshelf ，

“Searches” is unlike anything I’ve read before: a genre-defying mix of memoir， investigative reporting， and anthropology。 Vauhini Vara， whose Pulitzer-nominated novel “The Immortal King Rao” explored a dystopian world ruled by a tech corporation， has long been fascinated by the intersection of power， technology， and humanity。 Her latest work is a chronology of the tech industry， from AOL to Generative AI， all while weaving in a deeply personal story of grief。 Where most AI discourse is either do “Searches” is unlike anything I’ve read before: a genre-defying mix of memoir， investigative reporting， and anthropology。 Vauhini Vara， whose Pulitzer-nominated novel “The Immortal King Rao” explored a dystopian world ruled by a tech corporation， has long been fascinated by the intersection of power， technology， and humanity。 Her latest work is a chronology of the tech industry， from AOL to Generative AI， all while weaving in a deeply personal story of grief。 Where most AI discourse is either doomsday panic or blind optimism， Vara offers a rare balm: clarity。 This book neither fears nor worships technology—it simply asks readers to pay attention。 Her writing is what one would expect from a master journalist turned award-winning novelist: sharp， meticulously researched， wry， and deeply perceptive。 She distills nuance from complex systems; how Amazon shapes not just what we buy， but what gets produced。 Or how popular platforms mirror innate sources of power: Amazon for economic capital， Google for cultural capital， Facebook for social capital。 She presents these insights without prescription， inviting us to reflect rather than react against the system without forethought。 Her personal anecdotes are admirably candid: a chapter on how Google evolved from a founding motto of “don’t be evil，” and the ways it has satisfied or betrayed this belief， followed by pages of her own unfiltered Google searches， even the embarrassing ones。 She traces the gentrification of her hometown， Seattle， punctuated by the forces shaping her own home: her parents tumultuous marriage and a sister battling cancer。 After a tense ethical debate with a friend， she commits to justify her Amazon purchases with lengthy reviews， even sharing these ramblings in a chapter that brilliantly blends narrative device with a subtle critique of consumerism。 ChatGPT itself interrupts the book with feedback， turning the act of writing into a conversation between human and machine。 These aren’t gimmicks， though they are entertaining; they are choices to illustrate how technology is intertwined with our existence。 Vara doesn’t deny AI’s risks， but she resists oversimplifications。 She includes in secondary academic research， and first-person interviews， including one with Sam Altman back when OpenAI was a small nonprofit built by optimistic engineers， which deepen her analysis of technology and ethics。 As someone who grew up in Silicon Valley—where Apple was founded， where my schools received donated MacBooks， where I watched the first iPhone debut—I found myself reckoning with my own place in this history。 I felt awe at the outsized influence a small， privileged bubble， one I was proximally a part of， has had in shaping the world; nostalgia， remembering my illicit exploration of an AOL chat room or the first Instagram photo I ever posted—a hazily filtered shot of my friend eating a cookie， captioned extremely literally—before the platform morphed into influencers， engagement metrics， and curated realities。 And then， most unexpectedly， moments that knocked the wind out of me。 The rawness of grief—a force that， despite technology’s relentless march forward， remains immutable and inescapable。 Amid the loud sea of AI opinions online， Vara’s voice challenges you to consider what， in this next age of artificial intelligence， demands our protection and defines humanity。 。。。more

Michael Smith ，

Wow！ This is an immensely ambitious book， one that’ll likely find its way onto awards lists later this year。 A deeply personal and introspective journey through a life interwined with tech， and a masterclass in the blurry ethics of AI and artistry。 Read it。

Ula Tardigrade ，

Deeply personal， lyrical and thought-provoking essays from one of the most original voices on new technologies。 She skilfully blends recollections from the early days of the Internet with the most pressing questions about our privacy and identity。 Fresh and surprising。Thanks to the publisher， Pantheon， and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book。

Royal ，

Most Seattlites， whether or not they work in Big Tech， have a general idea of how tech monoliths like Amazon， Microsoft， etc have transformed the city in the past few decades。 Searches provide in-depth background， critical analysis and personal experience on the impact of modern tech advances， as author and tech journalist Vauhini Vara illustrates her experience growing up during the tech boom。 The book starts with reminding us that these companies used to be lauded for their progressive values， Most Seattlites， whether or not they work in Big Tech， have a general idea of how tech monoliths like Amazon， Microsoft， etc have transformed the city in the past few decades。 Searches provide in-depth background， critical analysis and personal experience on the impact of modern tech advances， as author and tech journalist Vauhini Vara illustrates her experience growing up during the tech boom。 The book starts with reminding us that these companies used to be lauded for their progressive values， innovative ideas， and even philanthropy （i。e。， Mackenzie Scott）。 I also didn’t know about Paul Allen （Microsoft co-founder） saving the Seahawks from having to relocate to LA， so that was a neat piece of local history。I enjoyed the conversational writing style， and the book dives deeply into the origins of the internet and social media to the situation we have today， leaning into the motives of key players like Zuckerberg， Musk， Pichai， Altman， etc。 Vara actually starts off describing her first experiences with chat rooms and AOL and moves seamlessly into investigative reporting on the lawsuits and incursions wrought by social media and tech giants， even divulging little known facts， like Zuckerberg naming his kids after Roman emperors， which is simultaneously appalling and typical at the same time。 Each chapter alternates between Vara’s voice and some feature of tech。 For instance， when Vara writes about Google， the next chapter lists a bunch of Google searches。 When she writes about Amazon and how her friend abstains from shopping on Amazon， the next chapter is filled with her Amazon reviews。 Each chapter is also fed into ChatGPT to form a mini summary/analysis at the end。 The AI-based chapters were kind of a chore to read， a stark contrast to the sheer brilliance and insight of the author’s original writing。 I do appreciate the author’s creativity and experimental take on this stylistic choice; however， it would’ve been more effective if there were less content produced by ChatGPT， maybe or 2 chapters would’ve sufficedSpecial thanks to Knopf， Pantheon， Vintage， and Anchor and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest， independent review。 。。。more

Hollie ，

An interesting exploration of technologies and capitalism in our lives both positively and negatively。 I personally do not use AI generative applications like Chat GPT but found it interesting to see how these applications built by scrubbing the works of others would interpret works written about them and their founders。 I could relate to Vara in this pull between knowing all the things that entities like Meta， Amazon， and Google due to surveil us and yet not being able to stop using their servi An interesting exploration of technologies and capitalism in our lives both positively and negatively。 I personally do not use AI generative applications like Chat GPT but found it interesting to see how these applications built by scrubbing the works of others would interpret works written about them and their founders。 I could relate to Vara in this pull between knowing all the things that entities like Meta， Amazon， and Google due to surveil us and yet not being able to stop using their services due to the convenience and reliance we’ve developed with them。 Ultimately I found the chapter Ghosts to be the most illuminating surrounding the limitations of AI。 It can try to replicate the way humans talk and sound but it ultimately will always add in information that isn’t true and feels unauthentic to the piece。 This will be a book that I think about often as I continue to explore my own use with technology in our capitalistic society。 。。。more

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Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Searches: Selfhood in the Digital Age

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Searches: Selfhood in the Digital Age&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Searches: Selfhood in the Digital Age&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0