Latest news with #Culpability
Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
The week's bestselling books, Aug. 10
1. Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Ballantine Books: $30) A story of friendship, love and adversity during the 1980s Space Shuttle program. 2. The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong (Penguin Press: $30) An unlikely pair develops a life-altering bond. 3. Culpability by Bruce Holsinger (Spiegel & Grau: $30) A suspenseful family drama about moral responsibility in the age of artificial intelligence. 4. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab (Tor Books: $30) A vampiric tale follows three women across the centuries. 5. James by Percival Everett (Doubleday: $28) An action-packed reimagining of 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.' 6. An Inside Job by Daniel Silva (Harper: $32) An art restorer and legendary spy must solve the perfect crime. 7. Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson (Bantam: $28) A young woman tries to solve her own murder. 8. The Wedding People by Alison Espach (Henry Holt & Co.: $29) An unexpected wedding guest gets surprise help on her journey to starting anew. 9. The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Del Rey: $29) Three women in three different eras encounter danger and witchcraft. 10. Vera, or Faith by Gary Shteyngart (Random House: $28) A tale of a family struggling to stay together in a country rapidly coming apart. … 1. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins (Hay House: $30) How to stop wasting energy on things you can't control. 2. Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson (Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster: $30) A study of the barriers to progress in the U.S. 3. Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green (Crash Course Books: $28) The deeply human story of the fight against the world's deadliest infectious disease. 4. A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst (Riverhead Books: $28) The true story of a young couple shipwrecked at sea. 5. Gwyneth by Amy Odell (Gallery Books: $31) Inside the world of one of today's most influential and polarizing celebrities. 6. I Regret Almost Everything by Keith McNally (Gallery Books: $30) The restaurateur on his rise in the dining scene. 7. Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton (Pantheon: $27) A meditation on freedom, trust, loss and our relationship with the natural world. 8. One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad (Knopf: $28) Reckoning with what it means to live in a West that betrays its fundamental values. 9. The Creative Act by Rick Rubin (Penguin: $32) The music producer on how to be a creative person. 10. The Little Frog's Guide to Self-Care by Maybell Eequay (Summersdale: $12) Uplifting affirmations and life lessons with illustrations. … 1. Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar (Vintage: $18) 2. I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman (Transit Books: $17) 3. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (Ballantine: $20) 4. All Fours by Miranda July (Riverhead Books: $19) 5. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (Ecco: $20) 6. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (HarperOne: $18) 7. One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune (Berkley: $19) 8. The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride (Riverhead Books: $19) 9. All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker (Crown: $19) 10. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (Vintage: $18) … 1. On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder (Crown: $12) 2. The Wager by David Grann (Vintage: $21) 3. Didion and Babitz by Lili Anolik (Scribner: $20) 4. All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley (Simon & Schuster: $19) 5. The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron (TarcherPerigee: $24) 6. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (Milkweed Editions: $22) 7. The Hundred Years' War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi (Metropolitan Books: $20) 8. Stories Are Weapons by Annalee Newitz (W. W. Norton & Co.: $19) 9. The Light Eaters by Zoë Schlanger (Harper Perennial: $20) 10. A Dumb Birds Field Guide to the Worst Birds Ever by Matt Kracht (Chronicle Books: $16)
USA Today
30-07-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Need a new book? 15 new releases to read now, from romantasy to nonfiction
Nothing distracts from the heat like a journey into a far-off fictional land. Some of us are spending our summers curled up with a good book in the air conditioning, while others prefer their read at the beach. Or, if you're like me, cramming too many books into my suitcase that I'll never have time to read on my summer adventure. Whatever your reading habits are, July has been jam-packed with stories for every booklover. We've seen a juicy biography about Gwyneth Paltrow and her Goop empire, a nonfiction guide to healthier, sober living and new poetry collections to calm and soothe the mind. What to read next: 15 new releases to check out now Across thrilling AI-driven family drama, high-stakes romantasy and propulsive narrative nonfiction, here are 15 new books from July we recommend reading. 'Maggie; Or, A Man and a Woman Walk Into a Bar' by Katie Yee With awe-inducing prose, 'Maggie' is a meditation on motherhood, grief, interracial relationships and aging. It follows a woman who finds out her husband is having an affair just as she is diagnosed with breast cancer. She decides, fittingly, to name her tumor Maggie, after her husband's lover. Hilarious and heartbreaking, Yee packs a serious punch in just around 200 pages. 'These Summer Storms' by Sarah MacLean Full of enough heart, private island trysts, grief and sibling rivalry to keep you glued to the page, 'These Summer Storms' is a romance and family saga about the estranged daughter of a tech billionaire finally coming home. Alice Storm returns to her family's private island when her father unexpectedly dies, hoping to fly under the radar for the funeral. But she and the remaining Storm family members are swept up into an inheritance game – her father's last wish, organized by her father's stern, handsome right-hand man. 'A Marriage at Sea' by Sophie Elmhirst This is nonfiction that reads like fiction – the best kind. 'A Marriage at Sea' seamlessly brings readers alongside Maurice and Maralyn Bailey's journey at sea, giving an intimate look at the weeks they spent stranded on a tiny life raft after a shipwreck. Elmhirst's retelling is a triumph, second only to the seemingly impossible feat of Maurice and Maralyn themselves. You won't be able to put it down. 'Culpability' by Bruce Holsinger A gripping page-turner, Holsinger's 'Culpability' follows a family dealing with the consequences of an AI-riddled world. The Cassidy-Shaws' automated minivan crashes into another car and kills an elderly couple, and everyone in the car bears some responsibility, some more hidden than others. When they decide to recuperate on the Chesapeake Bay, their proximity to each other and a tech mogul next door will force them to confront their moral dilemmas. 'History Lessons' by Zoe B. Wallbrook History professor Daphne Ouverture might be your next favorite unsuspecting sleuth. 'History Lessons' is a mystery set in a tightly-knit college town where beloved professor Sam Taylor is murdered and, before he dies, sends one final text to his colleague, rookie French colonialism professor Daphne. Now, she'll have to put down her ungraded papers to investigate his death and a campus cover-up endangering Harrison University's students of color. 'The Idaho Four' by James Patterson and Vicki Ward If you've kept up with the trial of Bryan Kohberger, the man sentenced to life in prison for murdering four University of Idaho students in 2022, you can now learn the victims' story in 'The Idaho Four.' James Patterson and journalist Vicky Ward interviewed more than 300 people close to the case and its investigation to paint a picture of the day of the murders, the families left behind and Kohberger himself. 'Love is a War Song' by Danica Nava If you love hyper-contemporary stories or couldn't get enough of 'Hannah Montana: The Movie,' this summer romance novel is for you. 'Love is a War Song' follows disgraced Native American pop star Avery, who is sent to live with her estranged grandmother after she's canceled for an offensive photoshoot. There, she meets grumpy ranch hand Lucas, who can't stand what Avery represents. But when the ranch's future is in jeopardy, they'll have to put their differences aside to save it. 'Spent' by Alison Bechdel Fans of 'Fun Home' and graphic novels alike should look no further than 'Spent,' a hilarious new autofiction piece following a fictional cartoonist named Alison Bechdel who runs a pygmy goat sanctuary in Vermont. As her graphic memoir about her taxidermist father gets adapted into a successful TV series, Alison grapples with capitalism and privilege in a climate-change-ravaged world on the brink of civil war. 'House of Beth' by Kerry Cullen A new entry into a burgeoning 'tradwife horror' subgenre, 'House of Beth' is about a young woman, Cassie, escaping from her life to her suburban hometown after a gutting breakup and a horrific work incident. She reconnects with her high school best friend Eli, now a widowed father, and quickly slides into his life as his new wife and stepmother to his children. But there's something eerie beneath the picturesque life, including gory, haunting visions and the shadow of Eli's late wife. 'Immortal Consequences' by I.V. Marie 'Immortal Consequences' is a new, fast-paced YA dark academia fantasy centered on six students competing to change their fate. Blackwood Academy is an enchanted boarding school that straddles the realms of life and death, and students can only leave by being the sole victor of the Decennial tournament. But this time around, they're not the only ones competing. 'Typewriter Beach' by Meg Waite Clayton This historical fiction from the author of 'The Race for Paris' follows an unlikely friendship between Léon Chazan, a blacklisted screenwriter, and Isabella Giori, a young actress hoping to be Alfred Hitchcock's new star. 'Typewriter Beach' is about women's mistreatment in Hollywood, McCarthy-era Los Angeles and the hunt to discover a family legacy. 'A Resistance of Witches' by Morgan Ryan A World War II historical fiction with a twist of magic, 'A Resistance of Witches' is about a coven of British witches trying to best Hitler and his armies by tracking down magical relics that could win the war. After a Nazi witch infiltrates the Royal Academy of Witches, the unassuming Lydia Polk takes the mission into her own hands. She'll have to travel through occupied France with unlikely allies, avoiding natural and supernatural enemies to find the grimoire. 'The Satisfaction Café' by Kathy Wang 'The Satisfaction Café' is a character study about unexpected life paths and found family. Joan Liang's life has taken twists she never anticipated – she ended up in the U.S. when her older brothers were meant to live abroad, her first marriage ended in disaster (see: a stabbing) and she's now married to a much older, wealthy man with children. As she ages, she seeks a new change and opens a third space for lonely people to find connection. 'Night Watcher' by Daphne Woolsoncroft Thriller 'Night Watcher' follows a late-night radio host who listens to hauntings for a living, but finds herself the subject of one of the stories. Nola Strate encountered notorious serial killer the Hiding Man as a child, though it's a story she's never told on Night Watch. But after a series of chilling coincidences, Nola becomes convinced the killer is back to get her. With no help from the police and evidence pointing to her father (the original Night Watch host), she'll have to turn to her faithful listeners to unmask the Hiding Man. 'How Freaking Romantic' by Emily Harding Looking for a new enemies-to-lovers romance for your summer? Try 'How Freaking Romantic.' Lawyer Bea Nilsson's best friends are getting divorced, and after she picks a side, she storms into the office of attorney Nathan Asher determined to sway the alimony petition. It's loathe at first sight. Everything changes when Nathan turns out to be her new colleague at NYU Law and uncomfortable truths about her friends' divorce come to light. Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY's Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram, subscribe to our weekly Books newsletter or tell her what you're reading at cmulroy@
Indian Express
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Oprah Winfrey's pick and 5 more must-read books on AI
As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes nearly every facet of our lives, from transportation to healthcare to creative work, the literary world has stepped up with compelling explorations, warnings, and provocations. At the center of this summer's AI discourse is Culpability by Bruce Holsinger, a searing novel that has earned iconic television personality Oprah Winfrey's endorsement as her book club pick. The book forces readers to confront the real-world consequences of autonomous machines such as self-driving cars. But Holsinger's is just one voice in a growing literary chorus. From Kazuo Ishiguro's Klara and the Sun to Ethan Mollick's pragmatic Co-Intelligence, we bring to you six books that approach AI from a wide range of angles: philosophical, political, economic, and personal. Publisher: Spiegel & Grau Pages: 380 Kindle (available in India): ₹2,218 American author Bruce Holsinger's book is Winfrey's book club pick for the month. It received a ringing endorsement from her: 'If you were looking for the summer read, this is it,' Winfrey said. 'I picked it because it is so prescient. It is prescient. It is right now. And it is also the future.' Holsinger's novel explores the urgent issue of artificial intelligence and moral responsibility. It explores the fallout after a self-driving minivan kills an elderly couple. It forces readers, especially those in the USA, where not all states regulate use of autonomous cars, to confront this nightmare scenario, which may happen to anybody. Holsinger interrogates what accountability means in the age of autonomous machines. I leave you with Winfrey's word of caution: 'Do not under any circumstances cut to the end. Because the end is gonna shock you no matter what.' Publisher: Faber & Faber Pages: 320 pages Paperback: Rs 382 From the pen of Nobel Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro, Klara and the Sun is a poignant exploration of love, sacrifice, and artificial intelligence. Set in a dystopian future United States, the story is told from the perspective of Klara, a solar-powered Artificial Friend (AF) designed to provide companionship to children. Klara is purchased by a teenager who has been genetically 'lifted' for enhanced intellectual ability, a common but risky procedure in this futuristic society. Isolated and home-schooled, Josie forms a deep bond with Klara. Blending science fiction with moral philosophy, Klara and the Sun raises several unsettling questions about the possibilities of artificial intelligence and whether it can develop an emotional quotient. The novel was longlisted for the 2021 Booker Prize. Publisher: Harper Collins Pages: Rs 274 Paperback: Rs 740 The AI Con is a scathing takedown of AI hype and exploitation. Bender and Hanna dismiss the idea that artificial intelligence is an benevolent force. They argue it is a tech bauble enriching a few while replacing real labour with synthetic media machines, which work like plagiarism engines. From LLMs that hallucinate citations to chatbots replacing unionising workers, The AI Con calls out the industry's exploitative underbelly. This is a definitive work in the field of AI as Bender, who has featured in the TIME100 AI list of most influential people in AI, is a Professor of Linguistics at the University of Washington. Her work, including the touchstone 'Stochastic Parrots' paper, brings a linguistic perspective to how large language models work and why the illusion they produce is so compelling. He co-author Alex Hanna is Director of Research at the Distributed AI Research Institute and a former senior research scientist on Google's Ethical AI team. Publisher: Bodley Head Pages: 432 Paperback: Rs 638 In his 2005 bestseller, the American computer scientist predicted that computers would reach human-level intelligence by 2029, and that humans would merge with computers and become superhuman around 2045. He called the futuristic phenomenon 'the Singularity'. With AI becoming part and parcel of life, a part of his prophecy has already come true, and so in 2024 he updated his prophecy. A culmination of six decades of work, the book delves into ideas that may seem as radical as the concept of artificial intelligence in the 90s. Some futuristic ideas he explores are rebuilding the world with nanobots (a hypothetical small self-propelled machine that can reproduce), life extension beyond 120 years, and connecting our brains to the cloud to name a few. Publisher: WH Allen Pages: 256 pages Paperback: Rs 671 This book by Wharton professor Ethan Mollick is a practical guide to 'living and working with AI.' Mollick contends that AI should not be treated as a threat, but as a new co-worker. Co-intelligence draws on real-world case studies to show how generative AI tools can be partners in education, creativity, and productivity. Mollick urges readers to master this relationship: to learn with AI, not from it. This should not be mistaken as a how-to manual. The book will guide us on how to reshape our lives to accommodate the tools that are now shaping the world. Publisher: Princeton University Press Pages: 352 Paperback: ₹398 The book cuts through the noise and explains what AI can and cannot do. This is best suited to those who are overwhelmed with the product hype created through AI. Again, two of TIME's most influential voices in AI clarify areas where AI works, where it fails, and where it is dangerously oversold. From education to hiring to criminal justice, AI Snake Oil explains why many AI claims are exaggerated, and how to spot them. The authors draw are attention from the distraction of Aargue we should worry less about AI itself and more about the unaccountable power behind it.
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First Post
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- First Post
Oprah Winfrey's latest book club pick 'Culpability' delves into AI ethics
Holsinger, a professor of English at the University of Virginia, is the author of four previous novels and several works of nonfiction read more Oprah Winfrey has chosen a novel with a timely theme for her latest book club pick. Bruce Holsinger's 'Culpability' is a family drama that probes the morals and ethics of AI. 'I appreciated the prescience of this story,' Winfrey said in a statement Tuesday, the day of the novel's publication. 'It's where we are right now in our appreciation and dilemmas surrounding Artificial Intelligence, centered around an American family we can relate to. I was riveted until the very last shocking sentence!' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Holsinger, a professor of English at the University of Virginia, is the author of four previous novels and several works of nonfiction. He said in a statement that he had admired Winfrey's book club since its founding in 1996. 'Oprah Winfrey started her book club the same year I finished graduate school,' Holsinger said. 'For nearly 30 years, as I've taught great books to college students in the classroom and the lecture hall, she has shared great books with the world. Her phone call was like a thunderbolt, and I'll never forget it. I am deeply honored and profoundly grateful that she found 'Culpability' worthy of her time, praise, and recognition.' Tuesday's announcement continues Winfrey's book club partnership with Starbucks. Her interview with Holsinger, held recently at a Starbucks in Seattle, can be seen on Winfrey's YouTube channel or through other podcast outlets. List of Winfrey's last 10 Oprah's Book Club selections June 2025: 'The River is Waiting,' by Wally Lamb (Read AP's review.) May 2025: 'The Emperor of Gladness,' by Ocean Vuong (Read AP's review.) April 2025: 'Matriarch,' by Tina Knowles (Read and watch AP's interview with Knowles.) March 2025: 'The Tell,' by Amy Griffin February 2025: 'Dream State,' by Eric Puchner STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD January 2025: 'A New Earth,' by Eckhart Tolles (Winfrey has picked this book twice.) December 2024: 'Small Things Like These,' by Claire Keegan (Read AP's review.) October 2024: 'From Here to the Great Unknown,' by Lisa Maria Presley and Riley Keough. (Read AP's story about how Keough completed the book. September 2024: 'Tell Me Everything,' by Elizabeth Strout (Read AP's review.) June 2024: 'Familiaris,' by David Wroblewski.
Washington Post
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Oprah's book club pick ‘Culpability' taps into our AI anxiety
Artificial intelligence is accelerating faster than a Tesla toward an oak tree. Every day brings a fresh story — possibly written by AI — about the wonders of a world remastered by autonomous billionaires and their silicon golems. Perplexity, indeed. Bruce Holsinger's novel 'Culpability,' about a deadly crash involving a self-driving vehicle, was originally slated for October, but Oprah just named it her July book club pick, so you can already find it parked in your local bookstore. Whatever the reason, that was a fortuitous rescheduling. When it comes to writing about artificial intelligence, three months is the distance between rubbing sticks together and splitting an atom.
