The Numerati, Stephen Baker
The Numerati, Stephen Baker
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The Numerati

Author: Stephen Baker

Narrator: Richard Powers

Unabridged: 7 hr 54 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/15/2008

Synopsis

Every day, we produce loads of data about ourselves simply by living in the modern world: we click web pages, flip channels, drive through automatic toll booths, shop with credit cards, and make cell phone calls. Now, in one of the greatest undertakings of the twenty-first century, a savvy group of mathematicians and computer scientists is beginning to sift through this data to dissect us and map out our next steps. Their goal? To manipulate our behavior—what we buy, how we vote—without our even realizing it. In this tour de force of original reporting and analysis, journalist Stephen Baker provides us with a fascinating guide to the world we’re all entering—and to the people controlling that world. The Numerati have infiltrated every realm of human affairs, profiling us as workers, shoppers, patients, voters, potential terrorists—even lovers. The implications are vast. Our privacy evaporates. Our bosses can monitor and measure our every move—then reward or punish us. Politicians can find the swing voters among us. It can sound scary. But the Numerati can also work on our behalf, diagnosing an illness before we’re aware of the symptoms or even helping us find our soul mate. Surprising, enlightening, and deeply relevant, The Numerati shows how a powerful new endeavor—the mathematical modeling of humanity—will transform every aspect of our lives.

About Stephen Baker

Stephan Baker has written for many publications, including the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, and Philadelphia Inquirer. He won an Overseas Press Club Award for his portrait of the rising Mexican auto industry. He is the coauthor of Blogspotting.net, featured as one of fifty blogs to watch by the New York Times.

About Richard Powers

Richard Powers has published thirteen novels. He is a MacArthur Fellow and received the National Book Award. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for The Overstory, and Bewilderment was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

Reviews

Goodreads review by David on December 09, 2015

I was expecting a book about the people who are exploiting "big data". I expected to hear about the people who analyze the huge data sets that are proliferating through our society. There is a little bit of that, but mostly I read about the technology itself, and the myriad of ways in which it is be......more

Goodreads review by Brian on October 31, 2008

well. i thought this would be the next malcolm gladwell, steven levitt masterpiece, but instead it's a book that has a catchy title/cover and even a great premise, but the author (Stephen Baker) fails to deliver much new information about how 'the world is watching our every move.' could've condense......more

Goodreads review by Alger on July 16, 2017

This is a book that has not aged well, which is not surprising since the purpose was to be timely, but there are points in these pages that reveal just how shallow Baker's understanding of this topic is. This lack of depth is especially regretted since the particular moment he was writing in was a r......more

Goodreads review by Monica on August 01, 2021

This book is far more interesting than its name or description make it sound. Implications of the ideas in this book are startling, and it’s going to take me some time to sort through all of them. I am torn between feeling curious to know what type of picture data miners have developed of me and sim......more

Goodreads review by Natalia on March 14, 2009

I was disapointed with this book. It's a full-length book about the use of statistical methods and data mining to model people... but there is no discussion at all of those statistical methods or data mining techniques. It's full of talk about the data that's collected, and the predictions that are......more

Quotes

“Captivating…An intriguing but disquieting look at a not too distant future when our thoughts will remain private, but computers will disclose our tastes, opinions, habits and quirks to curious parties, not all of whom have our best interests at heart.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Fascinating…Narrator Paul Michael Garcia taps into the harsh realities of Baker’s vision in his reading, speaking in a firm and candid voice that relates the material in a straightforward yet ominous tone. The way Garcia uses his voice to connect with his listeners makes the material all the more believable—and frightening.” AudioFile

“Baker effectively intertwines stories, insights from interviews, and research into an easy-to-read and enjoyable book…highly recommended for general readers with an appreciation for contemporary cultural phenomenon.” Library Journal

“A fascinating outing of the hidden yet exploding world of digital surveillance…Read and resist.” Booklist (starred review)

“The Numerati by BusinessWeek writer Stephen Baker will be an eye-opening read for even the techiest among us. A BookPage Notable Book.” BookPage

“[A] very accessible analysis, The Numerati [is] narrated with smooth, understated understanding by Paul Michael Garcia...fascinating and a bit scary, but intelligence from the edge of the cutting edge we all need.” BookPage

Awards

  • BookPage Notable Book
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