DANIELA RUS’ The Heart and the Chip: Our Bright Future with Robots, co-written with Gregory Mone, is an overview of the interconnected fields of robotics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. They argue this technology will make us more capable, productive, precise – and even more human. And in Devil in the Stack: A Code Odyssey, ANDREW SMITH shares his immersive trip into the world of coding, from the stories of logic, machine learning, and early computing to the present moment of future-defining technology.…

In Mindset Matters: The Power of College to Activate Lifelong Growth, DANIEL R. PORTERFIELD presents a compelling argument about the value of residential undergraduate education and its role in developing students’ growth mindsets. He argues that college helps students build the skills and self-confidence needed for lifelong discovery, creativity, mentorship, teamwork, and striving – five mindsets that are critical for thriving in today’s world. Moderated by author BENJAMIN HEROLD.   SPONSORED BY   PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MDC TECH,…

SIERRA GREER’s Annie Bot: A Novel is the story of an AI-enabled doll created to be the perfect girlfriend for her owner, Doug: She has dinner ready every night, wears outfits he hand-picks, and adjusts her libido to suit him. But when Annie begins to explore human emotions she begins to question what Doug really desires – and what she owes herself. In COLIN WINNETTE’s Users: A Novel, Miles, a lead creative at a virtual reality company,…

PAYAM ZAMANI escaped religious persecution in Iran at 16, and made his way to America as a refugee. At 28, he secured a billion-dollar IPO. But he also learned the hard way that modern capitalism can be harmful to the human soul. Blending business acumen with spiritual beliefs, in Crossing the Desert: The Power of Embracing Life’s Difficult Journeys Zamani offers a path to a new model of capitalism. Moderated by ALEJANDRO D. GONZÁLEZ, executive director of The Idea Center at Miami Dade College.…

ERNEST SCHEYDER’s The War Below: Lithium, Copper, and the Global Battle to Power Our Lives explores the battle between industry titans, conservationists, community groups, and policymakers over the sourcing of materials needed to power millions of devices. It’s an honest picture of what’s at stake in this fight for energy independence and the ethical implications that affect us all. Blending science, history, and literary verve, NICOLA TWILLEY’s Frostbite: How Refrigeration Changed Our Food, Our Planet,…

With an insider perspective on the insanity of high finance and venture investing, The Money Trap: Lost Illusions Inside the Tech Bubble follows ALOK SAMA’s journey as chief dealmaker at the most influential technology investor in the world, SoftBank, alongside its iconic founder, Masayoshi Son. Ultimately a morality tale, The Money Trap reminds us that in life – and technology investing – more money isn’t always the answer.  The sole assistant to the billionaire founder of one of the most prestigious hedge funds in the world,…

In 7 Rules of Self-Reliance: How to Stay Low, Keep Moving, Invest in Yourself, and Own Your Future, MAHA ABOUELENEIN draws upon her experience as a strategic communications and global branding expert, delving into essential practices such as embracing a growth mindset and reputation management in the digital age, providing transformative lessons that are both practical and empowering. Moderated by organizational psychologist and technologist NATALIA MARTINEZ-KALININA. PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MDC TECH, SCHOOL OF GLOBAL BUSINESS &…

Bitcoin’s value has risen to a new high of more than $70,000, but misconceptions about its reliability have prevented most people from using it to create life-changing wealth. In Bitcoin Supercycle: How the Crypto Calendar Can Make You Rich, MICHAEL TERPIN explains his “Four Seasons of Bitcoin” model – which shows how the price of bitcoin moves in reliable cycles, similar to those of real estate and stock markets – and gives you the numbers, evidence, charts, and strategies to take advantage.…

In Delivering the Wow: Culture as Catalyst for Lasting Success, Royal Caribbean chairperson Richard Fain shows how the company built the world’s most innovative ships, delighted guests, and created one of the strongest service cultures in the travel industry. Drawing on vivid stories from 33 years at the helm, Fain explains how a remarkable culture was forged through alignment, intentionality, continuous improvement, and response. The secret to success that Laysha Ward reveals in Lead Like You Mean It: Lessons on Integrity and Purpose from the C-Suite sounds deceptively simple.…

In The Mind Electric: A Neurologist on the Strangeness and Wonder of Our Brains, neurologist Pria Anand reveals all that the medical establishment has dismissed, as often seen in the stories of women and Black, brown, displaced, and disempowered people. This collection of medical stories reflects the compelling paradox that even the most peculiar symptoms can show us something universal about ourselves. In Nightmare Obscura: A Dream Engineer’s Guide Through the Sleeping Mind, sleep expert Michelle Carr explores the science of dreaming,…

In Toxic Grit: How to Have it All and (Actually) Love What You Have, executive and single mom Amanda Goetz offers a bold roadmap for redefining ambition in a culture of burnout. Through storytelling, science-backed frameworks, and practical tools, she helps women unlearn hustle culture, reclaim joy, and build systems that redefine how we approach ambition. Moderated by Amber Berger, founder of the Well Drop, a wellness platform and podcast.   Buy Toxic Grit: How to Have it All and (Actually) Love What You Have – Goetz…

In AI and the Art of Productive Struggle: How AI Reshapes Teaching and Learning, Dr. Ernesto Lee, DBA, argues that AI’s greatest strength – removing friction – is education’s greatest threat. Students need productive struggle to build genuine understanding, yet every AI tool promises to make learning “effortless.” How can we harness AI’s remarkable capabilities while preserving the cognitive effort that creates real learning? Buy AI and the Art of Productive Struggle: How AI Reshapes Teaching and Learning – Lee…

Inspired by a lifetime of activism, Catherine Coleman Flowers’ Holy Ground: On Activism, Environmental Justice, and Finding Hope is a collection of personal and political essays highlighting trailblazers who have fought for environmental and social justice. Flowers draws on history to illuminate and contextualize the most pressing issues of the moment, from climate change and human rights to rural poverty and reproductive justice. Ten years in the making, Alan Weisman’s Hope Dies Last: Visionary People Across the World,…

Adam Aleksic’s Algospeak: How Social Media Is Transforming the Future of Language is a captivating exploration of how internet algorithms are changing language and communication. Aleksic uses original surveys, data, and internet archival research to usher us through a new linguistic landscape, while illuminating how communication is changing in both familiar and unexpected ways. In Unfinished: The Role of the Artist in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, Emmy-winning composer Lucas Cantor Santiago reflects on his journey from technology skeptic to collaborating with AI to complete Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony.…

In AI Valley: Microsoft, Google, and the Trillion-Dollar Race to Cash In on Artificial Intelligence, journalist Gary Rivlin closely follows founders and venture capitalists and brings readers into the world of AI development in Silicon Valley. In a narrative shot through familiar names such as Musk, Zuckerberg, and Gates, Rivlin gives readers a deep understanding of what’s around the corner for AI. Stephen Witt’s The Thinking Machine: Jensen Huang, Nvidia, and the World’s Most Coveted Microchip tells the astonishing story of how Nvidia,…