This week, we feature an examination of how AI chatbots are eroding what it means to be human and a fanciful, garden-themed romance set in rural Britain.
Nonfiction
‘Artificial Intimacy: Who We Become When We Talk to Machines’
By Sherry Turkle
For decades, this MIT professor has researched the relationship between computers and humans. Using both data and hands-on encounters, she delves into the effects of AI on childhood, the workplace, therapy, love, death, and more. In many situations, the machines serve as human companions and advisors. Her conclusions raise a fundamental question: Is AI a tool or are we a tool of the machine? Shocking and at times nauseating, this is a warning about a future that is already here. A necessary read.
Little, Brown, and Company, 2026, 288 pages
History
‘The Fall of Republics: A History from Ancient Carthage to the American Constitution’
By Thomas F. Madden
Government is a rather new human invention. Republican government is even newer. This form of government stretches back thousands of years. The author journeys through Sparta and then Carthage, describing their demise by outside forces—the latter by fellow-republic, Rome. Rome’s collapse, however, came from domestic threats rather than foreign ones. Madden discusses the durable Venetian and the brief English republics, and finally the American republic. An insightful, highly recommended look on why republics fall.
Princeton University Press, 2026, 448 pages
Space
‘Out of This World: Life as an Astronaut’
By Peter Bond
This book looks at the era of man in space. It reviews the 65-year history of human spaceflight, highlighting its history’s accomplishments and tragedies. It discusses the equipment used for spaceflight and looks at life in space: what space travelers experience and the work they do. While short, it is thorough. It offers a high-level examination of every important aspect of human spaceflight. Those seeking a brief, yet comprehensive introduction to the topic should start with this book.
Reaktion Books, 2026, 224 pages
Fantasy
‘Tomato Wyrm’
By Cedar Sanderson
Cecelia Duringhurst just inherited Hendre Court, her great-uncle’s manor on the Welsh border. She wants it, but knows nothing about farming. Greig MacDougall, in London, wants to be a farmer. They come together to make Hendre Court profitable, especially after Grieg, the grandson of the manor’s elderly gamekeeper, becomes the gardener. But Hendre Court has secrets, including Arinto, whose family has been with the Duringhursts since the manor was a hill fort in the Stone Age. A short, delightful read.
Sanderley Studios, 2026, 96 pages
Classics
‘Moving On’
By Larry McMurtry
In print since 1970, this sprawling novel by the author of “Lonesome Dove” is set in the 1960s in Texas and California. Featuring McMurtry’s magical prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, especially its protagonist Patsy Carpenter, it takes readers from Houston’s Rice University to rodeos and Hollywood, from graduate students to ranchers to scriptwriters. Patsy ranks as one of McMurtry’s finest creations, a likable young woman contending with marriage, life’s ambiguities, and men.
Liveright, 2018, 832 pages
For Kids
‘Too Many Pumpkins’
By Linda White and Megan Lloyd
Every year, Rebecca Estelle grows an impressive garden, complete with just about everything—except pumpkins. As a little girl, she once had only pumpkins to eat for a month. But when an errant pumpkin tumbles off a passing truck and splatters seeds throughout her garden, she soon finds herself inundated with pumpkins. A fun read for pumpkin season.
Holiday House, 1996, 32 pages
What arts and culture topics would you like us to cover? Please email ideas or feedback to features@epochtimes.nyc
