Persons and Things Book

This one was interesting, if not at times somewhat random. On the outset it appears to be separated by discussions of things, persons, things as persons, and persons as things. But it is complicated by discussions of language, philosophy, and social ideas. Some of the more memorable discussions include looks into today's society and the presence of computers, how it is sometimes advantageous to be more 'machine-like' and how we are both proud of our achievements in technology but relieved when those achievements can still be separated as missing something of the essence of humanity. The discussion of real dolls and animation was fantastic.

This book is a mix of theory, philosophy, literature and social commentary and will generally be appreciated by anyone who is interested in these things and the way they interact with today's material world. There's a lot here that is 'out there' in mind and thought but has never really been put together in one place or with the end results that Johnson comes up with. Overall, it's a quick and engaging read.