Caught In The Current: Searching For Simplicity In The Technological Age

Jay Bookman

10 ratings by Goodreads

Language: English

Published by St. Martin's Press, 2004

0312309252 / 9780312309251

  • Hardcover
  • New
See all details

Seller: SZ Global, Toronto, ON, CanadaSZ Global

5-star seller

AbeBooks seller since October 3, 2025

View this seller's items
Hardcover

Condition: New

US$ 61.26

US$ 37.21 shipping 
Ships from Canada to U.S.A.

Quantity: 2 available

Add to basket
Free 30-day returns

Item description from seller

Science tells us what is. Technology tells us what can be. But neither can tell us what ought to be. As a science and technology journalist for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Jay Bookman has witnessed some of the most remarkable and exciting advances in human history-supercomputers, cyborgs, genetic engineering. Like the rest of us, though, he has also watched as ever-more sophisticated tools intended to make our lives easier and less stressful have often done the opposite. The problem, he says, lies not in our tools, but in ourselves. In Caught in the Current, Bookman and four friends embark on their annual rafting trip down the Deschutes River in central Oregon. Leaving cell phones, pagers, and laptops behind, they float for 60 miles through stark desert canyons, whitewater rapids and some of the best trout-fishing in America. But this is also a journey of another sort, an exploration of the many ways in which technology has altered how human beings experience each other and the world around them. We live today in the most connected society in history, and yet our sense of isolation has never been more acute. We communicate megabytes of data, but somehow knowledge or wisdom still escape us. The cell phone is our tool, our servant, but it is also a barbaric interloper that we have not yet dared to tame. In his finely tuned prose, Bookman contrasts the rhythm of life on the Deschutes with the increasingly fragmented and chaotic pace of our electronic age and reveals how the momentum of technology often breaks the flow of life. Our time is segmented into tasks to be completed; our personal interactions often take place behind a flashing cursor; our focus is 'faster,' not 'better.' Transfixed by the marvels of technology, we've overlooked its profound impact on our community. Neither a technophobe nor Luddite, Bookman accepts that technological change is inevitable and desirable. But in Caught in the Current, he also warns that we should not become passive subjects of that change, allowing ourselves to be tossed like helpless driftwood in the current.

Seller Inventory # 9780312309251

Title
Caught In The Current: Searching For Simplicity In The Technological Age
Author
Jay Bookman
Publisher
St. Martin's Press
Publication year
2004
Condition
New
Binding
Hardcover
Language
English
ISBN 10
0312309252
ISBN 13
9780312309251

SZ Global

Toronto, ON, Canada

5-star seller

AbeBooks seller since October 3, 2025

Shipping rates from Canada to U.S.A.

Item5 to 10 business days3 to 5 business days
First itemUS$ 37.21US$ 40.21
Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.

Payment methods

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • American Express
  • Apple Pay
  • Google Pay

Store description

At SZ Global, we specialize in sourcing and offering a diverse selection of books across a wide range of categories, including fiction, literature, business, religious works, and more. Our inventory includes both contemporary titles and hard to find editions, carefully selected to meet the needs of readers, collectors, and enthusiasts. We are committed to providing accurate listings, reliable service, and a smooth purchasing experience. All orders are shipped from our Kuwait warehouse, and we take great care in packaging to ensure books arrive in the condition described. Returns are accepted at our designated return address in Toronto, Canada, in accordance with AbeBooks policies. Whether you are expanding your personal collection, searching for a specific title, or simply exploring, SZ Global aims to be a dependable source for quality books.

Specialty

Fiction, and etc., Novels, Business, Religious, Law

Seller's business information

SZ Global

ON, Canada