SKU: 3475554026

How to Disappear: Notes on Invisibility in a Time of Transparency

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How to Disappear: Notes on Invisibility in a Time of TransparencyVivid, surprising, and utterly timely, Akiko Busch's HOW TO DISAPPEAR explores the idea of invisibility in nature, art, and science, in search of a more joyful and peaceful way of living in today's increasingly surveilled and publicity obsessed world In our increasingly networked and image saturated lives, the notion of disappearing has never been both more enchanting and yet fanciful. Today, we are relentlessly encouraged, even conditioned, to

Vivid, surprising, and utterly timely, Akiko Busch's HOW TO DISAPPEAR explores the idea of invisibility in nature, art, and science, in search of a more joyful and peaceful way of living in today's increasingly surveilled and publicity-obsessed world

In our increasingly networked and image-saturated lives, the notion of disappearing has never been both more enchanting and yet fanciful. Today, we are relentlessly encouraged, even conditioned, to reveal, share, and self-promote. The pressure to be public comes not just from our peers, but vast and pervasive technology companies, which want to profit from patterns in our behavior. A lifelong student and observer of the natural world, Busch sets out to explore her own uneasiness with this arrangement, and what she senses is a widespread desire for a less scrutinized way of life--for invisibility. Writing in rich painterly detail about her own life, her family, and some of the world's most exotic and remote places--from the Cayman Islands to Iceland--she savors the pleasures of being unseen. Discovering and dramatizing a wonderful range of ways of disappearing, from virtual reality goggles that trick the wearer into believing her body has disappeared and to the way Virginia Woolf's fictional Mrs. Dalloway feels a flickering of personhood as an older woman, Busch deliberates on subjects new and old with equal sensitivity and incisiveness.

A unique and exhilarating accomplishment, HOW TO DISAPPEAR is a shimmering collage of poetry, cinema, memoir, myth, and much more, which overturns the dangerous modern assumption that somehow fame and visibility equate to success and happiness. Busch presents a field guide to invisibility, reacquainting us with the merits of the inconspicuousness, and finds genuine alternatives to the typical life of perpetual exposure. Accessing timeless truths in order to speak to our most urgent contemporary problems, she inspires us to develop a deeper appreciation for personal privacy in a vast and invasive world.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin Group
Published: 02/11/2020
ISBN: 9781101980422
Pages: 224
Weight: 0.40lbs
Size: 8.20h x 5.40w x 0.60d
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SKU: 3475554026

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4.4 ★★★★★
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Austin
Omaha, US
★★★★★ 5
Engaging Read for Beginners and Techies Alike
Format: Paperback
An engaging and accessible exploration of how computers really work. The author breaks down complex concepts into simple, relatable explanations, making topics like binary, logic gates, and basic circuits far less intimidating. For newcomers, it’s a great way to build a foundational understanding of computer theory with just a touch of electrical engineering. As someone with a technical background, I still found it entertaining; the examples and analogies added fresh ways to frame ideas I already knew. It’s the kind of book that can bridge the gap between “I use computers” and “I understand what’s happening under the hood.” Highly recommended for anyone curious about what makes hardware and software tick, whether you’re starting from scratch or just want a new perspective.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2025
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Peter
Massapequa, US
★★★★★ 5
CODE is the book you should get.
Format: Paperback
The best book to enter the field. Grateful that Charles Petzold decided to write it, even happier this was one of the first books I picked up. Recommend to everyone wanting to become a programmer, or just interested in computers.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2026
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Michael Donoghue
Omaha, US
★★★★★ 5
If you only buy one technical computer book, this is it
Format: Paperback
Disclaimer: I owned the first edition for years and read it a dozen times, mainly for pleasure since it’s not only informative but also just enjoyable to read. I’m a professional software architect and have dozens of textbooks on computer science and engineering so I’ve been around the block. This is the kind of book I would buy all for all my friends (if I had more than a couple) and family members (if they were even slightly into computers, which they aren’t sadly). Petzold does an exceptional job at describing digital logic and guides you through building a conceptual CPU from very first principles. I think his bottom up approach is the way to go and has helped me understand complex topics in an extremely simple way. When I’m not reading fiction, this is my go to bedtime reading. The second edition has about 100 more pages than the first and some content has been completely reworked and it’s great. If you ever had even a passing interest in knowing how computers work at a very fundamental level, get this book!
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Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2023
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Yura
Omaha, US
★★★★★ 4
First programmer?
Format: Paperback
As an ardent reader of the past 1st edition, I was fairly excited to get the latest version. That is, until I encountered the history chapter of the new edition. For one thing, what I do NOT understand in this second edition is the newly added description of August Ada Byron (countless of Lovelace). The author claims it was Babbage who was the first programmer to design the engines, not Ada. I am not trying to start a futile argument here about who has more or fewer contributions, etc. What I am trying to assert here is that it is undisputed that Ada (unless the new evidence arises) left *the very first demonstration* of what this seemingly imaginary machine, which didn't even physically exist, was capable of through her program. Because Babbage designed the engine itself, that doesn't automatically put him in the position of a programmer (despite Babbage being a brilliant engineer/scientist and may have had a simple or detailed program in his mind). However, it was Ada who gave a definite touch to programming concepts that ultimately led to modern-day programming. Ada deserves more recognition than a mere "tutorial writer," and she is certainly entitled to the title she deserves. Other than that, like the previous edition, this book is a must-read for people who are from related/unrelated fields. I always loved the 1st edition, and I would do too with the 2nd. Still, I think history should always be approached with more care, particularly if matters have potential controversies.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2023
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Ben Fleury
Pawtucket, US
★★★★★ 5
One of the few books worth your time
Format: Paperback
If you want to learn computers, start here. Learning from a historical perspective removes complexity of trying to start with say GPUs - you learn just like computer engineers did, incrementally.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2026

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