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What We Ask Google: A Surprisingly Hopeful Picture of Humankind
Ever wondered what goes through other people’s minds—their silly questions, inner anxieties, hopes and dreams?
In What We Ask Google, the company's data editor Simon Rogers explores insights from the world's biggest company: an epic snapshot, two decades long and counting, of our collective brain. What it reveals about us might surprise you.
In June the UK sees a spike in searches for ‘How to help a bee’. 'Where is Chuck Norris?' is the 17th most common English-language question of all time. Around the world it’s 2 AM when parents want to know how to get their baby to sleep. Reassuringly, people consistently want to know how often they can donate plasma.
Brimming with insights that vary from the playful to the profound, What We Ask Google delves into the momentous and the mundane secrets of what we ask when we get the chance to ask anything, offering a surprisingly hopeful picture of humankind.
In What We Ask Google, the company's data editor Simon Rogers explores insights from the world's biggest company: an epic snapshot, two decades long and counting, of our collective brain. What it reveals about us might surprise you.
In June the UK sees a spike in searches for ‘How to help a bee’. 'Where is Chuck Norris?' is the 17th most common English-language question of all time. Around the world it’s 2 AM when parents want to know how to get their baby to sleep. Reassuringly, people consistently want to know how often they can donate plasma.
Brimming with insights that vary from the playful to the profound, What We Ask Google delves into the momentous and the mundane secrets of what we ask when we get the chance to ask anything, offering a surprisingly hopeful picture of humankind.
- GenresNonfictionTechnology
275 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2026
About the author
Simon Rogers
45 books20 followersSimon Rogers is the founding editor of the Guardian’s Datablog and has won numerous awards for his work, including a Royal Statistical Society’s award of excellence in 2012.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 17, 2026
Before reading this book, if you had asked me what I think people search for on Google anonymously and in the privacy of their own homes, I would have gone to the more salacious, darker parts of the human pschye. Simon Rodgers book, however, restored my faith in humanity (somewhat) because ultimately what most of us are searching for is how to help each other and how to better understand the world we inhabit.
I am, by nature, a cynic and while I'm not saying I've suddenly turned into the world's greatest optimist, Simon Rogers' book has shown me that people aren't inherently selfish or malicious.
When we click into that search box on Google, we want to know how to talk to someone about grief, how to help in the event of crisis, how to find community and friendship, how to succeed in our romantic relationships and even how to help our pets feel comfortable in times of anxiety. We want to know answers to big questions about space and galaxies but we also want to know whether that weird rash is normal. Essentially, we want to feel less alone.
Rogers' writing is straightforward and accessible. You'll learn lots by reading his book and it'll probably give you the answer to a couple of future pub quiz questions along the way. However the simple nature of the writing means it's not always the most exciting book to read for long periods. I would suggest consuming it in small chunks, a chapter or two at a time.
The trouble with books such as this is that no sooner has the ink dried on the printing press, the stats and trends mentioned will have passed and been replaced by new ones. But, as a snapshot in time and as a way to assess how things have changed in the last 20 years this book is a valuable resource. It shows the evolution not just in the type of technology available to us but also what we seek to gain from that technology.
I found this to be an insightful, interesting, and ultimately uplifting read and would recommend it to anyone who's interested in what makes human beings tick.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for early access for review.
I am, by nature, a cynic and while I'm not saying I've suddenly turned into the world's greatest optimist, Simon Rogers' book has shown me that people aren't inherently selfish or malicious.
When we click into that search box on Google, we want to know how to talk to someone about grief, how to help in the event of crisis, how to find community and friendship, how to succeed in our romantic relationships and even how to help our pets feel comfortable in times of anxiety. We want to know answers to big questions about space and galaxies but we also want to know whether that weird rash is normal. Essentially, we want to feel less alone.
Rogers' writing is straightforward and accessible. You'll learn lots by reading his book and it'll probably give you the answer to a couple of future pub quiz questions along the way. However the simple nature of the writing means it's not always the most exciting book to read for long periods. I would suggest consuming it in small chunks, a chapter or two at a time.
The trouble with books such as this is that no sooner has the ink dried on the printing press, the stats and trends mentioned will have passed and been replaced by new ones. But, as a snapshot in time and as a way to assess how things have changed in the last 20 years this book is a valuable resource. It shows the evolution not just in the type of technology available to us but also what we seek to gain from that technology.
I found this to be an insightful, interesting, and ultimately uplifting read and would recommend it to anyone who's interested in what makes human beings tick.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for early access for review.
May 10, 2026
A deep dive into fascinating insights obtained from log data published on Google Trends.
The book is divided in thematic chapters. A third of the content is lists of "most searched" terms within a specific topic. Many of these are similar to "Google suggest" recommendations, and some are interesting cross national comparisons. Google Trends data sometimes quantify assumptions about people that otherwise would have been mere assumptions or prejudices.
I didn't learn any revelation like insights from "What we ask Google". I assume that if I had spent 1000 hours gazing at Google Trends searches, I would probably make similar discoveries as the author. But I enjoyed reading it anyhow.
The book is divided in thematic chapters. A third of the content is lists of "most searched" terms within a specific topic. Many of these are similar to "Google suggest" recommendations, and some are interesting cross national comparisons. Google Trends data sometimes quantify assumptions about people that otherwise would have been mere assumptions or prejudices.
I didn't learn any revelation like insights from "What we ask Google". I assume that if I had spent 1000 hours gazing at Google Trends searches, I would probably make similar discoveries as the author. But I enjoyed reading it anyhow.
May 26, 2026
Have I ever had an original thought? Do I need to? I should Google that…
June 3, 2026
Vaguely interesting and quite random - not really relatable and it did get quite samey.
Listened to the audiobook and thought the author sounded like Hugh grant.
Listened to the audiobook and thought the author sounded like Hugh grant.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
If Google search data tells us anything, it’s that none of us know how long to boil an egg, and most of us need help sounding professional on demand.
In What We Ask Google: A Surprisingly Hopeful History of Humankind, Simon Rogers uses aggregated Google search data to map patterns in what people around the world are curious about, from everyday questions to more private, sometimes uncomfortable concerns.
The writing is accessible, and many readers will likely find satisfaction in the broad patterns the book reveals. There is something genuinely compelling about seeing our collective curiosity reflected back at us. These are the quiet, unfiltered questions we ask when no one is watching.
And that’s exactly where the book lost me.
Rogers makes it clear early on that he is not commenting on the content of the internet or questioning whether it is good or bad. He does not engage with those debates; it is not his goal. Even so, that absence stands out, particularly given Rogers’s position and proximity to this kind of data.
When you’re working with aggregated data drawn from people’s search activity, there is a widespread expectation that those queries remain private. The book treats that data as a shared resource for understanding human behavior, but that framing glosses over how complex those questions of use and ownership are. Even when anonymized and used to identify patterns, seeing those queries repurposed into a broader narrative raises questions the book chooses not to address. A brief acknowledgment of how this data is collected, aggregated, and de-identified, along with some reflection on the responsibility that comes with access to it, would have gone a long way.
The result is a book that draws meaning from data that many users do not fully understand is being collected or repurposed, while sidestepping the discomfort that reality creates. For readers who are already uneasy about privacy and data collection, that absence is hard to ignore.
Readers interested in data storytelling may still find value here. I found myself more distracted by what wasn’t said than engaged with what was.
Rating: 2 stars
In What We Ask Google: A Surprisingly Hopeful History of Humankind, Simon Rogers uses aggregated Google search data to map patterns in what people around the world are curious about, from everyday questions to more private, sometimes uncomfortable concerns.
The writing is accessible, and many readers will likely find satisfaction in the broad patterns the book reveals. There is something genuinely compelling about seeing our collective curiosity reflected back at us. These are the quiet, unfiltered questions we ask when no one is watching.
And that’s exactly where the book lost me.
Rogers makes it clear early on that he is not commenting on the content of the internet or questioning whether it is good or bad. He does not engage with those debates; it is not his goal. Even so, that absence stands out, particularly given Rogers’s position and proximity to this kind of data.
When you’re working with aggregated data drawn from people’s search activity, there is a widespread expectation that those queries remain private. The book treats that data as a shared resource for understanding human behavior, but that framing glosses over how complex those questions of use and ownership are. Even when anonymized and used to identify patterns, seeing those queries repurposed into a broader narrative raises questions the book chooses not to address. A brief acknowledgment of how this data is collected, aggregated, and de-identified, along with some reflection on the responsibility that comes with access to it, would have gone a long way.
The result is a book that draws meaning from data that many users do not fully understand is being collected or repurposed, while sidestepping the discomfort that reality creates. For readers who are already uneasy about privacy and data collection, that absence is hard to ignore.
Readers interested in data storytelling may still find value here. I found myself more distracted by what wasn’t said than engaged with what was.
Rating: 2 stars
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
ARC for review. To be published May 5, 2026.
4 stars
If you love lists and data like I do you’ll probably find this fascinating. Google Trends compiles information on what people from all over the world search for on Google and Rogers, who heads up the department, gives us some snapshots of the information.
He divides it into relevant chapters like “animals” and “grief” and I found it so very intriguing…I could have pored over double the amount of lists. Roger’s also points out that, to him, it’s very hopeful; he notes that when natural disasters occur people are always searching for ways to help (though he also is very happy that people are always seeking to donate plasma I hate to burst his bubble, but does he not know that people get paid for that, and that’s why people are searching for that versus donating blood? Sweet summer child Simon!). It’s a short book and a fun way to spend some time.
4 stars
If you love lists and data like I do you’ll probably find this fascinating. Google Trends compiles information on what people from all over the world search for on Google and Rogers, who heads up the department, gives us some snapshots of the information.
He divides it into relevant chapters like “animals” and “grief” and I found it so very intriguing…I could have pored over double the amount of lists. Roger’s also points out that, to him, it’s very hopeful; he notes that when natural disasters occur people are always searching for ways to help (though he also is very happy that people are always seeking to donate plasma I hate to burst his bubble, but does he not know that people get paid for that, and that’s why people are searching for that versus donating blood? Sweet summer child Simon!). It’s a short book and a fun way to spend some time.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I had heard that Google searches are the only place on the internet where people actually tell the truth and was interested in getting the nitty gritty. What I got was a little bit less salacious and a little more heartwarming. I hadn't noticed the subtitle before I read it, but after finishing, I told a friend how it gave me the warm fuzzies and it was surprisingly hopeful. And then came here only to notice, guess what, that was the point!
The book is divided into different popular search topics: love, health, end of life, manners, etc. The main thesis running throughout is that our Google searches reveal that the citizens of the world are more alike than different and that we are more likely to search for positive ways to interact with others. It's not that we didn't know all this, but it sure is nice in these turbulent times to be reminded of it!
Thanks to Dutton, via NetGalley, for the ARC!
The book is divided into different popular search topics: love, health, end of life, manners, etc. The main thesis running throughout is that our Google searches reveal that the citizens of the world are more alike than different and that we are more likely to search for positive ways to interact with others. It's not that we didn't know all this, but it sure is nice in these turbulent times to be reminded of it!
Thanks to Dutton, via NetGalley, for the ARC!
May 18, 2026
Interesting premise, surprisingly trite result. The author adopts a silly tone throughout that I found irritating (lots of little sophomoric jokes are sprinkled throughout, like "say that three times fast"). More fundamentally, the book itself never really digs deep on what any of this information means. He mostly just presents these factoids as if their importance is self-evident. Finally, the information he chooses to present is mostly harmless and inoffensive and, therefore, uninteresting. Where is the chapter about sex? Both the tone and the content suggest this book is for children.
June 7, 2026
An insightful read about the things we ask Google, the trends and ultimately how when we google things privately that are existential “why am I sad”, it is experienced by everyone. So social media may make us feel further apart, but we stand in solidarity by what we search. And also, we are more hopeful and use Google searches to ask it to enable us to help others, which should be the main point of technology
Review of advance copy
Rating: 3,5
May 20, 2026
Interesting, and somewhat hopeful look at what we Google in general. I think you can probably cherry pick our search histories to fit your narrative either way though.
May 23, 2026
surprising, insightful and fun!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews