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Data Empire: The Power of Information to Organize, Control, and Dominate
A 2026 Barack Obama Summer Reading Pick
From clay tablets to the algorithmic state, a groundbreaking new lens on human history arguing that information has always been the seed of power. Perfect for readers of Nexus and The Age of Surveillance Capitalism.
Historians have pointed to guns, germs, steel, religion, agriculture, and the female body as the engines of human history. But what do they all have in common?
Every human approach to power has involved collecting data—from tracking where and how long animals live to sharpen the hunt, to classifying our fellow humans in order to stratify, isolate, and subjugate them. Recording and mastering data has always been the foundation of rule—and we are living through it now, too.
In Data Empire, Roopika Risam uncovers the hidden history of data as a force that has shaped civilizations. From ancient cave markings and knotted strings to colonial censuses and modern digital surveillance, Risam shows how data has always been a means of control. Empire may have made use of weapons or ships, but it was built on information.
Both a sweeping history and a sharp critique, Data Empire is a call to recognize the power data has always held, and to imagine what resistance looks like in an age defined by it. The story of empire is the story of data—and knowing its past is the first step to breaking its grip on the future.
From clay tablets to the algorithmic state, a groundbreaking new lens on human history arguing that information has always been the seed of power. Perfect for readers of Nexus and The Age of Surveillance Capitalism.
Historians have pointed to guns, germs, steel, religion, agriculture, and the female body as the engines of human history. But what do they all have in common?
Every human approach to power has involved collecting data—from tracking where and how long animals live to sharpen the hunt, to classifying our fellow humans in order to stratify, isolate, and subjugate them. Recording and mastering data has always been the foundation of rule—and we are living through it now, too.
In Data Empire, Roopika Risam uncovers the hidden history of data as a force that has shaped civilizations. From ancient cave markings and knotted strings to colonial censuses and modern digital surveillance, Risam shows how data has always been a means of control. Empire may have made use of weapons or ships, but it was built on information.
Both a sweeping history and a sharp critique, Data Empire is a call to recognize the power data has always held, and to imagine what resistance looks like in an age defined by it. The story of empire is the story of data—and knowing its past is the first step to breaking its grip on the future.
480 pages, Hardcover
First published July 9, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
July 26, 2026
This is an interesting read. The historical anecdotes are often fascinating, even if the narrative feels a little jagged at times.
Unfortunately, I think something fundamental holds the book back.
I absolutely agree that those in power can and do use data to consolidate power. History provides many examples of that. My disagreement is with treating that as the defining history of data itself.
I think people collect data because they are trying to make better decisions. They do not always succeed. Sometimes conclusions have already been reached before the evidence is gathered. Sometimes personal or political values become so firmly established that new data is interpreted only through that lens. In those cases, the problem is not the data—it is the misalignment between the evidence and the conclusions people are determined to reach.
That is where I think Data Empire disappoints.
What I found most troubling was not factual accuracy but data selection. Nearly every example illustrates data being used to consolidate power, reinforce hierarchy, or limit human freedom. Those stories deserve to be told. The problem is that they are presented with remarkably little consideration of the equally important history of data expanding human knowledge, improving public health, correcting error, challenging authority, and increasing human opportunity.
Where are John Snow’s cholera maps? Where is the statistical work that transformed medicine? Where are weather satellites, nutritional science, cancer research, quality control, or the countless examples where better data gave governments and societies better choices rather than fewer? These are not obscure counterexamples. They are among the defining achievements of the information age. Their absence matters.
Ironically, I think the book demonstrates the very problem it warns against. It argues that powerful institutions shape reality by selectively collecting and presenting information to reinforce existing values and conclusions. Yet I found myself wondering whether Data Empire applies that same standard to its own historical narrative. A book about data should be especially careful that its conclusions emerge from the evidence rather than selecting evidence that supports conclusions already reached.
That leaves me with one question for Roopika Risam: Which came first while writing this book—the historical evidence or the thesis?
I ask that question respectfully because I think there is an excellent book hiding inside this one. The history is interesting, and many of the stories deserve to be better known. But I finished the book wishing it had wrestled more honestly with the full history of data—including the many times better data has expanded human options rather than narrowed them.
Data itself is not the villain. Misalignment is. The real ethical question is not whether data can be used for harmful purposes—it clearly can—but whether we remain willing to let evidence challenge the values and conclusions we bring to it.
Unfortunately, I think something fundamental holds the book back.
I absolutely agree that those in power can and do use data to consolidate power. History provides many examples of that. My disagreement is with treating that as the defining history of data itself.
I think people collect data because they are trying to make better decisions. They do not always succeed. Sometimes conclusions have already been reached before the evidence is gathered. Sometimes personal or political values become so firmly established that new data is interpreted only through that lens. In those cases, the problem is not the data—it is the misalignment between the evidence and the conclusions people are determined to reach.
That is where I think Data Empire disappoints.
What I found most troubling was not factual accuracy but data selection. Nearly every example illustrates data being used to consolidate power, reinforce hierarchy, or limit human freedom. Those stories deserve to be told. The problem is that they are presented with remarkably little consideration of the equally important history of data expanding human knowledge, improving public health, correcting error, challenging authority, and increasing human opportunity.
Where are John Snow’s cholera maps? Where is the statistical work that transformed medicine? Where are weather satellites, nutritional science, cancer research, quality control, or the countless examples where better data gave governments and societies better choices rather than fewer? These are not obscure counterexamples. They are among the defining achievements of the information age. Their absence matters.
Ironically, I think the book demonstrates the very problem it warns against. It argues that powerful institutions shape reality by selectively collecting and presenting information to reinforce existing values and conclusions. Yet I found myself wondering whether Data Empire applies that same standard to its own historical narrative. A book about data should be especially careful that its conclusions emerge from the evidence rather than selecting evidence that supports conclusions already reached.
That leaves me with one question for Roopika Risam: Which came first while writing this book—the historical evidence or the thesis?
I ask that question respectfully because I think there is an excellent book hiding inside this one. The history is interesting, and many of the stories deserve to be better known. But I finished the book wishing it had wrestled more honestly with the full history of data—including the many times better data has expanded human options rather than narrowed them.
Data itself is not the villain. Misalignment is. The real ethical question is not whether data can be used for harmful purposes—it clearly can—but whether we remain willing to let evidence challenge the values and conclusions we bring to it.
August 4, 2026
The central thesis presented by Roopika Risam is that information gives us (and particularly countries) the power to organise, control and dominate others. Although I have a couple of issues with the presentation, this is a genuinely interesting trip through the history of our use of stored information from the earliest tallies to the latest information technology.
I loved a quote from Lisa Gitelman that data is is always 'cooked' so 'raw data is an oxymoron'. This neatly underlines Risam's thesis that data and information are not neutral facts, but rather tools that (like everything from fire to electronics) can be used for good or evil. As we are taken through the historical context, it can sometimes be a little difficult to judge whether Risam regards a particular example as bad or good, even when the outcome is disastrous.
One thing I didn't like too much is the adherence to a popular science writing approach that has got distinctly hackneyed: opening chapters with an imagined narrative that is only tangential to the real point. So, for instance, the first chapter, C. 9000-1700 BCE begins 'The priestess hurried out of the temple with the baby she had delivered in secret...' and goes on in this fashion for a page and a half, leaving me as a reader thinking 'Get on with it!'
There was an interesting parallel with Brainjacking, which gives parallel roles to story, with 'informing, influencing and manipulating' being the equivalent of 'organising, controlling and dominating' here. I do take a little umbrage at Risam's suggestion that 'Long before we wrote stories we kept score.' [Meaning we denoted data with symbols like a tally.] But this only refers to written stories: we told stories before we kept score, and I would argue they are more powerful. Let's face it, if stories don't trump data, there's no point writing a book like this.
The part I struggled most with was the closing section that portrayed two possible versions of 2126. One where a tech company controlled a worker's life to the extent that the software decided when they woke up, what they had for breakfast, how long they spent at work, and so on. The other was what I assume was meant to be a utopia where 'In the garment cooperative, an algorithm suggests schedules that would boost output by 6 percent, so the workers call a vote. Some want the efficiency bonus, while others want shorter hours. The debate runs long, but the algorithm waits...'
For me, both these futures are dystopian. I don't want my future controlled by a tech company or by a committee. We certainly need to be able make human decisions about AI/algorithmic recommendations, but please save us from the workers' collective committee too. Have we learned nothing from communist failures? Inevitably what we get is a progressive liberal academic viewpoint of what the future should be like. The analysis of the dangers of misused information is important - but the solution should not be so one-sided.
I loved a quote from Lisa Gitelman that data is is always 'cooked' so 'raw data is an oxymoron'. This neatly underlines Risam's thesis that data and information are not neutral facts, but rather tools that (like everything from fire to electronics) can be used for good or evil. As we are taken through the historical context, it can sometimes be a little difficult to judge whether Risam regards a particular example as bad or good, even when the outcome is disastrous.
One thing I didn't like too much is the adherence to a popular science writing approach that has got distinctly hackneyed: opening chapters with an imagined narrative that is only tangential to the real point. So, for instance, the first chapter, C. 9000-1700 BCE begins 'The priestess hurried out of the temple with the baby she had delivered in secret...' and goes on in this fashion for a page and a half, leaving me as a reader thinking 'Get on with it!'
There was an interesting parallel with Brainjacking, which gives parallel roles to story, with 'informing, influencing and manipulating' being the equivalent of 'organising, controlling and dominating' here. I do take a little umbrage at Risam's suggestion that 'Long before we wrote stories we kept score.' [Meaning we denoted data with symbols like a tally.] But this only refers to written stories: we told stories before we kept score, and I would argue they are more powerful. Let's face it, if stories don't trump data, there's no point writing a book like this.
The part I struggled most with was the closing section that portrayed two possible versions of 2126. One where a tech company controlled a worker's life to the extent that the software decided when they woke up, what they had for breakfast, how long they spent at work, and so on. The other was what I assume was meant to be a utopia where 'In the garment cooperative, an algorithm suggests schedules that would boost output by 6 percent, so the workers call a vote. Some want the efficiency bonus, while others want shorter hours. The debate runs long, but the algorithm waits...'
For me, both these futures are dystopian. I don't want my future controlled by a tech company or by a committee. We certainly need to be able make human decisions about AI/algorithmic recommendations, but please save us from the workers' collective committee too. Have we learned nothing from communist failures? Inevitably what we get is a progressive liberal academic viewpoint of what the future should be like. The analysis of the dangers of misused information is important - but the solution should not be so one-sided.
August 31, 2026
JUST WOW!!! Such an enjoyable read filled with history religion geography politics… everything was written so eloquently. My favorite book of the year. President Obama’s summer reading list is my new North Star
August 12, 2026
I liked the idea of this book, but the entire first hour was the same sentence restated over and over again, so I gave up.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Roopika Risam’s Data Empire is an absolute tour de force that delivers a sweeping, grand history of data, masterfully charting our relationship with information from the dawn of humanity to the digital age. Risam takes readers on an unforgettable voyage through time, beginning when Homo sapiens first branched off from our primate relatives and utilized art as an early form of information storage. She seamlessly transitions into the practical accountancy of early Sumeria and the intricate quipus (knotted cords) of Peru. Right from these ancient origins, Risam brilliantly uncovers the dark thread connecting information to authority. She notes that the moment priests began carrying the ledgers, they became masters of the accounts—and, crucially, the keepers of power.
The narrative maintains its breath-taking momentum as it moves through the alphabetic revolution across the globe and examines the rise of libraries as vital sites of knowledge storage and synthesis. Risam’s historical sharp-sightedness shines as she analyzes pivotal moments of systemic control: from the Roman Emperor Constantine leveraging information to distinguish heresy from accepted dogma, to the Abbasid Caliphate collecting and synthesizing global knowledge, and the Norman kings cementing absolute rule through the sheer administrative weight of the Domesday Book. Central to her argument is the Age of Empires, where colonial bookkeeping reduced vibrant societies to mere circuits of "credit and extraction." Risam powerfully demonstrates how data inherently strips away humanity, reducing complex individuals down to faceless statistics.
As the book approaches modern times, Risam explores how this historical control of the ledger translates into the staggering, near-monopolistic power held by today's tech elite. She does a magnificent job exposing the acute dangers of data ownership in both public and private hands when a human being no longer counts as a person, but rather as a statistic or a revenue-generating unit. Her reasoning is profoundly insightful, proving that even seemingly benign structures—like the Dewey Decimal Classification system—are deeply reflective of their inventor’s subjective worldview and can never truly be deemed objective. This builds toward a gripping critique of our current era, highlighting the dominant, troubling roles played by social media and AI titans like Meta and Alphabet, with a particularly chilling look at Palantir’s growing influence in global affairs.
Ultimately, Data Empire is not merely a warning; it concludes beautifully with a profoundly hopeful and emancipatory final chapter on what the world could look like if we were to reclaim control and ownership of our data. For enthusiasts of Yuval Noah Harari’s sweeping timelines, Peter Frankopan’s geopolitical networks, and Shoshana Zuboff’s critiques of surveillance capitalism, this book is an essential, mesmerizing addition to the canon. Risam has written an extraordinary, intellectually rigorous masterpiece—and it is a book I will definitely be returning to for years to come.
#DataEmpire #NetGalley
Roopika Risam’s Data Empire is an absolute tour de force that delivers a sweeping, grand history of data, masterfully charting our relationship with information from the dawn of humanity to the digital age. Risam takes readers on an unforgettable voyage through time, beginning when Homo sapiens first branched off from our primate relatives and utilized art as an early form of information storage. She seamlessly transitions into the practical accountancy of early Sumeria and the intricate quipus (knotted cords) of Peru. Right from these ancient origins, Risam brilliantly uncovers the dark thread connecting information to authority. She notes that the moment priests began carrying the ledgers, they became masters of the accounts—and, crucially, the keepers of power.
The narrative maintains its breath-taking momentum as it moves through the alphabetic revolution across the globe and examines the rise of libraries as vital sites of knowledge storage and synthesis. Risam’s historical sharp-sightedness shines as she analyzes pivotal moments of systemic control: from the Roman Emperor Constantine leveraging information to distinguish heresy from accepted dogma, to the Abbasid Caliphate collecting and synthesizing global knowledge, and the Norman kings cementing absolute rule through the sheer administrative weight of the Domesday Book. Central to her argument is the Age of Empires, where colonial bookkeeping reduced vibrant societies to mere circuits of "credit and extraction." Risam powerfully demonstrates how data inherently strips away humanity, reducing complex individuals down to faceless statistics.
As the book approaches modern times, Risam explores how this historical control of the ledger translates into the staggering, near-monopolistic power held by today's tech elite. She does a magnificent job exposing the acute dangers of data ownership in both public and private hands when a human being no longer counts as a person, but rather as a statistic or a revenue-generating unit. Her reasoning is profoundly insightful, proving that even seemingly benign structures—like the Dewey Decimal Classification system—are deeply reflective of their inventor’s subjective worldview and can never truly be deemed objective. This builds toward a gripping critique of our current era, highlighting the dominant, troubling roles played by social media and AI titans like Meta and Alphabet, with a particularly chilling look at Palantir’s growing influence in global affairs.
Ultimately, Data Empire is not merely a warning; it concludes beautifully with a profoundly hopeful and emancipatory final chapter on what the world could look like if we were to reclaim control and ownership of our data. For enthusiasts of Yuval Noah Harari’s sweeping timelines, Peter Frankopan’s geopolitical networks, and Shoshana Zuboff’s critiques of surveillance capitalism, this book is an essential, mesmerizing addition to the canon. Risam has written an extraordinary, intellectually rigorous masterpiece—and it is a book I will definitely be returning to for years to come.
#DataEmpire #NetGalley
August 23, 2026
This book exhibits such promise on a hyper-relevant topic, but falls short of its ideals. It offers a fascinating history of data and its use by civilization to organize itself. It points out where it has veered to dominate people (e.g., slavery, colonization, Roman control) and how humans have objected to its control. Today, we live in an age where generating data is inescapable with modern life. Data's scale and reach are unprecedented. It concludes with an aspiration that we "take back control" from data running our lives.
That's where I object. Today's data do not have control of our lives. Humans are still in control, and some humans relinquish control to data-driven technology. Those same humans are sometimes in power... today. The key is to demonstrate a better way forward. I agree with the Roopika Risam's conclusion that there is a better way forward. I disagree that things are a bleak as the author contends.
The book highlights every offense cited in newspapers over the past ~30 years without acknowledging its gains in personal autonomy - promises realized. Its bleak picture does not represent my life, and its bleak picture tends to blame data itself, corporations, and private-public partnerships instead of the human authors of those actions. It blames straw men instead of analyzing their dynamics. Not all corporations are evil, nor are private-public partnerships inherently problematic. I use personal data (e.g., health-related) on a daily basis that do not directly involve the nation-state, companies, or even my doctor. Data, artificial intelligence, and technologies still empower and improve our lives in many respects.
The book needs to present a more refined, balanced view of contemporary affairs. Yes, there are problems, and yes, the book's concerns are valid. And yes, we face choices for the future. However, there are also countervailing forces at play, and the book doesn't inspect those enough. Further, data is not the problem; rather, it's a tool for people. The individuals making those decisions need to be held accountable. Not all businesses are optimized towards the bottom line, thankfully. Not all democracies make moves in favor of the common good, sadly. This investigation begs for more nuance.
I love the history, and I love learning how data have been and are being used. I also love learning how we need to resist the bad and promote the good. However, all is not dark today. Humans still have power. I applaud how the book raises awareness of that fact, but Risam seems passive to drown in despair instead of being determined to swim in hope.
That's where I object. Today's data do not have control of our lives. Humans are still in control, and some humans relinquish control to data-driven technology. Those same humans are sometimes in power... today. The key is to demonstrate a better way forward. I agree with the Roopika Risam's conclusion that there is a better way forward. I disagree that things are a bleak as the author contends.
The book highlights every offense cited in newspapers over the past ~30 years without acknowledging its gains in personal autonomy - promises realized. Its bleak picture does not represent my life, and its bleak picture tends to blame data itself, corporations, and private-public partnerships instead of the human authors of those actions. It blames straw men instead of analyzing their dynamics. Not all corporations are evil, nor are private-public partnerships inherently problematic. I use personal data (e.g., health-related) on a daily basis that do not directly involve the nation-state, companies, or even my doctor. Data, artificial intelligence, and technologies still empower and improve our lives in many respects.
The book needs to present a more refined, balanced view of contemporary affairs. Yes, there are problems, and yes, the book's concerns are valid. And yes, we face choices for the future. However, there are also countervailing forces at play, and the book doesn't inspect those enough. Further, data is not the problem; rather, it's a tool for people. The individuals making those decisions need to be held accountable. Not all businesses are optimized towards the bottom line, thankfully. Not all democracies make moves in favor of the common good, sadly. This investigation begs for more nuance.
I love the history, and I love learning how data have been and are being used. I also love learning how we need to resist the bad and promote the good. However, all is not dark today. Humans still have power. I applaud how the book raises awareness of that fact, but Risam seems passive to drown in despair instead of being determined to swim in hope.
September 5, 2026
This is an excellent book, but also a really important read given the rise of AI and the way technology, especially social media, has changed the way our data is used. I really encourage everyone to read this if you get the chance.
In this book, Roopsi Risam recounts the history of data collection from the very beginning to today, showing, importantly that “no data regime lasts forever.” Each chapter begins with a narrative that sets the scene for the type of data collection that will be discussed in what follows. I really appreciated her inclusion of St. Nicholas punching the heretic Arius—that’s one of my favorite stories to tell in relation to the Council of Nicaea.
What this book shows is that despite the technological changes that have occurred through history, the collecting of data to manage and dominate people is not new—humans have been doing it without history. The issue now is the speed and amount of data that can be collected and the way the systems seem to be designed to “dehumanize at scale.”
However, a key point that Risam makes toward the end is that “data is not inherently harmful.” In 100 years we could be living in a dystopian data hellscape, but we don’t have to be. Data can be collected to do good, to serve the common good instead of the interests of an elite few. This is not a technological problem, but a political one. People need to speak up about how their data is being used and push for laws that allow privacy protection when needed. The conclusion gives some ideas about what needs to be done.
Overall, highly recommended.
In this book, Roopsi Risam recounts the history of data collection from the very beginning to today, showing, importantly that “no data regime lasts forever.” Each chapter begins with a narrative that sets the scene for the type of data collection that will be discussed in what follows. I really appreciated her inclusion of St. Nicholas punching the heretic Arius—that’s one of my favorite stories to tell in relation to the Council of Nicaea.
What this book shows is that despite the technological changes that have occurred through history, the collecting of data to manage and dominate people is not new—humans have been doing it without history. The issue now is the speed and amount of data that can be collected and the way the systems seem to be designed to “dehumanize at scale.”
However, a key point that Risam makes toward the end is that “data is not inherently harmful.” In 100 years we could be living in a dystopian data hellscape, but we don’t have to be. Data can be collected to do good, to serve the common good instead of the interests of an elite few. This is not a technological problem, but a political one. People need to speak up about how their data is being used and push for laws that allow privacy protection when needed. The conclusion gives some ideas about what needs to be done.
Overall, highly recommended.
August 24, 2026
If you are a nerd like me, you will LOVE this book. If you’re not a nerd, there are still a TON of things in here that you will enjoy. This book charts the history of data, including its collection, recording, and the ways its been deployed. This was a really meticulous, detailed, and engaging account of how and why we started recording date and what we’ve done with it as a species. Data has driven the rise and fall of civilizations, the drawing of global boundaries, the direction and method of empire-building, the rise of capitalism (cross your fingers for its fall!!!), and so much more. For me, the most important thing to remember is that there is no such thing as raw data--there is no unbiased data. Every data point is observed and collected by humans or tools made at their hands and so it is an interpretive endeavor from the start, not only once it’s manipulated. I could read a whole book written on the section of the book that covers the present. The power of data is something we all need to be aware of. Especially in the current climate, we need to be thinking about how it is mobilized against the public good by private parties.
August 29, 2026
My first experience reading a book that heavily relied on an LLM (and it wan't acknowledged). For instance, between pages 35 and 36, there are at least 5 sentences that have the following structure: "in that courtroom, inheritance was no longer remembered but recorded" or "Abraham secured not just a resting place, but a future". After a couple of chapters, i was overwhelmed with the style and structure, which is ironic given the thesis that over the past couple of decades private corporations became owners of everyones' data and therefore control the life of the citizens.
If you understand the power of data, you should also understand that the delivery of that message is equally important (if not more). There is a lot of promise, but not for me
If you understand the power of data, you should also understand that the delivery of that message is equally important (if not more). There is a lot of promise, but not for me
September 3, 2026
Impressively researched, Data Empire ranges from 9000 BCE to the present day, with an additional chapter considering what the next decade might hold.
Unfortunately, I found the delivery surprisingly dry. It is an academic’s first attempt to write for a wider audience.
Its thesis is plainly signalled in the subtitle: data is used to organise, control and dominate. Do not expect much attention to its more positive applications.
The definition of “data” also feels rather loose, at times encompassing almost any form of recorded information.
Unfortunately, I found the delivery surprisingly dry. It is an academic’s first attempt to write for a wider audience.
Its thesis is plainly signalled in the subtitle: data is used to organise, control and dominate. Do not expect much attention to its more positive applications.
The definition of “data” also feels rather loose, at times encompassing almost any form of recorded information.
September 4, 2026
Wasn't sure what to rate it, gave it 4 stars for the algorithm because this has important information, but you have to work for it.
I recently read The Know It All about a guy who reads the entire encyclopedia. It begged the question of how much could he retain. Well this is the encyclopedia of data.
Its a deep history which does play in, but its a bit repetitive and dry in spots.
The takeaway is that absolute power corrupts, we give too much power through using technology and we need to understand that we can do better
I recently read The Know It All about a guy who reads the entire encyclopedia. It begged the question of how much could he retain. Well this is the encyclopedia of data.
Its a deep history which does play in, but its a bit repetitive and dry in spots.
The takeaway is that absolute power corrupts, we give too much power through using technology and we need to understand that we can do better
July 20, 2026
A compelling history of how data has been generated and utilized throughout human history, culminating in a discussion about ways that data is used in the modern era to surveil and control populations and rule over us in increasingly dystopic manner, and problems created by private enterprise controlling data. Optimistically, shows a possible way forward where data is used to enhance human lives, rather than to subjugate.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
We tend to think that the analysis of data is a modern thing. From algorithms, targeted advertising and suggestions to buy.
The use of data, collection and analysis goes back centuries.
The history of how and why data was collected. How empire's expanded and fell.
An interesting and informative book that will make you think.
The use of data, collection and analysis goes back centuries.
The history of how and why data was collected. How empire's expanded and fell.
An interesting and informative book that will make you think.
August 15, 2026
Very well researched, balanced and written. It discloses how data (different from information) led to a certain kind of relationship with information that we should reflect and act upon. Data empire only survives if you let your behavior become data-driven. This book made me pause and rethink my choices.
September 4, 2026
An insightful and thought-provoking book about the power of data and information in shaping society. Risam explores how information can be used not only to organize and connect people, but also to influence, control, and create systems of power. A fascinating read that encourages you to think more critically about the role data plays in our everyday lives.
July 27, 2026
I do like to dip into non-fiction books that have a mix of history, technology and what has, or could happen. This book is one of those, and it makes for very interesting reading.
I am not a science-minded person, but this book starts in the past, explaining how data and information were used from the earliest of times for the basics, such as migration, crop planting, and basic living. The author then proceeds through the years, showing and explaining how data collection has changed over time.
We are aware that large companies collect data every time we are on the internet, and how it is used for the "algorithms" to engage the user, show relevant ads, information and just basically hijack us. Well, for me, it feels like hijacking.
This book delivers a history lesson on how data can be used for good, and more importantly, how it can be used as a manipulation tool. I think it is well laid out and a really interesting read. Confirming some suspicions, opening my eyes to other things and giving quite an addictive read.
I really enjoyed how this book delivered the information, how it included the history, current collection and some projections of the future. It is a book I would be very happy to recommend.
I am not a science-minded person, but this book starts in the past, explaining how data and information were used from the earliest of times for the basics, such as migration, crop planting, and basic living. The author then proceeds through the years, showing and explaining how data collection has changed over time.
We are aware that large companies collect data every time we are on the internet, and how it is used for the "algorithms" to engage the user, show relevant ads, information and just basically hijack us. Well, for me, it feels like hijacking.
This book delivers a history lesson on how data can be used for good, and more importantly, how it can be used as a manipulation tool. I think it is well laid out and a really interesting read. Confirming some suspicions, opening my eyes to other things and giving quite an addictive read.
I really enjoyed how this book delivered the information, how it included the history, current collection and some projections of the future. It is a book I would be very happy to recommend.
July 18, 2026
قرأت ملخص فقط لهذا الكتاب. و أعتقد أنه كتاب قيم و أكاديمي و يستحق منا الوقت. لأن تاريخ البيانات و خوارزميات التحكم في الشعوب ليست فكرة محدثة نعتقد اليوم أننا نحن اليوم من اخترعها، بل لها بعد انطولوجي بدأت مع قيام أقدم الحضارات و نحن اليوم نقوم بتطويرها و حسب
August 13, 2026
3⭐️ There were some interesting points to this book but it felt like it didn’t entirely know what it wanted to be. I think it could have benefited from a more refined focus area for examples to explore its thesis.
August 2, 2026
4.51 stars
August 12, 2026
2.5 star
August 13, 2026
A historical look at the power of data reaching back to the earliest recorded history.
August 23, 2026
A solid and enjoyable read that I would recommend to others.
Read
August 28, 2026Potentially interesting premise, but this book was either half written by ChatGPT or genuinely sounds like it was, and I’m not sure which is worse.
August 28, 2026
Well written and easy to follow.
August 28, 2026
An engaging read from beginning to end.
August 28, 2026
A really enjoyable read with an engaging story and memorable moments. Definitely worth reading.”
September 5, 2026
One of my top non-fiction reads of the year!
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