Books by Han Kang, the 2024 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, have been in high demand. For McGill readers, there are a couple of options to read them for free. But to check them out will require a long waiting time.
The McGill Libraries has 24 titles (18 in original Korean, 6 in English translation).
21 books are on order.
3 books have been checked out. Wait time is likely 2-6 months.
Literature Translation Institute of Korea (LTI Korea) provides free access to electronic and audio books of Korean literature in translation through The Digital Library of Korean Literature (DLKI). To access Han Kang’s books in English, (1) Sign up for membership; (2) Sign in; (3) Go to Advanced Search; (4) Enter “Han Kang” in Author and select “English” in Languages.
All copies are currently in use. Wait time in likely 4-6 months.
If you are also interested in other Korean authors, there are many books available at the McGill Libraries.
Everywhere you look today, you will see signs of artificial intelligence (AI) all around you — from the apps on your phone to the algorithms behind the scenes. While AI might feel like a recent phenomenon, its roots trace back to the 1950s—making it older than Tim Hortons!
What’s changed is the surge of new AI tools now available to the public, transforming how we interact with technology. That is why you are hearing more and more about AI every day.
Below, you will find a few recommended reads from our Redpath Book Display for the month of September highlighting the topic of “Artificial Intelligence”. Have a good read!
A concise but informative overview of AI ethics and policy. Artificial intelligence, or AI for short, has generated a staggering amount of hype in the past several years. Authored by experts in fields ranging from computer science and law to philosophy and cognitive science, this book offers a concise overview of moral, political, legal and economic implications of AI. It covers the basics of AI’s latest permutation, machine learning, and considers issues such as transparency, bias, liability, privacy, and regulation. Both business and government have integrated algorithmic decision support systems into their daily operations, and the book explores the implications for our lives as citizens.
Groundbreaking narrative on the urgency of ethically designed AI and a guidebook to reimagining life in the era of intelligent technology A Human Algorithm: How Artificial Intelligence Is Redefining Who We Are examines the immense impact intelligent technology will have on humanity. These machines, while challenging our personal beliefs and our socio-economic world order, also have the potential to transform our health and well-being, alleviate poverty and suffering, and reveal the mysteries of intelligence and consciousness. International human rights attorney Flynn Coleman deftly argues that it is critical we instill values, ethics, and morals into our robots, algorithms, and other forms of AI. Equally important, we need to develop and implement laws, policies, and oversight mechanisms to protect us from tech’s insidious threats. To realize AI’s transcendent potential, Coleman advocates for inviting a diverse group of voices to participate in designing our intelligent machines and using our moral imagination to ensure that human rights, empathy, and equity are core principles of emerging technologies. Ultimately, A Human Algorithm is a clarion call for building a more humane future and moving conscientiously into a new frontier of our own design.
The United States has long been the leader in Artificial Intelligence. But Dr. Kai-Fu Lee–one of the world’s most respected experts on AI–reveals that China has caught up to the US at an astonishingly rapid pace. As Sino-American competition in AI heats up, Lee envisions China and the US forming a powerful duopoly in AI. He outlines the upheaval of traditional jobs, how the suddenly unemployed will find new ways of making their lives meaningful, and how the Chinese and American governments will have to cope with the changing economic landscape.
How will AI evolve and what major innovations are on the horizon? What will its impact be on the job market, economy, and society? What is the path toward human-level machine intelligence? What should we be concerned about as artificial intelligence advances? Architects of Intelligence contains a series of in-depth, one-to-one interviews where New York Times bestselling author, Martin Ford, uncovers the truth behind these questions from some of the brightest minds in the Artificial Intelligence community. Martin has wide-ranging conversations with twenty-three of the world’s foremost researchers and entrepreneurs working in AI and robotics.
Addressing major issues in the design of intelligent machines, such as consciousness and environment, and covering everything from the influential groundwork of Alan Turing to the cutting-edge robots of today, Introducing Artificial Intelligence is a uniquely accessible illustrated introduction to this fascinating area of science.
Children have long been the innocent victims of war, enduring unimaginable suffering and loss. Therefore, The Redpath Book Display for August is on the theme of “Children and War.” The Humanities and Social Sciences Library has put together a thoughtful collection that highlights the voices of these children through literature, history, and personal accounts. These books and films highlight children’s lives who have been afflicted by armed conflicts since WWII.
Here are some notable titles from the display:
“Gaza Writes Back: Short Stories from Young Writers in Gaza, Palestine” by Refaat Alareer: This collection features short stories from young Palestinian writers in Gaza, who share their experiences of life under occupation and conflict. Their stories highlight resilience, fear, and hope amidst war (2008-2009), offering personal glimpses into a region often depicted only through politics and violence.
“The Drone Eats with Me: Diaries from a City Under Fire” by Atef Abu Saif: Abu Saif’s powerful diary details life in Gaza during Israel’s 2014 military offensive. Saif’s narrative is raw and vivid, detailing the daily struggle to survive amidst the constant presence of drones and bombings.
“Beasts of No Nation” by Uzodinma Iweala: Agu, a young boy in an unnamed West African nation, is recruited into a unit of guerrilla fighters as civil war engulfs his country. Haunted by his father’s own death at the hands of militants, which he fled just before witnessing, Agu is vulnerable to the dangerous yet paternal nature of his new commander.
“The Breadwinner” by Deborah Ellis: Young Parvana lives with her family in one room of a bombed-out apartment building in Kabul, Afghanistan. Because he has a foreign education, her father is arrested by the Taliban.
“War Brothers” by Sharon E. McKay: This graphic novel provides a harrowing look at child soldiers in Uganda. It follows the lives of boys abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army and their desperate journey to escape, offering a deep and empathetic portrayal of their struggles.
“To the Starry Island” by Park Kwang-su: Moon Chae-Ku and his friend Kim Chul try to bring the body of Moon’s father back to his native Kwisong Island for burial. Their ferry is intercepted by resentful islanders who will not let the boat dock, because of the father’s political activities during the Korean War.
“Children’s Rights and International Development: lessons and challenges from the field” This collection of essays, edited by Myriam Denov (Professor & Canada Research Chair at McGill; Director of Global Child McGill), Richard Maclure, and Kathryn Campbell, combines accounts of the experiences and perspectives of marginalized children in ten developing countries with critical assessments of current child rights policies and strategies of intervention.
This collection at the Redpath Library is a reflection on the resilience and bravery of children facing the horrors of war. These stories provide insight into the psychological, emotional, and physical toll of conflict on children, offering readers a way to connect with history and current global issues through the eyes of its youngest victims. Visit the Redpath Library display to explore these in addition to other impactful works.