If you’ve come here from out of the blue, I am the author of a number of highly-regarded works of non-fiction, a ‘hugely accomplished’ novel and some short fiction that’s been up for some prizes.
Having taught mathematics for 25 years, I am an Associate Director at the Institute for the Future of Work.
I write a blog – yep, really, I mean is it 2006?! – here. A selection of the latest posts:
- AI and the Novel
- Happy George Saunders Day
- ‘People want the human story’ – Björn Ulvaeus on new AI ‘artist’
Read more about my fiction work here, and my non-fiction here.
GOD-LIKE: A 500-Year History of Artificial Intelligence was published in March 2024. Find out more about the book here, order it here.
My debut novel MIDDLE CLASS was published in the summer of 2022. Find out more about the book here.
GETTING HIGH – a mind-bending exploration of the human quest for flight through the combined histories of the Apollo space missions and the LSD counterculture – was published in April 2016. Find out more about it here. You can get hold of it from your local bookstore, or here.
In the process of producing the book I wrote and presented a half hour meditation called ‘High Flight‘ – on BBC Radio 4’s Something Understood. It features, among other things, an interview with the philosopher Simon Critchley, part of which ended up being written into the final chapter of Getting High.
Previous books include:
After Magic: Moves Beyond Super-Nature from Batman to Shakespeare
Mutiny! Why We Love Pirates and How They Can Save Us
Other: Embracing Difference in a Fractured World
In 2013 I spoke at TEDx Exeter on the themes of reinvigorating ‘the commons’ that I wrote about in Mutiny.
Some of my short stories have been broadcast on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Short Cuts.’ I have also published in Adbusters. The article I wrote for them on AI became part of a chapter in GETTING HIGH, and has informed my new book, GOD-LIKE.
Join hundreds of others getting occasional updates on my work (all treats, no spam) by subscribing below:
Contact me:
If you are interested in my work, or would like to discuss representation (yes please) the easiest thing to do is to leave a comment on any post in the blog section.