It’s that time of the year when you sit by the beach or the pool and read some books. While going through this year’s New York Times Bestsellers list is fine, we figured we’d give you a different reading list. This one is all about the Metaverse.
Yes, we know what you’re thinking “Here it goes, another random list recommending Snow Crash.” But we’re not going to do that. Whether you read it or not, by now, you know the basic gist of the book. Instead, we want to give you a reading list that will help diversify your understanding of the Metaverse and all it entails.
Here are 5 books you need to have on your Metaverse reading list:
1. Rainbow’s End by Vernor Vinge
While you don’t see Rainbow’s End on too many Metaverse reading lists – possibly because it was written more recently than others – it’s well worth your time.
Vernor Vinge imagines a future where all of us have micro-computers knotted into our clothing. We all wear AR/VR glasses and contacts and observe the world through a thick layer of data.
The book shows how we could potentially pull the Internet into the real world and what that might look like for human interaction, education, and government.
2. Augmented Human by Helen Papagiannis
You always read about augmented reality, but do you understand how technology works? Or do you know how it even started or where it’s heading? Helen Papagiannis’ book offers all of that and more.
For Papagiannis, AR is more than just placing digital objects into the real world. It can potentially change how we interact with the world and each other. The book details the potential applications of AR in fields such as medicine, retail, and even our relationships.
3. Dawn of the New Everything by Jaron Lanier
If you want to feel smart, learn something new, and don’t break a sweat, we have a book for you. Dawn of New Everything is Jaron Lanier’s personal memoir about the beginning stages of developing virtual reality.
As The London Times says, the book is both “poetic and prophetic.” Lanier describes his work on early VR and talks about the scientific and cultural impact this particular technology has had on our reality.
4. The Metaverse Handbook by Quharrison Terry and Scott “DJ Skee” Keeney
Now, this book right here doesn’t muse will the Metaverse change the world; it tells us when it will do just that. The authors reveal more than 100 creators who’ve built the tools that will run the Metaverse.
Terry and Keeney also understand that not all people are aware of the potential of the Metaverse, so they dedicate a section of the book to teaching people about it. The book is equal parts an A-Z guide and a love letter to the Metaverse.
5. A Future So Bright by Kate O’Neill
O’Neill’s book is much more optimistic than your average dystopian take on the Metaverse. In A Future So Bright, O’Neill argues that we’ve been building toward a more connected world since the beginning of time.
She says that the Metaverse will ultimately benefit humanity by bringing us closer together and making us more empathetic to each other. It’s a different perspective that’s definitely worth reading.
In Conclusion
So there you have it, 5 Metaverse-related books that aren’t Snow Crash. Next time you try to explain the concept of the Metaverse to someone and they give you a blank stare; you can whip out one of the books from the list and send them home to read it. Trust us, you’ll like a total pro.
