"Dust of the Earth"--by Mark Lages--the autobiography of Martin, a "super computer" who becomes so much more than a machine--given the ability to think like a person, will he become all too human (see my review)

Dust of the Earth

Who is Martin? Yes, he is a super computer, but not just any number and data crunching machine. He is well-intentioned, emotional, and kind. He is independent, and he is alive. You might even say he is human, brought to life by a remarkable young MIT dropout named Jim. Join Martin as he teams up with Jim and his friends to make a special mark on our vexing human dominated world.

MY REVIEW:  In "Dust of the Earth", author Mark Lages introduces readers to Martin, the most "human" computer you will ever meet. Actually, this is really Martin's autobiography, and the story unfolds as a "first person" narrative. Jim Applegate is a young man from a well-to-do family in Aiken, SC. Just eighteen when both parents die in an auto accident, Jim inherits a sizeable fortune, quits college, and retreats to the family home. By the age of twenty-two, he began to move forward with his life, eliminating the trappings of his wealth for which he had no need, and using the vast amount of available funds to follow his dream. Thus, Martin was born--"given life"--Artificial Intelligence (AI) by his creator, Jim. Martin surpasses the special qualities with which he has been imbued by Jim--developing his own distinctive characteristics, maturing almost in the way a child grows. He plays games, tells jokes, makes friends, and becomes a writer of poetry and children's books. He learns about love. When he is questioned about various subjects, and asks questions of his own, the people around him (and readers of his story) are intrigued and enlightened--their thoughts are stimulated. By the time Martin's story draws to a close, readers will surely agree that there is nothing artificial about Martin's intelligence. He is a life force all his own. I really enjoyed reading about Martin and his friends. Food for thought: What does it say about human nature that a machine could be more human than most people, and that those people could learn about being human from a machine? 

Book Copy Gratis Author

 

MARK LAGES SAYS:

"I was born and raised in California, but now live in South Carolina with my wife and our animals. I am neither a liberal nor a conservative. In fact, I despise politics. I think of myself as an artist, and not as a journalist. I've been influenced by Milton Friedman, Frank Lloyd Wright, Hunter S Thompson, Douglas Adams, Salvador Dali, MC Escher, JS Bach, Keith Jarrett, Vincent Price, Tom Waits, and many others. I like to smoke cigars and drink lots of coffee. And I do love to write. Lock me in a room with a box of cigars, a coffee maker, and a computer, and I will do just fine. Click here to leap to my website for more info about me and my books."

http://www.marklages.com