Category: young adult

BIG LIES: from Socrates to Social Media
by Mark Kurlansky (Author) and Eric Zelz (Illustrator)
@ Amazon | Bookshop

Booktalk: Big lies are told by governments, politicians, and corporations to avoid responsibility, cast blame on the innocent, win elections, disguise intent, create chaos, and gain power and wealth. Yes, big lies are as old as civilization. They corrupt public understanding and discourse, turn science upside down, and reinvent history. They prevent humanity from addressing critical challenges. They perpetuate injustices. They destabilize the world.

The modern age has provided ever-more-effective ways of spreading lies, but it has also given us the scientific method, which is the most effective tool for finding what is true. In the book’s final chapter, find out how you can deconstruct an allegation. Ask if there is credible, testable evidence to support it. If not, suspect a lie. A scientific theory has to be testable, and so does an allegation. Then ask more questions! Who is the source? Who benefits? Is there a money trail? Especially in the age of social media, critical thinking counters lies and chaos. Are you ready to think for yourself?

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Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Python Crash Course: A Hands-On, Project-Based Introduction to Programming, 3rd Edition
by Eric Matthes (Author)
@ Amazon | Bookshop

Booktalk: Start by learning basic programming concepts, such as variables, lists, classes, and loops, and practice writing clean code with exercises for each topic. You’ll also learn how to make your programs interactive and test your code safely before adding it to a project. Put your new knowledge into practice by creating a Space Invaders-inspired arcade game, building a set of data visualizations with Python’s handy libraries, and deploying a simple application online.

As you work through the book, you’ll learn how to:

• Use powerful Python libraries and tools, including pytest, Pygame, Matplotlib, Plotly, and Django
• Make increasingly complex 2D games that respond to keypresses and mouse clicks
• Generate interactive data visualizations using a variety of datasets
• Build apps that allow users to create accounts and manage their own data, and deploy your apps online
• Troubleshoot coding errors and solve common programming problems

This third edition is completely revised to reflect the latest in Python code. New and updated coverage includes VS Code for text editing, the pathlib module for file handling, pytest for testing your code, as well as the latest features of Matplotlib, Plotly, and Django.

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It’s Nonfiction Monday!

Copyright © 2023 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.