will it be the dystopian future? Can the human race survive climate change and the ongoing mass extinction? Or does technology promise a much better and more hopeful future? the two dozen nonfiction books listed here offer a wide range of perspectives on these questions. They explore the impact of artificial intelligence and advanced robotics, the rise of molecular nanotechnology, the private sector space race, as well as climate change, the threat of a global pandemic, and more. these titles are listed in alphabetical order by the last names of the authors. each is followed by a link to my review on this site.
This post was updated on December 15, 2021.
You are reading: Books about the future of humanity
two dozen good nonfiction books about the future
optimistic books about the future
Space Tycoons: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Christian Davenport’s Quest to Colonize the Cosmos: Four Billionaires, Private Space Companies, and Humanity’s Future in the Cosmos
abundance: the future is better than you think by peter h. diamandis and steven kotler: does technology promise humanity a bright future?
radical abundance: how a revolution in nanotechnology will change civilization for k. eric drexler: nanotechnology and the future of our species
the sentient machine: the next era of artificial intelligence by amir husain—today’s artificial intelligence is transforming our lives, an expert insists
beyond: our future in space by chris impey: a colony on mars? really? an astronomy professor thinks so.
The Future of Mankind: Terraforming Mars, Interstellar Travel, Immortality, and Our Destiny Beyond Earth by Michio Kaku—From the Moon and Mars to the Multiverse
ai 2041 by kai-fu lee and chen qiufan: a disturbing but balanced view of artificial intelligence
big data: a revolution that will transform the way we live, work and think by viktor mayer-schoeneberger and kenneth cukier, from two experts: the next big data revolution
Scatter, Adapt, and Remember: How Humans Will Survive a Mass Extinction by Annalee Newitz: Will the Human Race Survive Climate Change and a Mass Extinction?
the third industrial revolution: how lateral power is transforming energy, the economy and the world by jeremy rifkin: afraid that the end of the world is near? here is a hopeful message
the driver in the driverless car: how our technology choices will create the future by vivek wadwa and alex salkever: an authoritative look at the potential of technology
pessimistic books about the future
Warnings: Finding Cassandras to Stop Catastrophes by Richard A. clarke and r. p. eddy: can we avoid a dystopian future?
thinking machines: the quest for artificial intelligence and where it will lead us next by luke dormehl: will robots go crazy?
the rise of robots: technology and the threat of a jobless future by martin ford—will robots create a jobless future?
See Also: ‘Genshin Impact’ Albedo materials: 7 items to farm for the wicked alchemist
megatech: technology in 2050 edited by daniel franklin: survey of the future of technology in the mid-21st century
Future Crime: It’s All Connected, We’re All Vulnerable, and What We Can Do About It by Marc Goodman: The Hard Truth About Cyber Security
homo deus de yuval noah harari: a book that I did not review because I only read a quarter of the text. but that first quarter is packed with information from a whole new perspective that isn’t covered anywhere else.
hot: living the next fifty years on earth by mark hertsgaard—global warming and climate change: the next fifty years
the sixth extinction: an unnatural history of elizabeth kolbert: are we living the sixth extinction?
ai superpowers: china, silicon valley, and the new world order by kai-fu reads – the best book on artificial intelligence I’ve read so far
loving grace machines: the search for common ground between humans and robots by john markoff—will robots seize the day?
pandemic: tracking contagion from cholera to ebola and beyond by sonia shah: the existential threat of a contagious disease
the uninhabitable earth: life after warming by david wallace-wells—climate change is worse than you think—much, much worse
2062: the world created by toby walsh: an expert in artificial intelligence worries about the robots of the future
good science fiction novels that illuminate the future
In my book, Hell on Earth: What We Can Learn from Dystopian Fiction, I’ve taken a fresh look at the rapidly growing body of dystopian literature. there he discussed 62 dystopian novels. the book is based heavily on my reviews of most of the novels posted on this site. you’ll find links to them in the top 10 dystopian novels reviewed here (plus dozens of others).
Along the way, I’ve come across 17 novels that offer a rare insight into the possibilities of the future. they are listed below in alphabetical order by the last names of the authors. These 17 books include the first entry in each of two trilogies (by Margaret Atwood and Ramez Naam) and the first of two books in a series (by Octavia E. Butler). all subsequent novels in this series are worth reading.
omar el akkad’s american war: a chilling story, lucidly told, of a second american civil war
madeline ashby’s company town: an imaginative look at the corporate future in a bizarre science fiction novel
feed by me. t. Anderson: A Terrifying Vision of the Future in an Award-Winning Novel for Young Adults
oryx and crake (maddaddam trilogy #1) by margaret atwood: margaret atwood’s brilliant dystopian fiction
See Also: Emilie Richards – Book Series In Order
the rope girl by paolo bacigalupi, one of the best science fiction novels I’ve ever read
paolo bacigalupi’s water knife—dystopian fiction that breaks the mold
the parable of the sower (parable #1 of 2) by octavia e. Butler: A superb dystopian novel by Octavia E. butler
semi/human by erik hanberg: a fantastic and joyous story of a jobless future
an excess male by maggie shen king: a great science fiction novel set in a future totalitarian china
this perfect day by anger levin: an excellent story of a future where artificial intelligence rules
station eleven by emily st. john mandel—life on earth after the apocalypse
nexus (nexus trilogy #1) by ramez naam: the posthuman future explored in an extraordinary science fiction novel
autonomous by annalee newitz: in 2144, arctic resorts, autonomous robots and killer drugs
after atlas (planetfall, a) by emma newman: a 22nd century police procedural in a fascinating future earth
new york 2140 by kim stanley robinson: a grim but hopeful vision of new york underwater in 2140
lock in: a near future novel by john scalzi – a near future science fiction novel set after a freak pandemic
all systems in red (killer robot diaries #1) by martha wells: a reminder that technology will not always work well in the future either
artificial condition (killer robot diaries #2) by martha wells: far away and in the future, an augmented human designed to kill
to read more
For more, see Reviews of Great Science Fiction Novels: My Top 10 (Plus Dozens of Finalists).
If your tastes lean toward the dark side, you might be interested in the Top 10 Dystopian Novels reviewed here (plus dozens of others).
And you can always find my most popular and latest reviews, plus a guide to this entire site, on the home page.
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