The Technologists by Matthew Pearl

This book focuses on the early years of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Even as the school prepares to give young men (and at least one young woman) a technical instead of a classical education, doubters throughout the city of Boston worry that the new technologies being developed will replace jobs. Things get worse when a series of mysterious disasters that obviously required scientific expertise to pull off throw even more suspicion on the Institute. A group of seniors, lead by a charity student, and the lone female student, a freshman, work together (and under the nose of the Institute) to try to solve the mystery of the disasters before it's too late for Boston and for MIT. I enjoyed the plot--the mystery worked really well (with some nicely planted red herrings). The style was a little annoying--I don't doubt the nineteenth century slang is accurate, but it rings in an irritating way, and none of the characters sound like they're real people. Still, it's an enjoying light read.

John Henry Days by Colson Whitehead

This book investigates the myth of John Henry through the perspectives of a number of characters poised on the cusp of the information age. When the US Post Office decides to release a John Henry stamp, a number of New York freelancers and a Maryland stamp collector converge on the town of Hinton, West Virginia for the first annual John Henry Days festival. As the story plays out, it's not just the question of John Henry against the steam engine, but modern man against computers, and the grueling cycle of digital promotion that plays out. This book spends a lot of time thoughtfully considering what it means to read a book. Another excellent and thoughtful book.