Book Club Night Kit

The Reverse Centaur's Guide To Life After Ai

Cory Doctorow

Cozy night

Cory Doctorow, the writer who coined "enshittification," asks what AI means for the people who do the work, and whether it will help us or turn us into the machine's helpers. It's a hopeful, very human book to talk through with a warm mug in hand.

Come Be Human With Us

Join us for soup, butter tarts, and a gentle chat about Cory Doctorow's The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI. Bring your coziest socks and your work stories.

Reading level: Moderate

Best for: Curious, caring friends who worry a bit about technology and would like to talk about it over soup instead of in a seminar

Discussion

Warm-up

1.Think of something you love doing with your own two hands, like baking, knitting, fixing a bike, or writing a letter. How would you feel if a machine offered to do it for you?
2.What's one piece of technology that has made your daily life a little warmer or easier, and what makes it feel like a helper and not a boss?

Digging in

1.In a centaur, the human leads and the machine helps. In a reverse centaur, the machine sets the pace and the human keeps up. Have you ever felt like the reverse centaur at a job, and what did that feel like in your body and your mood?
2.Which part of the book left you feeling more hopeful about the future than you expected, and why did it land that way for you?
3.Doctorow keeps coming back to the people behind the work. Who is a worker in your own life (a nurse, a teacher, a barista, a relative) you found yourself thinking about as you read?
4.What does "work done with care" look like to you, and did the book change how much you value the human care you get from others?

Going deep

1.The book asks who really benefits when work gets automated. Did reading it shift how you feel about your own job or your family's jobs, and has that feeling stayed with you since you finished?
2.If you could keep one idea from this book close by, like a note on the fridge, which would it be, and how might it change a small habit or choice for you this year?

On the table & to sip

To eat

Hand-Kneaded Bread with Salted Butter and Honey

Bread made by hand, slowly, is the opposite of a reverse centaur. It's warm, a little imperfect, and made by people. Baking the day before counts as effort worth sharing.

Build-Your-Own Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Bar

A comfort classic where every guest is the centaur: a pan does the heating, but you pick the bread, the cheese, and how you want it. It's indulgent, hands-on, and easy to prep ahead.

Butter Tarts

A cozy Canadian classic and a sweet nod to Doctorow's Toronto roots. Gooey, homey, and clearly made by a person who cared.

To sip

London Fog (Earl Grey Vanilla Latte) (no alcohol)

A creamy, soothing tea latte that began in Vancouver, a quiet Canadian wink to the author. Easy to make by the potful. Non-alcoholic.

Slow-Cooker Mulled Cider

Warm spiced cider that fills the room with its smell. The slow cooker does the simmering, which makes it a good-servant machine in the centaur spirit. Offer a splash of bourbon on the side if people want it.

Maple Irish Coffee

A mug of coffee sweetened with maple syrup, a little whiskey, and whipped cream on top. A small, warm treat for the grown-ups late in the evening.