Book Club Night Kit

The Rise And Fall Of The Artificial State

Jill Lepore

Cozy night

Jill Lepore, the historian behind "These Truths," looks at how technology and artificial intelligence have changed democracy and the way people live together. It's a big subject, but it becomes an easy one to talk about with a blanket and a mug in hand, because it keeps coming back to one question: how do we stay connected to each other?

Come Be Human With Us

Join us for warm cider, homemade bread, and easy conversation about Jill Lepore's "The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State." Bring your slippers and your stories. Phones are optional.

Reading level: Moderate

Best for: A thoughtful, friendly club that likes nonfiction and wants to talk about big ideas by swapping personal stories, not debating

Discussion

Warm-up

1.Before we open the book, what's one piece of technology you feel real affection for, and one you secretly wish would go away?
2.Where did you do most of your reading for this book, and did reading about screens and machines make you want to put your phone in another room?

Digging in

1.Lepore writes about how technology has shaped human community. What's a gathering, ritual, or place in your life that makes you feel most connected to other people, and has technology made it stronger or weaker?
2.Was there a moment in the book that made you feel protective of something, like a tradition, a habit, or a way of being together, that you hadn't really thought about losing?
3.Democracy can feel huge and far away. When have you felt like part of a community deciding something together, even something small like a neighborhood or school decision? How did it feel?
4.Did any part of the book leave you feeling hopeful or comforted? What was it about that section that gave you some reassurance?

Going deep

1.After reading the whole book, has your sense of what makes something feel "real" or "human" to you changed? Is there a person, conversation, or experience that came to mind as you thought about it?
2.Lepore takes a long view of history. If a younger person in your life asked what you most want them to hold onto as technology keeps changing, what would you tell them, and did the book shape your answer?

On the table & to sip

To eat

Shared potluck baked mac and cheese

A nod to the town-meeting, bring-a-dish spirit of self-government and community. It's a handmade comfort food that everyone digs into from the same pan.

Homemade no-knead bread with salted butter and honey

Something made slowly by human hands, the opposite of the automated world the book looks at. It also fills the room with a warm smell.

New England apple crisp with vanilla ice cream

A cozy tribute to Lepore's Massachusetts roots and the old American history she writes about. Easy to make ahead and warm to serve.

To sip

Mulled apple cider with cinnamon sticks (no alcohol)

A classic warm New England drink that simmers on the stove and makes the house smell like autumn.

Maple bourbon hot toddy

A gently indulgent nightcap with a nod to old American traditions, good for slow, reflective conversation.

Spiced mulled red wine

A shareable pot of warmth for the table, like an old-fashioned tavern where neighbors once gathered to talk about the news of the day.