Computer, What Should I Read?

That behemoth, Amazon, sent me an e-mail today saying "Amazon thinks you would enjoy reading The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart." Oh Amazon computer, you know me so well. While I resent the coldness of your robotic recommendation, I cannot help but agree. I love this book, and its luscious new cover puts my crumbling old hardbacks to shame.

But this extends my conversation about Asimo the Android (see below). Remember when our FRIENDS recommended books to us? Someday when I'm having my lonely dinner with Asimo and avoiding all human contact with the occasional e-mail or Twitter or whatever other electronic wall I put between myself and the world, will I miss the days of interaction with real people? After all, I'm sort of an agoraphobe anyway. Will all of the computers who make it easier to be alone encourage me to seal myself up, Poe-like, forever?

You might say "Hey, calm down. It's just an Amazon recommendation." Which is true. But coming so soon on the heels of my visit to the world of androids, I'm feeling it to be a harbinger of my future isolation. Anyone else feel that way?