The Digital Reader

Penguin USA announced Wednesday that they would be starting a new imprint with a focus on science books for general readers. The new imprint will be run by Adrian Zackheim, who currently runs the Portfolio and Sentinel imprints.

They have 2 debut titles planned, and expect to release 5 to 8 titles each year. The debut titles are:

• The Youth Pill: Scientists at the Brink of an Anti-Aging Revolution, by David Stipp, July 2010
• Stipp, a veteran science journalist, explores the battle against aging and the pioneers of the movement to extend lifespan for everyone. He takes readers behind the scenes and introduces us to the key players who are experimenting with the most promising cutting-edge research. This is an informative and provocative read that shows how a small group of determined scientists are closing in on drugs that will change the way we live forever.
• The Man Who Lied to His Laptop: What Machines Teach Us About Human Relationships, by Clifford Nass, with Corina Yen, September 2010
• Nass, a distinguished professor at Stanford, has discovered a set of rules for effective human relationships, drawn from an unlikely source: his study of our interactions with computers. His research shows that—although we might deny it—we treat computers and other devices like people: we empathize with them, argue with them, and form bonds with them. We even lie to them to protect their feelings. Nass offers fascinating insights on how people can have healthier relationships with one another.