Book Drives Sydney

Tough Guy Book Club - Drummoyne NSW

Join us for the Drummoyne Chapter of Tough Guy Book Club. You can find out this month's book here [https://toughguybookclub.com/books](https://toughguybookclub.com/books?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExcTVleWRsd0ZYSWdqZXV4QXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR5aL8E3xpn05czDIaY5kEiHH3oABs4hICFLOrNXUsW-0gY5HePBTW1ni0SYzw_aem_qNxAzG9ij-sVr5-Rf8Uw3Q) If you have the chance, try to pick up the book and read a couple of pages before the night. If you haven’t, come anyway, no one gives a damn. We are not your boss. If you got one, make sure to bring your copy of the books down, it’ll help you talk about bits of it, we suggest underlining stuff that sticks out to you as important. Also like all months, we will be announcing next month’s book at the meeting and handing them out to those of you who were wise enough to pre-order last month. See you there. Want to know more about Tough Guy Book Club? Read this - [http://toughguybookclub.com/about-us](http://toughguybookclub.com/about-us?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExcTVleWRsd0ZYSWdqZXV4QXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR5QrDxxQmsaiuIfgbomTP4b6948UogKCm9U4Dudq5-VU_8aUx5RnTiUjO_R1Q_aem_n5AIic3b6NMTZ5TUJGTLkw)

Tough Guy Book Club - Balmain NSW

Join us for the Balmain Chapter of Tough Guy Book Club. You can find out this month's book here [https://toughguybookclub.com/books](https://toughguybookclub.com/books?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExcTVleWRsd0ZYSWdqZXV4QXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR5aL8E3xpn05czDIaY5kEiHH3oABs4hICFLOrNXUsW-0gY5HePBTW1ni0SYzw_aem_qNxAzG9ij-sVr5-Rf8Uw3Q) If you have the chance, try to pick up the book and read a couple of pages before the night. If you haven’t, come anyway, no one gives a damn. We are not your boss. If you got one, make sure to bring your copy of the books down, it’ll help you talk about bits of it, we suggest underlining stuff that sticks out to you as important. Also like all months, we will be announcing next month’s book at the meeting and handing them out to those of you who were wise enough to pre-order last month. See you there. Want to know more about Tough Guy Book Club? Read this - [http://toughguybookclub.com/about-us](http://toughguybookclub.com/about-us?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExcTVleWRsd0ZYSWdqZXV4QXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR5QrDxxQmsaiuIfgbomTP4b6948UogKCm9U4Dudq5-VU_8aUx5RnTiUjO_R1Q_aem_n5AIic3b6NMTZ5TUJGTLkw)

Tough Guy Book Club - Chatswood NSW

Join us for the Chatswood Chapter of Tough Guy Book Club. You can find out this month's book here [https://toughguybookclub.com/books](https://toughguybookclub.com/books?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExcTVleWRsd0ZYSWdqZXV4QXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR5aL8E3xpn05czDIaY5kEiHH3oABs4hICFLOrNXUsW-0gY5HePBTW1ni0SYzw_aem_qNxAzG9ij-sVr5-Rf8Uw3Q) If you have the chance, try to pick up the book and read a couple of pages before the night. If you haven’t, come anyway, no one gives a damn. We are not your boss. If you got one, make sure to bring your copy of the books down, it’ll help you talk about bits of it, we suggest underlining stuff that sticks out to you as important. Also like all months, we will be announcing next month’s book at the meeting and handing them out to those of you who were wise enough to pre-order last month. See you there. Want to know more about Tough Guy Book Club? Read this - [http://toughguybookclub.com/about-us](http://toughguybookclub.com/about-us?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExcTVleWRsd0ZYSWdqZXV4QXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR5QrDxxQmsaiuIfgbomTP4b6948UogKCm9U4Dudq5-VU_8aUx5RnTiUjO_R1Q_aem_n5AIic3b6NMTZ5TUJGTLkw)

Manipulation: What It Is, Why It's Bad, What to Do About It

How often are your decisions really your own? Every day we are surrounded by advertising, social media, political campaigns, news headlines, influencers, sales techniques and well-meaning advice — all competing for our attention and trying to shape what we think, feel and do. But where is the line between persuasion and manipulation? Can manipulation ever be ethical, or is it always something to resist? And in an age of personalised algorithms and increasingly sophisticated AI, are we becoming easier to manipulate than ever before? Come and join us as we explore these fascinating and relevant questions of modern life. **Book: *Manipulation: What It Is, Why It's Bad, What to Do About It* (2025) by Cass R. Sunstein** **Companion Reading: *[A Guide to Understanding Manipulation](https://1drv.ms/b/c/adb4f7488b2eef0a/IQDHXT_8qUk6SaS0K3l8wqrwAQGmTmBNSjEbvmGyDm5emUM?e=A1kJfd)*** (prepared for this meetup) Cass Sunstein is almost uniquely placed to write this book. He is the co-creator of nudge theory (with Richard Thaler), a former senior adviser in the Obama White House, and one of the most cited legal scholars in the world. He has spent decades studying how human psychology shapes decisions, and has seen from the inside how governments and corporations exploit that knowledge. The result is a book that is simultaneously rigorous and readable: part philosophy, part law, part behavioural science, and part catalogue of the tricks being played on us every day. Sunstein moves from abstract definitions — what exactly separates manipulation from persuasion, and why does it matter? — through case studies of dark patterns, deepfakes, deliberate bureaucratic friction, and the social pressure traps of platforms like TikTok, before arriving at what may be the book's most important question: as AI makes manipulation more precise and more powerful than at any previous point in history, do we need a new legal and moral right — a right not to be manipulated — in the same way that a previous era recognised, for the first time, a right to privacy? This is one of those discussions where prior reading is not just encouraged but genuinely necessary — the conversation will move quickly into territory that only makes sense if you already understand Sunstein's conceptual framework. The companion reading guide is designed to make that framework accessible quickly, so even if time is short, a read-through of it will set you up well. But if you can get hold of the book itself, we think you'll find it genuinely easy to read or listen to — and it comes with a notable endorsement: Tim Wu, whose book we discussed just a couple of months ago, has named it as one of his top book recommendations. So join us for a drink (and optional meal) at 6:30pm on Monday, 5th October, on the 2nd floor of the Keg & Brew Hotel in Surrey Hills (i.e. up two flights of stairs). The venue is conveniently located near Central Station and the Light Rail. We look forward to seeing you there! P.S. Please adjust your RSVP if you have indicated that you will come but are no longer able to do so. This is courteous to others if there is a waitlist. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- These are just optional links to consider to supplement the reading of the book and document. Feel free to pass on other useful links in the discussion section. **Videos** * Cass Sunstein in an overview, seminar and podcast: [Overview of the book (3 mins)](https://www.cambridge.org/news-and-insights/talking-manipulation-with-cass-sunstein) [Online Seminar - Fifty Shades of Manipulation (43 mins)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9sopDkcLYM) [Sunstein on Manipulation vs Influence](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aPzxitrWCE&t=2s) * 5 Insights on the book (The Next Big Idea Club) by Sunstein. Note that the audio version is more detailed than the written summary below it: [These Are the Silent Manipulations Most People Don’t Notice](https://nextbigideaclub.com/magazine/silent-manipulations-people-dont-notice-bookbite/56807/) * An explainer video and TED Talk on Dark Patterns: [What are Dark Patterns in UX?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yj1GH111Xc) [Dark Patterns - How design seeks to control us](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJUW0iZzAaQ) * Netflix: *The Social Dilemma* (2020). This is a well known documentary examining social media platforms including how dark patterns are employed to manipulate users. **Written** * The *Deceptive Patterns* website has a great collection of manipulative, deceptive and coercive design patterns in the digital world: [Deceptive Patterns](https://deceptive.design/) * A Cass Sunstein article in The Guardian: [Why we need a right not to be manipulated](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/jul/27/why-we-need-a-right-not-to-be-manipulated) * Cass Sunstein in an interview: [Cass Sunstein on Manipulation and AI](https://apablog.substack.com/p/cass-sunstein-on-manipulation-and)

Queer Cinema: Vale Tim Curry

October's film cannot be named due to copyright restrictions however here is a description of the film to give you a clue. I would like, if I may, to take you on a strange journey. Brad and Janet have just got engaged and are on their way to share the good news with their old teacher Dr. Scott, when they break down near an old house. Owned by a sweet transvestite from transsexual Transylvania, Dr Frank-N-Furter, who has been making a man with blond hair and a tan. Get ready to do the time warp again and celebrate the incredible life of Tim Curry in arguably his most iconic role. There will be call and response with props so expect noise and mess! Don't dream it, be it Run time: 1h 40m M CC *You need to be a library member to attend this event, if you haven't joined yet, we value your membership and would love you to join. Discover everything the library has to offer including free e-books, audiobooks, e-magazines, movie streaming and so much more. Access our e-library 24/7. Join our library [here](https://library.waverley.nsw.gov.au/libero/WebOpac.cls?VERSION=2&ACTION=SIGNUPAGREE&RSN=&DATA=DWL&TOKEN=75KA1hXWhx6590&Z=1&NewBreadCrumb=1)*

Dracula by Bram Stoker | Sun 4 Oct 2026

OCTOBER BOOK –'A Waiter in Paris' by Edward Chisholm

The Man Who Fell In Love With The Moon by Tom Spanbaurer

Meeting at the usual place at The Shakespeare Hotel, Surry Hills, central Sydney, we will be discussing The Man Who Fell in Love With the Moon (1991). This is a coming-of-age novel. Written in a poetic, unconventional style, the novel is a celebration of queer identity and a dark meditation on survival, desire, and the need to find one’s own place in the world. Available in hard copy from amazon (about $20), or local libraries. A pdf can be downloaded from https://files.catbox.moe/hxq5dv.pdf There will be about 10 of us and we meet upstairs at the Shakespeare. Ask at the bar or look for the sign. We are a friendly lot and newcomers are welcome. Contact dalemilles@cantab.net for further details!

Tough Guy Book Club - Manly NSW

Join us for the Manly Chapter of Tough Guy Book Club. You can find out this month's book here [https://toughguybookclub.com/books](https://toughguybookclub.com/books?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExcTVleWRsd0ZYSWdqZXV4QXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR5aL8E3xpn05czDIaY5kEiHH3oABs4hICFLOrNXUsW-0gY5HePBTW1ni0SYzw_aem_qNxAzG9ij-sVr5-Rf8Uw3Q) If you have the chance, try to pick up the book and read a couple of pages before the night. If you haven’t, come anyway, no one gives a damn. We are not your boss. If you got one, make sure to bring your copy of the books down, it’ll help you talk about bits of it, we suggest underlining stuff that sticks out to you as important. Also like all months, we will be announcing next month’s book at the meeting and handing them out to those of you who were wise enough to pre-order last month. See you there. Want to know more about Tough Guy Book Club? Read this - [http://toughguybookclub.com/about-us](http://toughguybookclub.com/about-us?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExcTVleWRsd0ZYSWdqZXV4QXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR5QrDxxQmsaiuIfgbomTP4b6948UogKCm9U4Dudq5-VU_8aUx5RnTiUjO_R1Q_aem_n5AIic3b6NMTZ5TUJGTLkw)

First Sunday Bookclub- Author Arundhati Roy

Dracula by Bram Stoker | Sat 10 Oct 2026

Building AI Agents That Remember, Reason, and Act

Hello Amazonians, For our next AWS Sydney Meetup, **MongoDB** and **PolarSeven** are bringing together two practical talks exploring what it takes to build AI agents for real-world environments! **🎤 Hear from:** **Mark Sailba, Senior Solutions Architect @ MongoDB** *Building AI Agents That Remember, Reason, and Act* *AI agents are moving beyond simple prompt-and-response experiences, but getting them to reliably complete real-world tasks requires more than a capable model. In this session, we’ll explore the architecture behind production-ready agents: how memory and context help agents maintain continuity, how data and tools enable meaningful action, and how governance, observability, and state management support secure operation at scale. Using AWS and MongoDB, we’ll share practical patterns for building agents that can remember what matters, reason over enterprise context, and act with confidence.* **Florian Huebscher, Cloud Support Engineer @ PolarSeven** *Talk title TBC* After the talks, stick around for networking, pizzas, and drinks with the local AWS Sydney User Group community! 🍻🍕🤤 **Agenda:** 17:30 - Arrive & drinks 18:00 - Introductions 18:05 - Talk 1: *Building AI Agents That Remember, Reason, and Act* Mark Sailba, Senior Solutions Architect @ MongoDB 18:35 - Talk 2: *TBC* Florian Huebscher, Cloud Support Engineer @ PolarSeven 19:05 - Networking, food, and drinks! 🍻🍕 **Event details:** 🗓️ Date: Wed, 7 October 2026 🕕 Time: 6:00 PM 📍 Location: Level 8/2 Market St, Sydney NSW 2000 *(Please enter via Kent St to access the building).* RSVP now to save your spot. We look forward to seeing you there! Cheers, **The PolarSeven Team** *Would you like to present? Complete [this form](https://forms.gle/GAqrJggTjme6Uzsu6) and we'll be in touch soon.*