Against the Machine

On the Unmaking of Humanity

By: Paul Kingsnorth

Narrated by: Owen Hall

Brought to you by Penguin.

How a force that’s hard to name, but which we all feel, is reshaping what it means to be human

In Against the Machine, “furiously gifted” (The Washington Post) novelist, poet, and essayist Paul Kingsnorth presents a wholly original—and terrifying—account of the technological-cultural matrix enveloping all of us. With insight into the spiritual and economic roots of techno-capitalism, Kingsnorth reveals how the Machine, in the name of progress, has choked Western civilization, is destroying the Earth itself, and is reshaping us in its image. From the First Industrial Revolution to the rise of artificial intelligence, he shows how the hollowing out of humanity has been a long game—and how your very soul is at stake.

It takes effort to remain truly human in the age of the Machine. Here Kingsnorth reminds us what humanity requires: a healthy suspicion of entrenched power; connection to land, nature and heritage; and a deep attention to matters of the spirit. Prophetic and poetic, Against the Machine is a spiritual manual for dissidents in the technological age.

© Paul Kingsnorth 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

A book for our time

I cannot recommend this audiobook highly enough. This is a call to fight for nature culture and humanity. As people are being increasingly assimilated into the machine at a rapid pace, it’s more important than ever. Those who feel there is something more - something deeper - need to listen to this book