By Kate Dunfee

Recreational reading is not something Aaron Morris has a lot of time to do. But the robotics graduate student made an exception for one book. He happens to be one of the stars of Almost Human: Making Robots Think. The book, written by Lee Gutkind and released earlier this year by W.W. Norton & Company, chronicles day-to-day life inside the robotics department at Carnegie Mellon. It has received several good reviews; Kirkus Reviews a well-respected voice in the publishing industry noted that the book showed "high tech at its most exhilarating."

Gutkind, called the "godfather of creative nonfiction" by Vanity Fair magazine, is known for immersing himself in his subjects. His approach to Almost Human was no exception. During four years hanging around the department, Gutkind witnessed many trials and errors. He describes the seasoned professors as great motivators, but he was shocked to discover that the people in the field executing the projects are mostly graduate students. With the evolution of robots as "thinkers" just beginning, Gutkin learned there is no seniority or blueprint for success.

In the book, Morris is one of the students making things happen. Huge chunks of his time are spent developing robots, such as Groundhog, who can map mines. It is impossible to know what lies behind the dark entrance to an abandoned mine, which makes it extremely hazardous for miners to enter. It's hazardous for Groundhog, too, who blindly enters black tunnels to "see" what's in there while Morris waits outside anxiously. If Groundhog gets stuck, he will likely be lost forever. Chapter 4 reveals his fate.

Morris has contributed to many scholarly articles about his robots. Yet nowhere in those articles is he or anyone else referred to as "strikingly handsome." After reading page 30, where Gutkind describes the student's good looks, Morris has a better understanding of the creative nonfiction genre.