January 21, 2013

Books

For a long time now I've been posting the books that I've read with my reviews on this site. My original intent with posting books on this blog was to capture the notes I took while reading. Turns out I've very rarely or ever gone back to those notes. I suspect it is a case that the act of writing down the note provides more meaning than the note itself. For a long time now I've been a member of Goodreads and track my books and reviews there since they give me neat statistics and recommendations. Instead of cross posting you can just follow my Goodreads feed or friend me on Goodreads.

Tags: books goodreads

December 4, 2012

Pragmatic Thinking and Learning

Pragmatic Thinking and Learning: Refactor Your WetwarePragmatic Thinking and Learning: Refactor Your Wetware by Andy Hunt

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A wide ranging introduction to how we think and learn with many practical actionable next steps to get better at thinking and learning. The book gently takes you through how the brain works to practices for learning better, maintaing focus, and approaching tasks deliberately to gain the most out of them. With copious references to other material and clear next actions for each topic there is always something you can be working on. Besides a few references to outdated technology this is a fantastic read.



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Tags: books life

November 24, 2012

In the Garden of Beasts

In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's BerlinIn the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Compared to other books I've read by Larson I found this one to be lacking a story that drew me in. I think it was a combination of the events leading up the war having been covered better in other books and movies and the fact that there was nothing engaging about the way the Dodd's were portrayed that captured my attention. It felt more like a synopsis of their journals instead of an intriguing story that was enhanced by the participants own words. The frequent foretelling I particularly disliked as it removed any element of surprise about future events. Overall, I'd give this book a pass.



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November 24, 2012

Regenesis

Regenesis: How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature and OurselvesRegenesis: How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature and Ourselves by George M. Church

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I found this book suffered from self-aggrandizing and minutiae which combined to make it a chore to read and understand. It felt that because the authors were involved with much of the material being discussed they focused on a level of detail uninteresting to that of a layperson. It resulted in uneven tone and scope between chapters. I did gain some understanding of synthetic biology and how research around it is progressing but overall I'd give book a pass.



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November 24, 2012

Innumeracy

Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its ConsequencesInnumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences by John Allen Paulos

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


While many of the examples in the book feel dated the overall message that being uninformed about math is as bad as being illiterate still rings true. The book provides an easy introduction to probability and statistics which he uses illustrate common issues with coincidences, polls, and pseudoscience. Other sections that covered dealing with large numbers and logic I didn't find as compelling. Overall the book is an easy and frequently amusing read that helps reiterate why math matters and how to not be fooled by it.



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October 24, 2012

Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus

Men Are from Mars, Women Are from VenusMen Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus by John Gray

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


This book is clearly sexist, cheesy, repetitive, and not scientific. At the same time the underlying message of mindful communication, behavior, and reflection is worth thinking about. If you can ignore the sexism and instead focus on how speech and behavior are interpreted by someone of a different mindset, the book offers many examples based on the author's observations. He makes clear in the introduction he is stereotyping with the statement "I make many generalizations about men and women in this book", but I don't think that should excuse the content. In retrospect I should have read a different book but given how much this book is part of popular culture I found myself reading it anyway. If nothing else it made me be more aware of thinking about differences in how people communicate and behave even if the underlying context was outdated.



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October 24, 2012

Bonk

BonkBonk by Mary Roach

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A humorous survey of the history of scientists exploring sex. From the physical to the psychological and at times the peculiar the author does a great job of covering a topic that has caused many scientists to be shunned for trying to better understand. I often found the injected humor to fall flat and not enhance the text while the frequent footnotes where a great addition. I appreciated that the author covered some of the blatantly bad ideas that certain scientists promoted and how for the greater good science prevailed even if some battles are still being fought.



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Tags: books sex

September 30, 2012

Automate This: How Algorithms Came to Rule Our World

Automate This: How Algorithms Came to Rule Our WorldAutomate This: How Algorithms Came to Rule Our World by Christopher Steiner

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


While the book touches on the use of algorithms in linguistics and medicine the primary focus is on algorithms in the financial industry. Most of the stories are framed in a David versus Goliath theme with an algorithm acting as the fatal blow to upset the established giant. A repeating theme is that the growing use of algorithms in many fields once thought imune to computation are really driving the need for knowledge workers capable of creating them. Overall the book reads easily and provides a reasonable overview of the history and uses of algorithms in our world today.



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Tags: algorithms books computer

August 30, 2012

How to Be an Adult in Relationships

How to Be an Adult in Relationships: The Five Keys to Mindful LovingHow to Be an Adult in Relationships: The Five Keys to Mindful Loving by David Richo

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The overall message of striving for mindfulness in our relationships by letting go of ego and focusing on attention, acceptance, appreciation, affection, and allowing provides a simple and powerful narrative throughout the book. I think the book would be as convincing without the occasional reference to a higher power. The practices at the end of each chapter are a great framework for thinking about and reflecting on your past and present relationships.



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Tags: books life love

August 30, 2012

Present at the Creation

Present at the Creation: The Story of CERN and the Large Hadron ColliderPresent at the Creation: The Story of CERN and the Large Hadron Collider by Amir D. Aczel

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A wonderful overview of the science behind and the science being tested at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The book describes the collaboration and building of the greatest machine in history and in the process introduces many of the people responsible for its creation and the many theories that scientists hope to test as it reaches ever larger energy levels. At times the shear breadth of material can be a little overwhelming if you are not well versed in topics such as particle physics, quantum theories, and the standard model. I'm sure I would gain a better understanding reading it again. The science is interleaved with vignettes of the author interviews or stories about many of the scientists mentioned throughout the book. I now I have a much greater appreciation for the LHC itself and what it is helping to accomplish.



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Tags: books science

August 30, 2012

Alone Together

Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each OtherAlone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other by Sherry Turkle

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A fascinating look at the dilemmas raised by sociable robots and the cultural change brought on by our constant connectedness. I found the second half of the book which focused on connectedness reflecting a growing trend of discovering how to live with these seductive technologies that have been created [294]. It is as if we have grown scared of being vulnerable and instead focus only on making ourselves feel better instead of making things right [233]. We have become lonely and the network is seductive [3]. Simulation offers relationships simpler then real life can provide [285]. The general message is that we expect more from technology and less from each other [295].



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  • People are lonely. The network is seductive. [3]
  • A love relationship involves coming to savor the surprises and the rough patches of looking at the world from another's point of view, shaped by history, biology, trauma, and joy. [6]
  • She goes online to feel better, not to make things right. [233]
  • We don't want to intrude on each other, so instead we constantly intrude on each other, but not in "real time." [280]
  • Simulation offers relationships simpler than real life can provide. [285]
  • Loneliness is failed solitude. [288]
  • We have to find a way to live with seductive technology and make it work to our purposes. [294]
  • The narrative of Alone Together describes an area: we expect more from technology and less from each other. [295]

Tags: books technology

June 24, 2012

Chasing Venus

Chasing Venus: The Race to Measure the HeavensChasing Venus: The Race to Measure the Heavens by Andrea Wulf

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


An interesting historical account of two attempts to determine the size of the universe by measuring the transit of Venus across the sun in 1761 and 1769. It reads like a curated synopsis of diaries from those involved in the many expeditions to remote parts of the world in order to record the needed observations. A quick and enjoyable read.



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Tags: books

June 24, 2012

1Q84

1Q84 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


An epic love story set in an alternative view of the world. A little repetitive at times but otherwise a lovely intertwining of story lines cumulating in a somewhat predictable outcome. I felt a few of the characters arcs didn't resolve cleanly but otherwise enjoyed the story.



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May 19, 2012

The Children of the Sky

The Children of the Sky (Zones of Thought, #3)The Children of the Sky by Vernor Vinge

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A wonderful continuation of the series marred by too much setup for what comes next.



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May 19, 2012

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of LifeJeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A few too many clichés but otherwise a thoughtful and fun read.



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April 24, 2012

The Shallows

The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our BrainsThe Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas G. Carr

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The books covers many topics related to reading, writing, learning, and memory as it has been influenced by the growth of the Internet. While there are studies mentioned throughout the book many of the observations felt more derived from anecdotal evidence. While worthy of a read I don't feel the author fully supported his claim.



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My notes:

  • The medium influences us more than content on it [3]
  • Our brains are not fixed [26]
  • Born with templates that are shaped by experience [28
  • Thinking through an action repeatedly is like doing it [33]
  • Can wire bad habits [34]
  • Map and clock are intellectual technologies [44]
  • Technology advances mark turning points in history [48]
  • Oral cultures are more sensuous but harder to advance [57]
  • Spaces and punctuation are introduced in 13th century [62]
  • Writing moved from dictation to author [65]
  • Silent reading [67]
  • Books increased content and accuracy [72]
  • Can't remove importance of book and written word from society [77]
  • TV time is unchanged despite increased Internet time [87]
  • Electronic readers may make us more likely to read, but in different ways [104]
  • Web turns media into social media [106]
  • Lack of final version in books changes author's approach [107]
  • Online activities about recognition and acknowledgment [118]
  • Linear reading leads to higher comprehension [128]
  • People most skim web pages [136]
  • Personal digital system exacerbated information overload [170]
  • External memory allows us to use capacity for other goals [180]
  • Short-term memory is synapse change, long-term memory is anatomical [185]
  • Tools "numbs" our sense while extending it [210]
  • Unhelpful software if learned led to learning more [216]
  • Moral decisions take time [221]

Tags: books

March 11, 2012

The Wild Life of Our Bodies

The Wild Life of Our Bodies: Predators, Parasites, and Partners That Shape Who We Are TodayThe Wild Life of Our Bodies: Predators, Parasites, and Partners That Shape Who We Are Today by Rob Dunn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A delightful exploration of research around the evolution of the human body contrasted with how technological evolution maybe causing humans more harm than good. The book looks at the role of parasites in our gut, a new line of thinking about the purpose of the appendix, the impact of the introduction of agriculture, how our flight or fight response maybe harming us, and why humans lack hair. For each theme the author weaves a narrative of current research, his own observations, and anecdotal stories written with cliff hanger transitions. I found the first half of the book covering parasites, the appendix, and agriculture to be much better written and cohesive than the latter half which seemed to focus more on stories than science and didn't fit the wild life premise as well. Overall the writing is enjoyable, approachable, and presents many new theories and thoughts about our growing understanding of the evolution of the human body.



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My notes:

  • The clean living revolution robbed us of helpful qualities and maybe making us worse [xiv]
  • Tim White discovered Ardi a 4.4 million year old human-like fossil [6]
  • We are human because we chose to try to take control [8]
  • 400 named diseases common to humans [20]
  • Pronghorn's speed due to extinct American cheetah [28]
  • We live in a time of ghosts [29]
  • Reintroduced gut parasites led to better patients [38]
  • Immune system has two types one for viruses and bacteria and the other nematodes and parasites [41]
  • Humans co-evolved to need parasites [44]
  • Our bodies and immune system evolved to work best when other species lived on us [57]
  • Medical research often finds something that helps before understanding how [63]
  • 1000 plus microbes in gut that we have been unable to culture outside of it [69]
  • Microbes in your gut help produce 30% more calories [80]
  • Appendix filled with immune tissues, antibodies, and bacteria [97]
  • Appendix house for bacteria to recolonize gut [98]
  • IgA helps gut bacteria grow 15x faster [103]
  • Selective sweeps favoring good genes where others die off [121]
  • 9-10K years ago humans gene for lactose production was key [123]
  • 75% of consumed food comes from 6 plants and 1 animal [128]
  • 25% lactose intolerant, 40-50%lactose challenged [132]
  • fat=stay warm, keep from starving [134]
  • 1/3 of all languages in Africa [137]
  • Humans have long been the prey [147]
  • Natural birth at night most common [151]
  • Anxiety disorder caused by misplaced fear [161]
  • Prey respond to predator's weakness [173]
  • Better vision tied to area with more snakes [175]
  • Sweet, salty, bitter, umami (savory), sour taste buds [183]
  • Body has infinite demand for sugar [188]
  • Taste buds irrational in modern context [190]
  • Taste bugs in gut bypass conscious brain [194]
  • Skin variety outgrowth of loss of hair [205]
  • Sedentary lifestyle of humans led to change in hair [211]
  • Malaria and sickle cell anemia or fava bean anemia [215]
  • Social and sedentary increase disease risk [220]
  • Correlation between disease areas and xenophobia [224]
  • Humans farm away from where they live [245]
  • Cliff trees oldest on earth [254]
  • Half of city life comes from cliffs [256]

Tags: books mos

February 26, 2012

Reamde

ReamdeReamde by Neal Stephenson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


An enjoyable world encompassing romp building heavily on computer geekery circa 2010. At times bogged down in extraneous exposition it otherwise follows a fanciful but plausible storyline, casts intriguing characters, and concludes with one of his better written endings.



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February 26, 2012

You Are Not So Smart

You Are Not So Smart: Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook, Why Your Memory Is Mostly Fiction, and 46 Other Ways You're Deluding YourselfYou Are Not So Smart: Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook, Why Your Memory Is Mostly Fiction, and 46 Other Ways You're Deluding Yourself by David McRaney

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A lovely expansion and refinement of content from youarenotsosmart.com. Each chapter covers with examples and referenced research a psychological misconceptions most of us are unaware we have or make. Very readable and eye opening. To remember even half of what the book contains would give you a fresh set of eyes to perceive the world with.





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Tags: books life

February 26, 2012

Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength

Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human StrengthWillpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength by Roy F. Baumeister

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A wonderful exploration of willpower. The book reads easily and includes many references to research performed by the authors and many other scientists. It opens with the history of the discovery of willpower and that willpower is a limited but renewable resource. Next it dives into how humans can survive this depletion of willpower and most importantly setup conditions to remove the need to use willpower in the first place. Most encouraging the book concludes with a review of why willpower matters and the various techniques to strengthen it.



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My notes are below.

  • Willpower in children is biggest indicator of future success. [10]
  • 1. You have a finite amount of willpower that becomes depleted as you use it. 2. You use the same stock of willpower of all manner of tasks. [35]
  • No glucose, no willpower. [49]
  • Zeigarnik effect: The unconscious is asking the conscious mind to make a plan. [83]
  • Keeping options open leads to long-term problems. [102]
  • For contentment it pays to look at how far you've come. For motivation and ambition focus on the road ahead. [120]
  • Any willpower exercise strengthens overall willpower. [137]
  • Precommitment: lock yourself into a virtuous path. [151]
  • Successful precommitment can turn into something permanent: a habit. [154]
  • Self-control turned out to be most effective when people used it to establish good habits and break bad ones. [157]
  • "Why" questions push the mind up to higher levels of thinking and a focus on the future. "How" questions bring the mind down to low levels of thinking and a focus on the present. [164]
  • A personal goal can seem more real once you speak it out loud, particularly if you know the audience will be monitoring you. [177]
  • Hyperbolic discounting: We can ignore temptations when they're not immediately available, but once they're right in front of us we lose perspective and forget our distant goals. [184]
  • Bright lines: clear, simple, unambiguous rules. [185]
  • High self-esteem increases initiative and it feels good. [192]
  • Set clear goals, enforce rules, punish failure, and reward excellence. [197]
  • Three basic facets of punishment: severity, speed, and consistency. [199]
  • What-the-hell effect, once a goal is blown people over do it. [221]
  • The willpower depleted state makes you feel everything more intensely than usual. [227]
  • Better to say Later rather than Never. [237]
  • Set three goals each week, can't work on anything else until those are done. Review each each. [251]
  • When you set a goal, set a reward for reaching it-and then don't stiff yourself. [257]

Tags: books

February 26, 2012

The Information: A History, a Theory, a Flood

The Information: A History, a Theory, a FloodThe Information: A History, a Theory, a Flood by James Gleick

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Information as we call it today has a rich history and this book explores all that goes into our present day understanding of it. The central character is a man named Claude Shannon who wrote the seminal paper on information theory but touches on many other key individuals like Charles Babbage, Samuel Morse, and Alan Turing. The book reads easily despite the wide range of topics and concludes with astute observations about the role of information in today's world.



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February 26, 2012

JavaScript Patterns

JavaScript PatternsJavaScript Patterns by Stoyan Stefanov

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A grab bag of practices and techniques for JavaScript development for the core language and some browser specific concerns. The Essentials, Literals and Constructors, Functions, Object Creation Patterns, and Code Reuse Patterns chapters mostly rehash material from "JavaScript: The Good Parts". The author provides additional exposition on the concepts but doesn't introduce much new material. The Design Patterns chapter includes some good examples of JavaScript implementations but accurately points out many already exist in third party libraries. The DOM and Browser Patterns chapter provides a brief introduction to browser specific concepts and concerns but you'll want to consult the referenced books for more detailed discussions. This book is a great primer for JavaScript development due to the breadth of topics is covers but is worth a pass if you've already read other JavaScript books covering these topics.



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Tags: books javascript

January 3, 2012

Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said

Flow My tears, the Policeman SaidFlow My tears, the Policeman Said by Philip K. Dick

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Warning possible spoilers.

A strange trip through drug induced multiple universe merging. The storyline wraps up quickly at the end but by that point I was happy to escape the mind bending world. I would have enjoyed a little more exposition on the ramifications of the concept and how the multiverse merges.



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Tags: books

November 20, 2011

The End of the Affair

The End of the AffairThe End of the Affair by Graham Greene

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The succinct writing style drives the story quickly and produces lovely nuggets of crisp dialog and narrative quips. The use of the protagonist as the author of the book is offset by the interlude of reading the diary of his lover, although the voices sound similar. The author's mastery of language makes the book very enjoyable even though I felt the ending too preachy.



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November 20, 2011

Knocking on Heaven's Door

Knocking on Heaven's Door: How Physics and Scientific Thinking Illuminate the Universe and the Modern WorldKnocking on Heaven's Door: How Physics and Scientific Thinking Illuminate the Universe and the Modern World by Lisa Randall

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The book explores the significance of science and recent developments that may alter how we think about the world. The theme throughout the book is about scale from the smallest to the largest, the theories being explored at both ends of the spectrum, and experiments being performed now or with the help of the LHC that will help validate or disprove those theories. I found the chapters that focused on physics informative and well reasoned, while those that delved into philosophy and policy wanting. I suspect individuals unfamiliar with the role and benefit of science or the growing religious pseudoscience trend would necessarily be reading this book (i.e. confirmation bias) and as a result some sections were a slog to get through. The informal tone of the prose made for enjoyable reading but included conversations felt more like name dropping then contributing distinct interviews. While I learned from reading the book I feel the same information could have been conveyed in a book half as long.



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October 22, 2011

On Writing

On WritingOn Writing by Stephen King

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I found this an intriguing book but didn't absorb as much of the advice as I should of. The biographical bookends offer a peak into why Stephen King writes the type of novels he does along with his harrowing tale of being hit by a car. Make no mistake the author has strong opinions about what works in writing and how to become a writer. He firmly believes that most will never become great writers but that it possible to go from being a competent writer to a good writer by following the sage advice he lays out in the heart of the book. As someone that doesn't have plans to become a professional writer if I'm able to take away one or two tidbits I know that will help.



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October 22, 2011

The Mathematics of Life

The Mathematics of LifeThe Mathematics of Life by Ian Stewart

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The book explores the author's premise that mathematics is the sixth revolution to impact biology following those of the microscope, classification, evolution, genetics, and DNA's structure. The first third of the book examines the history of each of those revolutions and the impact on biology. The remainder of the book consists of vignettes about the interplay between mathematics and biology. The breadth of material exposed me to fascinating tidbits about animal patterns, evolutionary niches, and general biology. Alas the chapters are loosely coupled and the drive to prove that mathematics is the sixth revolution for biology is barely mentioned at all. In fact the book concludes that "I doubt that mathematics will ever dominate biological thinking in the way it now does for physics, but its role is becoming essential." While I found the book enjoyable to read it's lack of depth or cohesiveness left me wanting more.



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Some notes from my reading:


  • Prokaryotes reproduce by splitting into two copies: this process is called binary fission. Eukaryotes also split into two copies, but because such cells are more complex, their division is also more complex. Additionally, eukaryotes are usually capable of sexual reproduction, ... [84]

  • The relationship between genes and organisms is a feedback loop: genes affect organisms via development; organisms affect genes (in the next generation) via natural selection. [103]

  • Science is seldom about direct observation: it is nearly always about indirect inference. [221]

  • But sometimes [evolution] levers them apart, because several distinct survival strategies can exploit the environment more effectively than one. [238]

  • Now the program can replicate the robot when the robot obeys the instructions, and the robot can replicate the program by copying it but not obeying the instructions. [282]

  • This is one of several ways in which 'deterministic' and 'predictable' differ in practice, despite being essentially the same in principle. [285]

  • Cohen distinguished these two types of feature, calling them universals [likely to be found in alien life forms] and parochials [merely accidents of evolution]. ... Five digits on a hand is a parochial, but appendages that can manipulate objects are universal. [295]

Tags: books mos

September 11, 2011

The Mind's Eye

The Mind's EyeThe Mind's Eye by Oliver Sacks

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Presented as a collection of loosely related essays, I found the book neither compelling nor informative. The details, history, and explanations of the various conditions covered in the book is minimal leaving me aware of issues such as face blindness, sense of space, and visual agnosia but wanting to know more. That knowledge may come from the reading the other books by the same author citied frequently in the footnotes, which made this book feel more like an introduction to his other work. While presenting a broad overview of many conditions that affect our senses and how certain people responded to those changes, I found it hard to enjoy the book.



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August 28, 2011

JavaScript: The Good Parts

JavaScript: The Good PartsJavaScript: The Good Parts by Douglas Crockford

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


An appropriately opinionated exploration of JavaScript. The exhaustive diagraming of the language syntax and common methods can be skipped by those who have used the language before. The observations in the chapters on Functions (4), Inheritance (5), Style (9), and lists of gotchas in appendices Awful Parts (A) and Bad Parts (B) make this a must read for anyone developing with JavaScript. The author has a very strong point of view that is presented throughout the book, but I found warranted given the number of ways on can unintentionally harm yourself in JavaScript.



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Tags: books javascript programming

August 28, 2011

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

The Wind-Up Bird ChronicleThe Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Surreal at times but always intriguing this is a wonderful tale set in Japan. I might argue the many female characters are not portrayed as strongly as the male protagonist but feels more it reflects more the point of view the story is told from. A few footnotes for the non-Japanese would have improved my understanding of some of the intertwined stories, but even without it is a mesmerizing read.



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August 28, 2011

A Deepness in the Sky

A Deepness in the SkyA Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A wonderful space drama that introduces interesting technology and great characters. It includes a novel new race and a plausible scenario that the action unfolds under. Simply a great science fiction read.



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July 17, 2011

Plastic

Plastic: A Toxic Love StoryPlastic: A Toxic Love Story by Susan Freinkel

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


An easy to read exploration of plastic through objects we interact with everyday. The book uses a comb, chair, Frisbee, IV bag, disposable lighter, grocery bag, soda bottle, and credit card to gradually introduce all aspects of plastic. This includes the chemicals involved, people behind breakthroughs in plastic, companies producing raw materials and finished products, impact on society and environment, and the growing greening movement around plastic. The book is filled with intriguing characters and stories and offers a balanced look at all the benefits and drawbacks of plastic.



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Tags: books plastic

June 11, 2011

Four Fish

Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild FoodFour Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food by Paul Greenberg

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


An exploration of four common fish driven by a personal narrative of fishing for them. Along the way current trends in aquaculture, genetic research, alternative fish types, and legislation are explained. Human greed and fisherman psychology seem to a driving force behind how we got to where we are today with fishing and it seems that without drastic measures nothing will change. The author doesn't advocate ceasing fishing as some other authors have. Instead the author recommends starting over thinking about what we eat using Francis Galton's criteria: hardy, endowed with an inborn liking for man, comfort-loving, able to breed freely, and needful of only a minimal amount of tending. Making strong international policy changes to: profoundly reduce fishing, create large no-catch areas, protect unmanageable species, and protect the bottom of the food chain. With those in mind he advocates creating a fishing industry build around: efficiency, nondestructive to wild systems, limited in number, adaptable, and functional in a polyculture.



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Tags: books food

June 11, 2011

Seven Languages in Seven Weeks

Seven Languages in Seven WeeksSeven Languages in Seven Weeks by Bruce A. Tate

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This book offers an exploration of various programming paradigms (object oriented, prototype, constraint-logic, and functional), concurrency models (actors, futures, and transactional memory), and programming constructs (list compression, monads, and matching). None of the topics are covered in great detail but for those curious what Ruby, Io, Prolog, Scala, Erlang, Clojure, and Haskell are all about, this book does a reasonable job of introducing and demonstrating each language. The writing is uneven between the chapters and some concepts (like monads and monitors) could use much better code examples. As the introduction emphasizes, to really get the most put of the book, you will want to work through the exercises at the end of each day, as that is the best way to get a feel for each language. Be warned there aren't answers to these problems, despite what the introduction alludes to.



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May 31, 2011

Pattern Recognition

Pattern Recognition (Bigend, #1)Pattern Recognition by William Gibson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I couldn't help but think this book influenced "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" even though Gibson wasn't mentioned by Larsson. In any case this is by far the most contemporary story of Gibson's that I've read. His protagonist is a quirky female trend recognizer that finds herself pursuing the creators of the biggest phenomenon to hit the Internet. All of the science is well within the realm of believability but is frequently twisted through the perceptions of the characters. An enjoyable read albeit fairly predictable at times.



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May 31, 2011

Oryx and Crake

Oryx and CrakeOryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I delightfully dark tale of a mastermind using bio-engineering to create what he hoped would be a utopia told from the perspective of an unwilling participant in the events.



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May 31, 2011

Hot: Living Through the Next Fifty Years on Earth

Hot: Living Through the Next Fifty Years on EarthHot: Living Through the Next Fifty Years on Earth by Mark Hertsgaard

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A well researched and cleanly written survey of the current state of knowledge and action concerning global warming and climate change. The book explores the topic from many different perspectives including political, economic, personal, with a focus throughout on the growing scientific body of knowledge. A key concept throughout the book is the dual roles of adaptation (reducing our vulnerability to climate change) and mitigation (reducing our emissions). The book addresses the potential gloom and doom if the world doesn't address the issue but also presents change communities are already making and a Green Apollo proposal of how to make a great leap forward. The author's repetitive use of sound-byte phrases like "avoid the unmanageable, manage the unavoidable" throughout the book is one of my biggest gripes in an otherwise wonderful book.



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Tags: books climate

March 28, 2011

A Spring without Bees

A Spring without Bees: How Colony Collapse Disorder Has Endangered Our Food SupplyA Spring without Bees: How Colony Collapse Disorder Has Endangered Our Food Supply by Michael Schacker

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


I couldn't finish this book. It reads like a repetitive alarmist rant. When the author started making mostly unsubstantiated conspiracy theory allegations against higher education and American media I hit my limit. Coming into the subject of bees and colony collapse disorder (CCD) with little knowledge of either I was hoping for an introduction to bees, CCD, and an unbiased exploration of what might be leading to it. I found none in this book. While there maybe truth in some of what the author says it is hidden among a writing tone and style that makes me distrust him more than the supposedly corrupt institutions he continually lambasts.



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Tags: avoid books mos

February 13, 2011

Outliers

OutliersOutliers by Malcolm Gladwell

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


When reading this book the classic nature versus nurture discussion kept playing in my head. Throughout the book for those that become hugely successful (the outliers) there are clearly elements of nature at play (you need to be good enough) but overall nurture clearly plays a bigger role in the authors view. I'm lumping being in the right place at the right time (aka luck) under nurture since that seems to be a common theme especially when it comes to when you were born. The other clear theme I found was that outliers don't just happen, there is a clear lineage of accumulative advantage at work. That for me was particularly telling in the chapter that touched on the Baltimore students and the California Achievement Test. Less advantaged students showed similar gains those more more advantaged during the school year but lost that gain during the summer. Overall I found the pacing and presentation of the book to be uneven but still demonstrating the key theory well, if not offering any counter examples.



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Some notes I took while reading:

10: ... thinking about health in terms of community.
25: ... skewed age distributions exist whenever three things happen: selection, streaming, and differentiated experience.
30: Success is the result of what sociologists like to call "accumulative advantage."
38: Achievement is talent plus preparation.
65: ... old enough to be a part of the coming revolution but not so old that you missed it. Ideally, you want to be twenty or twenty-one, ...
80: ... only has to be [good] enough ...
101: ... practical intelligence includes things like "knowing what to say to whom, knowing when to say it, and knowing how to say it for maximum effect."
104: ... "concerted cultivation." It's an attempt to actively "foster and assess a child's talents, opinion and skills." ... "accomplishment of natural growth." They see as their responsibility to care for their children but to let them grow and develop on their own.
149: ... autonomy, complexity, and a connection between effort and reward - are, most people agree, the three qualities that work has to have if it is to be satisfying.
166-167: ... "culture of honor." ... he has to make it clear, through his words and deeds, that he is not weak.
194: We mitigate when we're being polite, or when we're ashamed or embarrassed, or when we're being deferential to authority.
204: ... "Power Distance Index" (PDI).
246: Success is a function of persistence and doggedness and the willingness to work hard ...

Tags: books life success

February 13, 2011

Idoru

Spoiler alert.

Idoru (Bridge Trilogy, #2)Idoru by William Gibson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A light and amusing exploration of pattern matching, celebrities, interspecies love, and fandom. A few too many caricature only characters and a rushed conclusion left me wanting more (I've not looked at the other Bridge Trilogy books). The author examines some intriguing phenomenon but doesn't get enough into their implications. At its heart the book felt like the story of two unconnected characters inadvertently joining up to save the day.



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Tags: books scifi

February 13, 2011

Plastic Fantastic

Plastic FantasticPlastic Fantastic by Eugenie Samuel Reich

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This book chronicles the multiple year fraud perpetrated by Jan Hendrik Schon in the scientific community concerning his research around various new materials for transistors and nanotechnology. Unfortunately I found the bias of the author that the scientific method doesn't work as stated in the introduction tainted the rest of the material. Instead of laying out the facts and letting the reader draw their own conclusions about the scope and validity of the scientific method the book at times feels like a rant against it. The mixed chronological order that some of the material is presented in makes the timeline hard to follow. While I found the overall story interesting I suspect I'd appreciate another authors take on it more.



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Tags: books mos science

January 31, 2011

The Checklist Manifesto

The Checklist ManifestoThe Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A compelling mix of anecdotes and research exploring the power of the checklist. These are not to-do lists but instead lists of minimum necessary steps to do a task right. Much of the book revolves around the author's own awakening to the power of the checklist while also talking with others in fields such as construction, aviation, and finance about how they use checklists. As such the core takeaways of the book at times can be a little lost in the text but overall the storytelling model makes for an entertaining read while making you aware of the power to improve outcomes with no increase in skills by simply using a checklist.



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My notes:

  • 8: ... we have just two reasons that we may fail. ... ignorance ... ineptitude ...
  • 39: [Checklists] helped with memory recall and clearly set out the minimum necessary steps in the process.
  • 51: You want people to make sure to get the stupid stuff right.
  • 66: ..., if you got the right people and had them take a moment to talk things over as a team rather than an individuals, serious problems could be identified and averted.
  • 70: They trust instead in one set of checklists to make sure that simple steps are no missed or skipped and in another set to make sure that everyone talks through and resolves all the hard and unexpected problems.
  • 120: ... provide reminders of only the most critical and important steps - the ones that even the highly skilled professionals using them could miss.
  • 123: With a DO-CONFIRM checklist ... team members perform their jobs from memory and experience, often separately. But then they stop [and confirm]. With a READ-DO checklist ... people carry out the tasks as they check them off ...
  • 137: ... the "pilot not flying" starts the checklist. ... dispersing the responsibility sends the message that everyone - not just the captain - is responsible for the overall well-being ...
  • 155: Suppose this was just a Hawthorne effect, that is to say, a byproduct of being observed in a study rather than proof of the checklist's power.
  • 168: ... [checklists] improve their outcomes with no increase in skill.
  • 182: All learned occupations have a definition of professionalism ... selflessness ... expectation of skill ... expectation of trustworthiness ... discipline.

Tags: books

January 31, 2011

Last Words

Last WordsLast Words by George Carlin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A wonderful exploration of the life of an iconoclastic comic. From his early childhood to rocky first attempts at making it, Carlin's perfectionist mentality shines through in Tony Hendra's treatment of extensive conversations with Carlin.



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Tags: books comic

January 31, 2011

How to Catch a Robot Rat

How to Catch a Robot Rat: When Biology Inspires InnovationHow to Catch a Robot Rat: When Biology Inspires Innovation by Agnès Guillot

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


While full of examples of biology inspiring innovation, the book overviews the entire history and field without delving into depth on any particular topic or application. Along the way the book poses interesting ethical questions about the fusion of machines with man and animal parts with machines but shies away from exploration of the topic. The book is best suited for an academic or research setting versus being enjoyable by the layperson.



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Tags: books science

November 17, 2010

Go Like Hell

Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le MansGo Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans by A.J. Baime

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A quick and light read chronicling Ford's efforts to beat Ferrari at the Le Mans race. The book builds up to the showdown at Le Mans with examination of the leaders of two the companies, well known drivers of the era, the development of the race cars, and summaries of other key races. While aimed at racing aficionados with its intermixed technical jargon, the core story of two men struggling to outdo each other can be appreciated by all.



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Tags: books racing

November 17, 2010

Catching Fire

Catching FireCatching Fire by Richard Wrangham

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This book explores the question of how cooking impacted the evolution of the human race. At its core the claim is that by cooking food we reduce the energy expended to consume calories. As a result the shape of the human head, our intestines, and social structure evolved to capitalize on this external energy introduced into the eating process. While the core theory is explained and reasoned well, the author then makes many other claims using what feels like selective evidence and without addressing other obvious food sources, child rearing dynamics, or food consumption trends. The first half is a must read while the second half should be read with a critical eye.





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Tags: books food

October 26, 2010

The Shape of Inner Space

The Shape of Inner Space: String Theory and the Geometry of the Universe's Hidden DimensionsThe Shape of Inner Space: String Theory and the Geometry of the Universe's Hidden Dimensions by Shing-Tung Yau

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


An approachable book covering a range of complex and compelling topics in string theory and geometry. The book focuses on discoveries in geometry from the perspective of Shing-Tung Yau, a Fields Medal winner, and how the growing collaboration between mathematicians and physicists is advancing both fields. I didn't come away with a deep understanding of the topics covered in the book, I suspect a second or third reading would be required, but did come to appreciate the problems now being tackled. A worthwhile read if the topic is of interest.



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Tags: books mos

October 26, 2010

Jupiter's Travels

Jupiter's TravelsJupiter's Travels by Ted Simon

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


The writing in the book is as bumpy as the roads the author traveled on, frequently crashing into a jumbled heap. His observations and caricature descriptions of different cultures seemed to be tied more to the weather than his personal interactions. The book's pacing is uneven with excessive detail in the beginning and some countries towards the end getting no more than a one line stereotypical summary. There are some well written vignettes scattered throughout the book but overall I'd give it a pass.



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Tags: books

September 21, 2010

The Disappearing Spoon

The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the ElementsThe Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


An engaging exploration of the history and stories behind the periodic table. Each chapter focuses on different groups of elements that share a common theme, such as the scientists behind their discovery or some unique property. The notes and errata are a must read and offer a wealth of references to other books and articles if there is a particular element you want to learn more about. At times the science explanation is a little light instead favoring the telling a good story about the element. Overall one of the most enjoyable science books I've read.



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Tags: books science

September 21, 2010

Being Geek

Being GeekBeing Geek by Michael Lopp

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book contains many astute observations about the life of a software developer combined with practical advice about how to approach your career. The book touches on aspects like interviewing for a job, office politics, transitioning to new responsibilities like becoming a manager, how to manage your time, dealing with crises, and thinking about when it's time to find a new job. I found the book did a great job of helping me think about the three questions it lays out at the beginning: What am I doing?, What do I do?, and What matters to me?.



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Some notes I took while reading:

  • What am I doing? What do I do? What matters to me? What do I care about? [6]
  • Technical direction. Growth. Delivery. [9]
  • It's OK to quit a job with people you like because there are a lot of people to like out there. [8]
  • ... do I know what I want to do? [23]
  • We must not ship crap. [60]
  • 1:1 agenda: What are you worried about? Here's what I'm worried about. And discuss.... [109]
  • staff meeting agenda: Operations (Where are we?), Tactics (What are we going to do about that?), Strategy (No, really, what are we going to do about it?). [110]
  • All of Chapter 23 (a.k.a. Nerd 101) [165-172]
  • Where do I want to go? What do I want to build? And how do I want to build it? [262]
  • Have you failed recently? Is there someone within throwing distance who challenges you daily? Can you tell me the story of something significant you learned in the last week? [298]

Tags: books life

August 24, 2010

HTML5 for Web Designers

This isn't the technical book I'm reading as part of my 20x2x20 experiment, instead it was one kicking around the office. By far the best introduction to HTML5 I've come across yet.

HTML5 For Web DesignersHTML5 For Web Designers by Jeremy Keith

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Great introduction to what HTML5 is and how to start using it today. Having heard the term HTML5 tossed around a lot over the past year this book finally presented it in a concise and useful format. This isn't a technical deep dive but instead clearly outlines what HTML5 adds and provides plenty of links to find out more. Definitely spend the hour a quick read through requires.



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Tags: books html5

June 27, 2010

Millennium Weekend

On Wednesday the second two books of the Millennium books arrived. I've been obsessively absorbed by them since. Thankfully I'm now done so I can get back to all the others things I should have been doing these past few days.

The Girl Who Played with Fire (Millennium, #2) The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The action teeters on the absurd at times but only slightly distracts from this page turning sequel. Salander is back with a vengeance and takes center stage as the story of her fleshes out wonderfully.

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The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (Millennium, #3) The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A marvelous conclusion to the Millennium trilogy. Many of the loose ends I found distracting in the earlier books were combined into a cunning mix of espionage, journalism, and hacking that found a dramatic satisfying closure.

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Tags: books

June 27, 2010

Vacation Books

One of the things that I love about vacation is the additional time I spend reading. I'm less likely to fall into my standard trap of turning on the television to watch a movie and since I usually don't travel with a computer am not tempted by Netflix. Some unexpected delays on my return flight gave me a chance to finish the couple of books that had been sitting around my desk at home that I brought with me and also start on the Millennium series that was recommended to me again by others on the trip.

The Traveler (Fourth Realm Trilogy Book 1) The Traveler by John Twelve Hawks


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
At times the story felt formulaic but blended the elements enough to elevate it to a good read. The realm traveling Travelers intrigued me the most and kept my interest throughout the book, but I would have liked to get more of a hint about their bigger picture before diving into the other books of the trilogy. Otherwise the book is fairly adventure driven with the standard cast of overly expert protectors and overly confident antagonists.

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The Prefect (Revelation Space, Book 5) The Prefect by Alastair Reynolds


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
An engaging story that weaves in elements from other books set in Revelation Space while exploring the lives of Prefects patrolling the Glitter Band. The story builds on technologies and settings previously described while introducing an investigation of a serious crime, new weapons and creatures, and ties together previously unrelated events. A great addition to the Revelation Space universe.

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The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium, #1) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A mesmerizing investigation story with some of the more interesting and flawed characters I've read. At times the story digresses, which while helping to define the characters, I found distracting the from main storyline. It's possible these events are explored more in the later books of the trilogy but as such made me feel the story was incomplete.

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Tags: books

May 23, 2010

From Eternity to Here

From Eternity to Here: The Quest for the Ultimate Theory of Time From Eternity to Here: The Quest for the Ultimate Theory of Time by Sean Carroll


My rating: 2 of 5 stars
This book is a through and frequently tedious exploration for a theory of time. Pay close attention to the word "Quest" in the subtitle. This books poses many questions that don't have answers yet and instead focuses on the various theories that currently exist. The book starts with an introduction to possible definitions of what time is, the role of entropy, and the Second Law of Thermodynamics. With that foundation it dives into microscopic constituents, macroscopic systems, and quantum mechanics before finishing off with inflation, the reversibility of time, and multiverses. I found as I went along the tractability became further removed from everyday life and ended up almost entirely in the realm of theoretical physics and dare I say philosophy. If you are interested in understanding the current state of thinking about what time is, the origins of the universe, and similar topics the author's writing is excellent and the copious footnotes helpful. It just felt like it took an eternity to read.

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A few of the notes I took while reading:

* Time labels moments in the universe [10]
* Time measures the duration elapsed between events [10]
* Time is a medium through which we move [10]
* An event is x, y, z and time [14]
* Spacetime = every point in space at every moment of time [14]
* The duration elapsed along two trajectories connecting two events in spacetime need not be the same [20]
* A straight trajectory between two events in spacetime describes the longest elapsed duration [21]
* Time has a direction, space doesn't [21]
* Take milk and mix it into a cup of black coffee; never take coffee with milk and separate the two liquids = irreversible processes [28]
* There are many different arrangements of particular atoms that are indistinguishable from our macroscopic perspective [36]
* Being - existence in the world, Becoming - a dynamical process of change, bringing reality into existence [42]
* Extraneous motion decreases the time elapsed between two events in spacetime, whereas it increases the distance traveled between two points in space [76]
* Thermodynamic arrow of time (defined by entropy and the Second Law), cosmological arrow of time (the universe is expanding), psychological arrow of time (we remember the past and not the future), radiation arrow of time (electromagnetic waves flow away from moving charges, not toward them), ... [171]
* There are more ways to be high entropy than low entropy, so most microstates in a low-entropy macrostate will evolve toward higher-entropy macrostates [176]
* The information content of a message goes up as the probability of a given message taking that form goes down [190]
* Essence of life: staving off the natural tendency toward equilibration with one's surroundings [195]

Tags: books

March 30, 2010

What the Nose Knows

What the Nose Knows: The Science of Scent in Everyday Life What the Nose Knows: The Science of Scent in Everyday Life by Avery Gilbert


My rating: 2 of 5 stars
This is a popular science exploration of scent. Unfortunately the author does a better job of the popular part and not enough with the science. Each chapter is vaguely connected around a theme but is filled with cheap jokes and digressions to make the central point hard to follow. While there are nuggets of information scattered throughout the book, I found it a chore to read. By the end I wasn't at all interested in any of his philosophical points of view around the future of scent technologies.

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Tags: books

March 30, 2010

Museum of Science Book Group

The recently defunct Museum of Science Book Club for the Curious has risen from the ashes in a new location but with the same mission. Now hosted at the Cambridge Innovation Center the next meeting will be May 13, 2010 for a discussion of
From Eternity to Here: The Quest for the Ultimate Theory of Time by Sean Carroll. Full details can be found at the Museum of Science Book Group Google Group Site.

Tags: books links mos

February 20, 2010

US: Americans Talk About Love

Us: Americans Talk About Love Us: Americans Talk About Love by John Bowe


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book isn't about fairytale love. This book is about love being complex, crazy, heart-rending, and at the same time comforting, profound, and heartwarming. The stories reflect the melting pot that is America touching on generational, cultural, and ethical differences of what people consider and call love.

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Tags: books life love

February 20, 2010

Don't Make Me Think

Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability (2nd Edition) Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability by Steve Krug


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A no nonsense approach on how to design web sites to be as effective as possible. The second edition adds information on treating users well and designing for accessibility while trimming the focus on how to conduct usability testing. It has been a number of years since I first skimmed this book and I found the changes welcome. My biggest complaint with the book continues to be a lack of a summary or checklist on the high level points with references to where the topic is covered in more detail. While the book is concise enough to easily skim through I frequently found myself wishing for some more than just the index to find material when I wanted to review a topic. If even half the advice given in the book was followed the web would be twice as easy to use.

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Tags: books

February 20, 2010

A Fire Upon the Deep

A Fire Upon The Deep (Zones of Thought) A Fire Upon The Deep by Vernor Vinge


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A masterful journey through space to save the universe from a growing new power. The story mixes alien races, hive minds, technology, and politics in a captivating story presenting it all in believable scenarios. The ending pushed the boundaries a little but resolved everything cleanly, a pleasant change from other science fiction I've read recently.

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Tags: books

January 31, 2010

The Music of Chance

I had read this book awhile ago as part of a book group but due to a gag order around discussing books prior to meeting in person, I'm only now getting around to posting it. Minor spoiler alert.

The Music of Chance The Music of Chance by Paul Auster


My rating: 2 of 5 stars
The book started off great. I had visions of Rounders and Good Will Hunting in my head as the story started to unfold. Unfortunately once they lost the big poker game and voluntarily entered indentured servitude my suspension of disbelief was broken and I could no longer relate to the characters. As a result I found it a drudgery to complete the book.

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Tags: books

December 26, 2009

The Mind at Night

The Mind at Night: The New Science of How and Why We Dream The Mind at Night: The New Science of How and Why We Dream by Andrea Rock


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book provides an excellent history and discussion of current research around dreaming. It is by the far the most approachable book on the topic I've read. Each chapter explores a different aspect of the mind at mind and calls out specific researchers leading the exploration of that area. The books builds upon itself such that the later topics, while dealing with more current and technical material, are digestible as previous chapters laid the groundwork for understanding them.

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Tags: books dream life sleep

December 26, 2009

Redemption Ark

Redemption Ark (Revelation Space, Book 3) Redemption Ark by Alastair Reynolds


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A great continuation of the Revelation Space world. It felt trite towards the end with some big events summarized instead of detailed in his normal style. Some story lines were left wide open while others have run their course.

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Tags: books

December 26, 2009

In The Beginning

In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World by Virginia Hamilton


My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I wanted to love this book. The artwork for each story is amazing and concept of the book is wonderful. I just couldn't get past the staccato prose used to tell each creation myth. Even though it's targeted at young adults I expected more flowery storytelling given the grandeur and scope of the myths.

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Tags: books reviews

December 26, 2009

Goodreads Book Swap

Goodreads recently introduced a new book swapping feature. The fact that the requester pays for the shipping is a big advantage over Bookmooch's point system. I've accumulated more points on Bookmooch than I know what to do with or probably will ever be able to use.

However, my initial interactions as a requester on Goodreads leave something to be desired. I have a multiple day unanswered request for one book. For the other book I wanted I got a note back saying the person was still reading the book and had promised it to someone else, to which I want to respond, "THEN WHY IS IT EVEN LISTED AS BEING SWAPPABLE!" Breathe-in, breathe-out, assume good faith.

Even in light of these setbacks I'm happy for books that would otherwise be collecting dust on my shelves to have found new homes. While my role on both of these sites seems to have been more of a book source versus a sink I can only hope that someday a book on my wishlist will show up and actually be truly available.

Tags: bookmooch books goodreads

November 22, 2009

Spent

Spent: Sex, Evolution, and Consumer Behavior Spent: Sex, Evolution, and Consumer Behavior by Geoffrey Miller


My rating: 2 of 5 stars
The author blends personal observation, conjecture, and actual research into a rambling narrative about consumerism. Between taking pot shots at other research and offering little evidence of why his perspective is preferred it was hard to appreciate many of the points trying to be made. The last fews chapters offer a more expansive view of how society might change its behavior, compared to other books about consumerism that I've read, but I found the material out of place and instead wished for a more cohesive summary of the book's themes.

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Tags: books

November 22, 2009

Chasm City

Chasm City (Revelation Space, Book 2) Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
An excellent story expanding on themes introduced in Revelation Space. This story line flows nicely with plot twists, intriguing characters, and new science fiction themes.

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Tags: books

September 23, 2009

The Hunger

The Hunger: A Story of Food, Desire, and Ambition The Hunger: A Story of Food, Desire, and Ambition by John Delucie


My rating: 1 of 5 stars
The book reads like a glorified timeline told out of order with a few shallow mostly cliché introspective footnotes thrown in. Mentions of interesting dishes he has created are scattered throughout the book and given minimal instructions, limiting the possibility of an aspiring cook being able to duplicate them. Enjoy his food but skip his writing.

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Tags: books

July 19, 2009

Billions & Billions

Carl Sagan's "Billions & Billions" is a collection of essays covering a wide variety of topics. The essays are grouped into three parts: "The Power and Beauty of Quantification", "What Are Conservatives Conserving?", and "Where Hearts and Minds Collide." I started reading the book some time ago and interspersed it with others so my recollection of the book as a whole is a little fuzzy. Some of the essays did feel dated as the facts and conditions presented have clearly changed, mostly for the better, since originally written.

I had originally picked up the book after reading an excerpt from the essay entitled "Abortion: Is It Possible to Be Both 'Pro-Life' and 'Pro-Choice'?" This along with most of the other essays in part three is a reason to read the book. The reasoned approach and insight brought to many of the subjects touched upon gives ample evidence to the impact he had on so many lives.


Tags: books life

July 19, 2009

Goodreads

I find that for some of the books that I've read, mostly when it comes to fiction, a complete entry seems a bit much. My goal of writing up these entries has always been about capturing notes, since I'd say the majority of what I read is non-fiction. While I have reviewed fiction books I've read in the past, most of the time a short summary and rating would be better to capture my feelings should someone ask me what I thought about a book I'd read some time ago. As such a few months ago I signed up for Goodreads. I'm using it to its full potential but have found it useful.

Tags: books

June 23, 2009

The True History of Tea

Victor H. Mair & Erling Hoh explore one of favorite beverages in their book "The True History of Tea." I read this book during my visit to China which allowed me to better connect with the material as I was able to visit a tea planation and see statues of Lu Yu, who is a central figure in the book. While the general outline of tea's history was covered in A History of the World in 6 Glasses, this book more richly follows its path through China, Japan, and the rest of the world. An approachable and rewarding read for any tea lover.


Tags: books tea

June 23, 2009

How We Decide

"How We Decide" by Jonah Lehrer is an exploration of all the nuances that go into the decision-making process. It is an approachable blend of cutting edge science an anecdotes about how decisions people made influenced their lives (both in life-and-death situations and the ordinary). He explores the decision making process through various facets, among them: dopamine, feelings, thinking, morals, internal argumentative dialog, and thinking about thinking. I suspect a second reading is in order as I usually find reading on airplanes to be a distracting.

Some quotes from the book that I wanted to capture:

159: Herbert Simon said it best: "A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention."
188: As Mother Teresa put it, "If I look at the mass, I will never act. If I look at the one, I will."
244-249: the author lays out decision-making guidelines:


  • Simple problems require reason

  • Novel problems also require reason

  • Embrace uncertainty

  • You know more than you know

  • Think about thinking


253: decision-making strategy known as Cockpit Resource Management (CRM)


Tags: books thinking

May 12, 2009

Rapt

Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life by Winifred Gallagher is an exploration of attention. It drifts between reasoned discussion about what is going on in your brain backed by various sciences to anecdotal evidence presented in self-help new age manner. Thankfully the book sticks more to the former than the latter. Overall the text is very approachable and offers insight into how we experience the world.

  • Your life consists of what you focus on [4]
  • The idle mind is the devil's workshop [13]
  • Change blindness [19]
  • Rashomon [22]
  • Magic is what happens when you are paying attention to something else [23]
  • To enjoy the kind of experience you want [...] take charge of your attention [28]
  • Negativity bias theory [32]
  • Positivity offset [35]
  • Weapons effect [36]
  • reactive, behavioral, and reflective brain parts [37-38]
  • W. H. Auden "Choice of attention - to pay attention to this and ignore that - is to the inner life what choice of action is to the outer. In both cases, a man is responsible for his choices and must accept the consequences, whatever they may be" [43]
  • William James "the art of knowing what to overlook" [50]
  • Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ) [58]
  • Pearls Before Breakfast [67]
  • Mindfulness meditation [69]
  • Concentration on lower or upper status and its effect on you [85]
  • Noon on Sunday, most unhappy hour [109]
  • Thinking about your life versus your life experiences [118]
  • Attentional myopia [123]
  • The Paradox of Choice [127]
  • Energy flows where attention goes [161]
  • Work 90 minutes on a task then switch [172]
  • Plan how you'll act in advance [183]
  • The truth is what works [191]
  • Wisdom, courage, temperance, justice, humanity (love), and transcendence [210]
  • Make yourself necessary to someone [212]


Tags: attention books life

April 20, 2009

The Book of Merlyn

A couple of people I know convinced me that I should join Goodreads, so I did. I haven't decided how I'm going to handle capturing book information here versus there. I suspect that I'll continue to write my more verbose reviews and notes here and just have the summary review (i.e. star rating) on Goodreads.

Having recently read The Once and Future King, it seemed good to finish the series by reading T.H. White's The Book of Merlyn. I'm on the fence about posthumous works. I know that I take pride in the work that I release and half finished or working but rough ideas I have laying around I'm not sure I'd want released. Putting that aside, I didn't enjoy this book as much as the others. I think that is mostly due to wanting to treat it more as a continuation of the adventure instead of the philosophical bent it has.

The experiences Arthur has as animals fit better in this book but the tone is very different and doesn't make then as enjoyable as the spirit of childhood play and learning that the other book uses. Again I'm probably biased due to the untold viewings I had of the Disney movie. Many of the philosophical observations he makes in the book are good but not being in the proper mindset they were lost on me.

Tags: books

March 24, 2009

Ender Series

Last night I finished my obsessive tear through Orson Scott Card's Ender Series. I had read Ender's Game a number of years ago and throughly enjoyed it. Towards the end of January the lunchtime conversation at work turned to the most recent book in the series and that it was a good read. Since I wasn't really into my other reading options at the time, I thought I'd start reading the series. Rereading Ender's Game, which is one of only about half a dozen books I've ever reread, I became enamored with the characters and the idea of reading the rest of the series. If you haven't read the series I've probably let drop some spoilers below so be warned.

The writing isn't highbrow by any means, which the author freely admits to, making the books quick reading. The themes introduced in Speaker for the Dead didn't feel as science fiction themed as Ender's Game but do explore humans interacting with an alien race perceived to be less technologically advanced. The action continues with Xenocide and Children of the Mind regaining some of the science fiction themes with the introduction of instantaneous travel, items created through thought, and adaptable viruses. The religious mumbo jumbo he starts to throw in with the Path world and the various people visited by Peter started to get annoying, but overall the first four books of the series are great reading.

Ender's Shadow starts a four book series focused around Bean, who was first introduced in Ender's Game. I find Bean as interesting a character as Ender but with this book the story line turns more towards Earth and starts a downward trend into focusing on religious and political themes. This trend continues in Shadow of the Hegemon and becomes overly religious in Shadow Puppets only to be equaled by an overly political Shadow of the Giant. Needless to say I only enjoyed the first of the Bean quartet.

First Meetings and particularly A War of Gifts: An Ender Story felt like the author needed a quick dollar or two. They are both short and while First Meetings does fill in the background of how major characters met, A War of Gifts is a complete throw away and could stand not to have been written. Star Wars Holiday Special anyone?

The latest book, Ender in Exile, gets back into a more science fiction themed world with new creatures and telepathy while helping fill out various story lines introduced in earlier books. However, as with the entire series there are plenty of ideas mentioned that could themselves become books if they were ever explored. In general though Ender in Exile is a welcome return to the style of the first five books versus the other books in the shadow series.

Now that I'm caught up with the series I'm find myself brooding over what was brought to my attention while reading the series. I strongly disagree with Orson Scott Card's personal views on many issues. In retrospect, matching the timeline of when the some of his books were written to his political writings I find myself thinking that those shadow books I disliked so much seemed to be espousing his world views about marriage, religions, and politics.

My dilemma is this: Do I not read any of his future works because his view of the world doesn't agree with mine? How much of a hypocrite am I for having finished reading the series even though partway through it I became away of his injudicious personal views?

Tags: books ender

January 31, 2009

The Once and Future King

I'm not sure what I was reading at the time but T. H. White's "The Once and Future King" was mentioned and I ended up adding it to my BookMooch queue. Not long afterwards a copy came available and I mooched it. I remember watching Disney's "The Sword in the Stone" countless times while growing up. Needless to say the book covers much more than that movie could :)

The legend of King Arthur has been told in many forms by many people for some time (as a skim of his Wikipedia page supports). I found White's retelling of it a joy to read. Some of the dialog was best read aloud due to the heavy accents transcribed in text. "Nae doot ye heard of yon. I missed to tell ye in my tale." [442]

Out of the four stories told, "The Sword in the Stone" and "The Ill-Made Knight" I felt were best. "The Candle in the Wind" felt more intellectual and didn't complete the story as satisfactorily as I would have liked. I might have just been hoping for more action. Or maybe I should read his unpublished "The Book of Merlyn".

Tags: books

January 31, 2009

Child 44

Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith blends elements of Case Histories set in a 1984 like world. The primary story follows Leo on his fall from grace to his betterment of society. Along the way his path intersects a wide cross section of the suppressed society he lives in. The story at times felt like it had been told before, but the author embodies it with a fresh voice that made for easy reading.

Tags: books

December 28, 2008

The good, bad, and ugly of books

I'm behind on writing about books so this will be a quick post to catch up on some that have crossed my path recently. A mix of fiction and non-fiction, but no real notes to capture, more about perceptions.

First the good:

Case Histories: A Novel by Kate Atkinson was a great read. A bunch of intertwined story lines all centered around the main private detective. There are some lose ends in the minor plot lines, but it looks like those might be addressed in a future novel with some of the same characters.
Parallel Worlds: A Journey Through Creation, Higher Dimensions, and the Future of the Cosmos by Michio Kaku is a very approachable book dealing with some pretty out there concepts. The future of life, string theory, and multiple universes are just a few of the many topics the book deals with.

The bad:

Signs of Life: How Complexity Pervades Biology by Ricard Sole, Brian Goodwin, and Ricard Solé is at the other end of approachability from Parallel Worlds. The text is dense, dry, and tries to cover too many topics in too little detail. I must admit that after the first three chapters I put the book down and don't plan on finishing it. Some of the material rehashed Critical Mass which I also didn't enjoy. Maybe its just the subject matter.

The ugly:

Pulpy and Midge by Jessica Westhead is a waste of paper. The characters are completely one dimensional and the plot a poor regurgitation of themes from Office Space and The Office. I tried to get through it since it was so short but ultimately gave up just shy of half way realizing that there was no miracle of writing the author could perform to make me care at all about the characters or what happened to them.

Tags: books

August 27, 2008

Drop City

T.C Boyle's Drop City follows the life of a hippie community forced to move, Alaskan frontiers people, and how their lives become intertwined. Not having grown up in the 1960's Boyle's portrayal of the hippie community felt more realistic then the idealized version commonly presented elsewhere. Likewise having grown up frequently camping and spending extensive time outdoors, the Alaskan narrative felt realistic, even having never tried to live completely off the land.

One of my biggest complaints with the book is the number of minor characters introduced whose stories are never really satisfied. Unlike the unnamed characters on Lost always milling around on the beach in the background, some of Boyle's characters are fleshed out enough to leave you hanging at the end of the book when never heard from again. Thankfully the fate of all of the major characters are dealt with otherwise I'd be tempted to say the book was complete rubbish.

Tags: books

July 30, 2008

Psychology and Consumer Culture

"Psychology and Consumer Culture" is a collection of essays edited by Tim Kasser and Allen D. Kanner. Kasser is the author of "The High Price of Materialism", a book I highly recommend reading. The essays in this book cover four main areas: i) Problems of Materialism, Capitalism, and Consumption ii) Theoretical Perspectives iii) Clinical Issues and iv) The Influence of Commercialism on Child Development. Unlike most readings of non-fiction books like this one, I didn't take many notes. Part of the reason was I read this during my trip to Nepal and it wasn't always handy to have a notebook around to capture my thoughts. The primary reason though was that most of the essays in the book are dense and to really appreciate all of the material presented in the book, I want to give them all a second reading.

The editors purposely didn't offer a summarized conclusion about the various essays to ensure that anyone considering pursuing further research on the topic wasn't influenced by what they thought the next big thing should be. While I didn't even begin digest all of the content one of the main themes was that a lot of the research by psychologists in this field is hidden from public view. Marketing and advertising research by companies frequently involves psychologists to study the impact on specific segments of the population (such as young children). This research is done at the behest of a company and as such the results are considered trade secrets and will never see the light of day. The findings are used to create better ads but not to help those afflicted with illnesses or quality of life issues related to consumerism.

The various essay authors come from a wide range of backgrounds and areas of focus. By approaching the the topic from so many different angles a wide and disturbing picture is painted. Many of the core findings were reflected in Kasser's other book but are examined in much greater detail in this book. With another read through the essays I'll have more points to talk about but in the meantime there was one quote I found that captured some of the central themes: "The story that advertising tells is that the way to be happy, to find satisfaction, and to be free politically is through the consumption of materials objects." [252].

Tags: books consumerism

July 30, 2008

Shantaram

Gregory David Robert's epic tale "Shantaram" is a sweeping story set in Bombay. While parts of the tale are based on the author's life this work of fiction feels more like an action packed autobiography given the rich details lavished upon on the city and all of the primary characters within. After an audacious prison escape the main character flees to Bombay in hopes of avoiding escape. Through a fortunate series of events the main character soon finds himself in the employ of the mafia and associating with an eclectic group of friends. Along the way he experiences all aspects of Indian culture from rural, slum, and well-to-do city life. A nagging conscious contributes to him running a health clinic in the slum, while also learning new languages, and struggling with love.

At over 925 pages the scope and expanse of the story is hard to summarize. The writing is clean and approachable. Throughout the book the author has many discussions about philosophy and science as it relates to the meaning and purpose of life. The author calls this type of discussion cosmosophy, although I don't recall that term being used in the book itself. Ignoring that tangent the story itself is a joy a read and while at times it felt like the events could have really happened to the author, the improbable number of fortunate coincidences found in the book give away any credibility that thought may have had.

Tags: bombay books

July 30, 2008

Into Thin Air

While in Nepal trekking up to Everest Base Camp it felt appropriate to read Jon Krakauer's "Into Thin Air". I was not attempting the same physical feat of the author, but I did traverse the same paths up to the base camp, which gave me familiarity with the first few parts of the book. The version of the book that I read included an additional section at the end which offered the author's rebuttal of another book covering the same events. The inconsistencies seemed to focus mostly on the portrayal of people in the book versus the over arching series of events that happened. With that in mind the experience and horror captured in the book was mesmerizing.

The book mentions many times that getting up is easy, the hard part is getting down. The fatigue and oxygen deprivation experienced by climbers reaching the top leaves them ill equipped to make the equally challenging descent back down to camp 4. Amateur climbers combined with what to me felt like hubris on the part of various people in the face of a severe storm resulted in one of Everest's most deadly events. Jon's prose quickly engaged me in the action and his easy storytelling at times almost made me think the book was a work of fiction. Alas the events are true and many exceptional people lost their lives on Everest that May of 1996.

If I ever had any vague thoughts of summiting such a peak this book cured me of any such notion. I don't pose the spirit or mentality he alludes to in the book that has driven so many others to attempt and succeed at climbing Everest. While my drive and curiosity carried me to Nepal and higher than I've ever been, I was happy enough to gaze upon Everest without feeling the need to summit it.

Tags: books everest nepal

July 30, 2008

I Was Told There'd Be Cake

Sloane Crosley's "I Was Told There'd Be Cake" is a collection of essays on a wide range of topics from family matters to friendly surprises in the bathroom. What intrigued me most about the collection was that it's from a voice of my generation. Many of the comments in the book are very similar to what I grew up with, what I experienced, and most often relate to. The rift on Oregon Trail found a special place in my heart. It almost makes me want to buy Busted Tees "You Have Died of Dysentery" shirt :) The book is a quick read as the writing style is light. While funny, the humor feels forced at times and sometimes strays too much off-topic. I'll be curious to see what her next project is as I can only think her writing will be more polished in her next effort.

Tags: books life

July 30, 2008

The Road

Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" is a post apocalyptic tour de force. The writing is curt, brutal, and extremely engaging. It took me some time to adjust to the author's writing style but once I did I found it hard to put the book down. The book's dark theme relentlessly continues and little solace is found even in the closing pages which only adds to the gravity of the world presented within it. The nearly punctuation less dialog matches the barren landscape the characters inhabit and after awhile I found it softer on the eyes than a typical quote filled page. The struggle to survive portrayed in the book is inspirational despite the lack of a happy ending. Overall a fantastic read.

Tags: books

April 27, 2008

The Partly Cloudy Patriot

It's hard to believe that it has been almost a month since I finished Sarah Vowell's "The Partly Cloudy Patriot". I know I've had some free time but it is only now that I'm getting around to jotting down my thoughts. This was a lighter read than most and as such it didn't generate as many notes, which has always been my primary motivation for writing about the books I read. I've lost track of the number of times I've done a Google search for something only to end up on my blog having forgotten I'd written down some thought a couple of years ago. Now back to the book. Overall I enjoyed the book but frequently found her writing to come off as whiny.

The wide range of essays in the book do give a great feel for her wit, voice, general curiosity, obsessive nature, and intelligent writing. Of all the essays, I found Part Two: Nerds v. Jocks of the piece The Nerd Voice to be the most intriguing. One of the first pieces I'd read that resonated with me why Gore didn't win.

The tie between The Nerd Voice and an earlier piece in the book, Democracy and Things Like That, hinted at the expanding and opinionated role media is playing in the elections. While many find it easy to blast Fox News the fact that The New York Times (the opposite side of the spectrum) was one of the key players in misquoting Gore demonstrated to me what I've often seen in technology, that the best doesn't always win. I see similar issues with Obama and can only hope this election doesn't end with the same result.

Tags: books obama

February 25, 2008

Persepolis

Persepolis I & II by Marjane Satrapi is the first graphic novel that I've read. I've skimmed through others, but this one I actually read cover to cover. It's a fascinating way to tell a story. Being a fan of cinema I found this format provided a bridge between a traditional novel and a movie. The fact that all of the drawings are done in black and white I found enhanced the story since most of the material is somber.

Given the heightened fear among Americans of terrorism the story is wonderful in helping to view an "Axis of Evil" country in terms of its people. My knowledge of Iran is limited and this story helped me understand it better. It isn't presented in some idealized fashion but mixes the joys and despair that the author experienced during the revolution. In particular she makes many astute observations about the freer life she had compared to many of her compatriots and how that affected her world view.

Tags: books

January 9, 2008

A History of the World in 6 Glasses

"A History of the World in 6 Glasses" by Tom Standage was a fun read. In it the history and influence of beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and Coca-Cola are dissected. The author makes convincing claims that each beverage played a key role in lubricating change in the human condition. While episodes like the Boston Tea Party have obvious ties others like the role of beer in building the pyramids or rum and the mixed in lime juice leading to the rise of the British navy maybe less well known. While the book at times doesn't make it clear what are the author's extrapolations versus researched material the text is well written and easy to read.

Tags: books

December 31, 2007

Agile Project Management with Scrum

Reading Ken Schwaber's "Agile Project Management with Scrum" has been helpful in reinforcing for me the key benefits and practices that make up Scrum. The numerous real-life scenarios presented in the book help flesh out the essence of Scrum beyond the six and a half pages of rules which comprise the entire Scrum process. As mentioned in the book it is one thing to understand the rules of Scrum but it is very different to understand the purpose of the rules and how they make Scrum such a success.

Allurent has been using Scrum for sometime now and while we have successfully completed many sprints and delivered shippable software with it, after reading this book I've noticed some subtle nuances that could make us even more successful. It was also good to examine the entire Scrum process more from the ScrumMaster perspective, since my experience with Scrum at this point has only been as a member of the team.

Tags: books scrum

November 30, 2007

Born Standing Up

Over my extended Thanksgiving break I picked up and read Steve Martin's "Born Standing Up: a comic's life". I'm not completely sure why I picked it up. I think I recently read a review of it and it looked interesting. I knew of Steve Martin and have seen some of his films, but I've not seen much or possibly any of his stand-up material.

The trials of breaking into stand-up comedy theater when there wasn't much of a scene are wonderfully told through Steve Martin's struggle. The book primarily focuses on his early years. Once he made it big the material speeds up and the book seems to end quickly. I would have enjoyed some additional retrospective about his final shows once he decided he was done with stand-up.

While Steve Martin was trying to become a comedian, many of the life lessons and trials he went through hold true for anyone trying to make it big in any field. His philosophical background helps him bring the right perspective on what made things work out and what failed for him. For this reason even if you haven't seen much of this stand-up career the book is worth reading.

Tags: books

September 26, 2007

Martini

I've just finished "Martini, Straight Up" revised edition by Lowell Edmunds. It is a short and at times metaphysical history and look at the Martini. In this case Martini primarily means a drink made of gin and vermouth served in the iconic glass. The author prefers his Martini cold, 4:1 to 8:1, shaken, straight up, with the oil from a twist of lemon. I find it strange that given his tastes the cover picture includes the lemon rind floating in the drink instead of discarded as directed [xviii].

The author explores seven contrasting areas of the Martini including its origin (American vs. European), location (urban vs. rural), status (high vs. low), gender (male vs. female), message (optimistic vs. pessimistic), audience (adults vs. children), and period (past vs. present). These areas are examined through the observations of the author and references to numerous interviews, articles, books, movies, television, and advertising. For such a narrow topic the material when looking at the history of the Martini is good. Where the author strays into philosophical discussions of the meaning of the Martini the book lacks polish.

The changing character of the Martini I found to be the most engaging material. Gin to vodka, varying amount of vermouth, and to now almost anything being served in a Martini glass being some kind of -tini. It is this change that the author explores through a series of ambiguity chapters about the Martini: civilized vs. uncivilized, uniting vs. separating, classic vs. individual, and sensitive vs. tough.

Overall the book makes a convincing case that the Martini is a very potent symbol in and of America. As the author notes the coverage of drinks from a anthropological stand point is dwarfed by research and books on food and the negative impacts of alcoholic consumption. Little books like this help shed some light on socially harmless drinking people enjoy on a regular basis [103].

Tags: books gin martini

September 26, 2007

Life: The Odds

"Life: The Odds" by Gregory Baer is an amusing read. By the author's own admission it is aimed at the sitting on the toilet crowd [xi], which we later learn could increase your chance of getting hemorrhoids [141]. The author does a good of teaching how to think about odds. He covers the probability of an event happening and in the section on money how those differ from the payout odds in games of chance. The book is billed as humor and unfortunately the author frequently stretches too hard to incorporate a joke. Which is my primary compliant with the book.

There were some interesting nuggets sprinkled throughout the book that caught my eye:

  • Massachusetts has the lowest or nearest divorce rate per one thousand residents in the US. [23] CDC Stats
  • Keno is a big racket for casinos. Looking at "house percentage", casinos take in 25-30% of all money for Keno versus 0.5 to 11.11% for different craps bets. [213-215] Keno returns
  • Coins aren't really fair. Experiments with pennies have shown flipping favors heads (50.05-50.70%) and spinning favors tails (52.35-55.00%). [240] Robin Lock Data

Overall the book is a fun read and great material for cocktail party discussions.

Tags: books odds

August 31, 2007

Founders at Work

I recently completed "Founders at Work" by Jessica Livingston. It traces the stories of startups' early days. It focuses on software and hardware companies from the technology sector. From overnight runaways like HOT or NOT to longer term ramp ups like TiVo. While reading the interviews from the 32 companies, I started to find reoccurring themes:

  • Have a cofounder, or two
  • Do something
  • Technologists think marketing is hard, but it is easy if you have a product people want
  • Be willing to make mistakes, provided you learn from them
  • Focus on the user
  • It's okay that you don't know how to do everything

While Paul Graham, who was interviewed, advocates certain founder qualities, I'm fairly certain at least one person interviewed violated each item on his list. That isn't to say his list is without merit, but if that is going to discourage someone, they probably didn't have it in them to begin with.

Since the book is composed of interviews, each founders' personality shines through. As such some of the interviews make for so-so reading, even for companies I was interested in. Overall the book does a great job of capturing a wide variety of companies at various stages of the computer revolution and the men and women that helped bring it about.

Tags: books entrepreneur

August 31, 2007

Atlas Shrugged

With some of the free time I had while at the camp I started "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand. I don't quite remember when I bought the book, but it had been sitting on one of my shelves for some time. I believe one my motivations for buying the book came after reading "Sewer, Gas & Electric" by Matt Ruff in which Ayn Rand is carried around in a lamp. I found the story engaging and recently completed it.

I won't even begin to claim that I understood all of the philosophy contained in the book. What I do agree with is many of the general ideas. I'm sure reading through the Objectivism entry would help clarify things. I also suspect rereading the "This is John Galt Speaking" chapter would reiterate the main points. For me, the fact that the philosophy was set in a fictional world helped make the material more digestible. Instead of being a dry exposition many of the tenets were captured in the characters actions and personalities. Overall I'm glad that I read it.

Tags: books

August 31, 2007

Bowling Alone

"Bowling Alone" by Robert D. Putnam is a dense and sobering look at the state of social capital in America. The book is meticulously researched, the last 100 pages are devoted to discussing the sources of the books' data and the copious cited material. The picture painted is one of a nation under change, but it is presented in straightforward manner allowing the reader the chance to draw conclusions about what it means for America. It isn't until the last 50 pages that the author switches to a more call to arms prose.

Some of the trends mentioned and thoughts in the book that stood out to me:

  • "Today's under-thirties pay less attention to the news and know less about current events than their elders do today or than people their age did two or three decades ago." [36]
  • "... activities that brought citizens together, those activities that most clearly embody social capital-that have declined most rapidly." [45]
  • After Greenpeace stopped direct mail solicitations, on account of environmental impact, they lost almost 85 percent of their membership. [53]
  • "Americans who identify themselves as having 'no religion' has risen steadily and sharply from 2 percent in 1967 to 11 percent by the 1990s." [70]
  • "The ratio of families who customarily dine together to those who customarily dine apart has dropped from more than three to one to 1977-78 to half that in 1998-99." [100]
  • Trend is that more people observe and less do. "Between 1986 and 1998 ... while club meeting attendance was down by a third, pop/rock concert attendance was up by a third." [114]
  • "In other words, social capital may turn out to be a prerequisite for, rather than a consequence of, effective computer-mediated communication." [177]
  • "Education, in short, is an extremely powerful predicator of civic engagement." [186]
  • "... it is not low income pr se, but the financial worry that it engenders, that inhibits social engagement." [193]
  • "American adults average seventy-two minutes every day behind the wheel, ..." [212]
  • "The fraction of us who travel to work in a private vehicle rose from 61 percent in 1960 to 91 percent in 1995, ..." [212]
  • "... TV dependence is as disruptive to one's constitution as financial anxiety and class deprivation." [241]
  • "Both marriage and parenthood became choices, not obligations." [258]
  • "The younger you are, the worse things have gotten over the last decades of the twentieth century in terms of headaches, indigestion, sleeplessness, as well as general satisfaction with life and even likelihood of taking your own life." [263]
  • "... getting married is the 'happiness equivalent' of quadrupling your annual income." [333]
  • "Citizenship is not a spectator sport." [341]
  • "Anonymity is fundamentally anathema to deliberation." [342]

The trends outlined in the book are the natural ebb and web of a nation undergoing change. As the author examines, some of this is generational. There were events that galvanised this nation in the past and that was one cause for change. As quoted above, citizenship is not a spectator sport which maybe why the nations' political state is where it is today. In that regard the falling social capital is harming us greatly.

If you at all interested in community and social capital in America, this is the book to read.

Tags: books life

July 17, 2007

The Undercover Economist

About half way through reading "The Undercover Economist" by Tim Hardford I lost interest. The book is well written and approaches the topic of economics in a very layman friendly way. I just personally wasn't interested in reading more about economics at the time. With that said I slowly came back to the book and recently finished it. Each chapter addresses a different fundamental economic concept and builds well on the previous topics. Most importantly the book is filled with many anecdotes which help convey the underlying principle.

My favorite quote out of the book "Growing them in Iowa makes use of a special technology that turns wheat into Toyotas: simply put the wheat onto ships and send them out into the Pacific ocean. The ships come back a short while later with Toyotas on them. The technology used to turn wheat into Toyotas out in the Pacific is called 'Japan', but it could just as easily be a futuristic biofactory floating off the cost of Hawaii." [213]

Tags: books economics

June 28, 2007

Thunderstruck

It has been some time since I've finished a book. I attribute it to my phase nature. In any case I recently read "Thunderstuck" by Erik Larson. I really enjoyed the last book of his that I read. Overall I liked "The Devil in the White City" better. "Thunderstruck" is an enjoyable read and it does a great job of capturing the race for wireless communication set against the scientific bickering of London and intertwines the mysterious murder committed by Dr. Crippen. What it didn't do is draw me into both stories.

It might be my scientific nature but the Marconi story line had a richer feel to it and I felt fully engrossed in the drive to communicate without wires. The story of Crippen, while told well, didn't have the depth that the killer did in White City. The additional background on Crippen helped flesh out the character but it felt more like back filling the story from the incredible chase across the Atlantic which tied the two stories together.

The descriptions of London around the 1900s are neat, but feel more like digressions then central to the story. Likewise the author even asks "to forgive my passion for digression." [ix]. I believe that such comments can add flavor and context to the main story, but in this case the digressions feel like they are the story and the main characters the digression. Overall it is a fun and quick read, but for reasons very different then the last book of his I read.

Tags: books london science

January 25, 2007

Three Cups of Tea

It has been way to long since I've sat down and focused on reading a book. Thankfully over this past week I've done just that as a way to relax. Life is starting to slow down a little and reading made for a nice change of pace. The book was a recent present called Three Cups of Tea. It's about the life of Greg Mortenson penned with the help of David Oliver Relin. Greg for over a decade now has been working to build schools in remote areas of Pakistan and other out of the way places in that part of the world.

The book chronicles the experiences that led up to him starting this monumental task, the trials in getting the first school built, and the role his work has played in the area post 9/11. Yes it is possible for the determination of one person to change the lives of so many. He has had many people help and continue to help him along his journey but by and large without Greg the schools would not exist. Which also plays into the only negative aspect mentioned in the book, that without Greg this work would not continue. I can only hope that through this book others leaders capable of building the relations and trust can carry on what the Central Asia Institute has done, since having others in the field with the determination Greg has would only further expand the impact that can be made.

Greg's life is an inspiration for all of us and I truly do believe that he is a modern day hero.

Tags: books

September 28, 2006

A Confederacy of Dunces

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole was an entertaining book for reasons different from most fiction I read. The writing in the book is superb and was the primary reason that I kept reading it. Unlike most fiction books where the draw to keep reading is that I've found a character I relate to or a character I empathize with, in this book I hated them all. If ever there was a text book example of victim mentality, the characters in this book fit it to a tee. The dichotomy of loving to hate the characters doesn't remind me of any other books I've read lately which helps it stand out. I'm not sure what I else I can say without getting caught up in all of the storyline, so I'll keep it short. Great book worth the read.

Tags: books

September 28, 2006

Urban Tribes

It isn't often that I read a book that I find truly speaks to me. Some books are engaging in that I find the material of interest while other books are written well and I find myself wanting to see what happens next. For a book to really speak to me it has to be something different. After reading an article in a magazine I went to buy Urban Tribes by Ethan Watters. At the same time I ended up picking up What should I do with my life? by Po Bronson, since it was mentioned on the back of Watter's book. I hoped Bronson's book would speak to me. It didn't.

Urban Tribes ended up sitting on my bookshelf for months with other books I had hoped to read or thought I was going to read. While packing for my drive to Virginia to attend Dave Fried's wedding I was trying to decide what I should bring along to read. I picked up Urban Tribes as it seemed about the right length and attending yet another wedding this year made it seem that much more relevant. Turns out it was and it really spoke to me.

The idea of the urban tribe, and let me say right now I'm badly paraphrasing most of the rest of this, is a group of never-married friends, having a high clustering coefficient, that are experiencing and sharing life together. My generation (and I use that term loosely since I don't have a better one) has chosen to delay marriage long past the point that our parents did. While politicians bemoan this breakdown of traditional family values, my generation has chosen to create their own values one of which is to question the traditional trajectory of marriage.

Courtship is all but dead. Parents may still try to set us up, but the role that they play in helping us find our marriage partner has all but gone away. My generation also looks at our parents and sees the coin-flip chances that a marriage will last and wonders is there a way to improve our chances. The book argues that the urban tribe has changed the middle years between leaving our parent's house and starting married life, for the better.

The urban tribe provides a support structure like a traditional family, friends to help you when you are feeling down, friends to help you celebrate the good times, friends to lend a hand with projects, and friends just to hang out with. The difference between a standard group of friends and an urban tribe is that high clustering coefficient, everyone in the tribe is friends with everyone else in the core cluster. Some of the friendships maybe deeper than other, but it is almost always a fully connected cluster.

Since the tribe is so close, it offers an arena of safety to help one grow and become a better person. You can do stupid stuff and the tribe will be there to help fix things. You can use them as a sounding board for ideas and the tribe will tell you when you are being silly, stupid, or dumb. The tribe knows what you are capable of and will help steer you towards that better self. Instead of experiencing that discovery within the contexts of traditional relationships, which carry much more emotional turmoil, the tribe helps you improve in a more relaxed setting.

Not all is golden with urban tribes though. Since the group is a central part of your life it is hard to break free. The urban tribe doesn't want its members to leave and as such the group can almost sabotage those that try to. What is important to keep in mind is that the nature of the relationship must change at some point. Just like moving our of your parent's house, you need to move out of your tribe to take the next step in your life which in this context is usually marriage.

I've feel I've done a poor job of summarizing what the book tried to express. Unlike many books I read, I didn't jot down notes while reading this one so I'm relying more on my memory than quotes from the book. In any case I highly recommend this book to my fellow never-marrieds that find themselves living life with the same core group of people. Yes there are other people like that out there and yes it is going to be okay.

What I haven't mentioned is why this book spoke to me. I feel for the past few years I've been living in such an urban tribe (primarily with the people that read this blog). Not one that fits all of the themes I mentioned above, but our own home brewed combination that like most social concepts has many variations. Coworkers would look at me funny when I talked about having regular sit down dinners with my roommates (the closest members of my urban tribe) or the fact that we had a regular schedule for grocery shopping together. I wondered what the difference was, why it worked for us, and if we were the only ones.

Going to my high school reunion last year really brought home the stark difference my life had taken from many friends I had during high school. Most were married, all but married, or already having kids. There I was the same age and general background, but not even close to tyeing the knot. Yes I'd been in a serious relationship and dated a bunch, but obviously didn't end up married. A recent question from a friend about what I wanted my wedding to be like left me stumped having never really thought about it. I was still experiencing life, finding myself, enjoying my friends company, and lost in random hobbies.

I'm not against getting married. It has just been a combination of not finding my soul mate and still trying to define myself that has defined my personal marriage time line. I'm sure that vibe of not completely knowing myself has showed through in many a situation that otherwise might have been the start of something serious. As such I agree with the author that "Single people tend to see themselves as a failure in the marriage game until they found themselves in a relationship headed for the alter. They perceived little gray area in their love lives - things were either going great or badly." I find hope in the fact that there are others out there like me and that our time for love will come.

Tags: books gilmanmanor life

August 31, 2006

The Devil in the White City

I've recently finished devouring The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. It has been awhile since I've found a book so riveting that I had trouble putting it down. I actually had a couple fits of insomnia this past week because of the heat and thankfully this book was there to pass the hours. Or maybe it was the other way around, I want to read so I feinted insomnia? In any case the book is mesmerizing and extremely well written. Unlike A Million Little Pieces the author's note at the beginning sets the tone "However strange or macabre some of the following incidents may seem, this is not a work of fiction" (emphasis his) [xi].

The story follows two men and is set around the 1893 World's Fair that was held in Chicago. The first man is the architect behind the World's Fair. The second is a gruesome serial killer who played upon people coming to see the World's Fair. The city of Chicago itself also takes center stage throughout the book with the author's vivid descriptions and auxiliary people that are tied into the two main men.

To read about a city trying to assert itself and America through the fair then be stricken along with the rest of the country as the economy took a downturn only makes the success that the fair achieved even more phenomenal. That success would not have been possible without the men and women behind the fair all of which are captured in the book. Likewise the cunning dastardly deeds of the killer provide a somber backdrop to the excitement of the fair. A truly remarkable, approachable, educational, and entertaining book.

Tags: books

June 30, 2006

A Sense of the Mysterious

A sense of the Mysterious by Alan Lightman is primarily a collection of his essays that have previously appeared in various other magazines and publications. The essays cover a wide range of topics and range from his personal observations about being a scientist to short biographies about other scientists. Overall I didn't find the book that engaging. While the essays were organized well, I didn't find themes that followed through all of them to really tie the book together. They felt just like a collection that had been repackaged together.

In many of the essays I found the author's frequent digressions to be distracting and superfluous as they didn't offer any support of the main topic. With all of that said there are nuggets of reflection buried throughout the book that I found myself agreeing with and broadening my own perceptions. The concept of the "creative moment" isn't something I have felt to the same degree as Mr. Lightman I have briefly touched its outer edge and agree with his description. His "Prisoner of the Wired World" reflects many of the same feelings as the ceaseless society talk. Overall the book's short essay format makes for quick reading with one or two small nuggets to be gleamed from each piece.

Tags: books science

May 31, 2006

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Today I read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. It's a quick read, but very good. One aspect of the book that I found most interesting was the random inclusion of various math and physics concepts. Having read about most of the random tidbits mentioned in the book it was neat to see how they were woven into the book. As a work of fiction I can't say that I got that much out of the book besides a few hours of enjoyment. I didn't feel that attached to any of the characters and didn't feel that they evolved that much throughout the book. The most engaging aspect of the book is its writing style and a unique protagonist.

Tags: books

May 31, 2006

The Ceaseless Society

Today I listened to a webcast of a program that was held at MIT awhile ago called The Ceaseless Society. The primary speaker was Jon Kabat Zinn who spoke on a wide range of topics around the state of society today. Some of the points that stuck in my mind included:

  • Being in a state of perpetual dissatisfaction
  • Continually living for the future causes us to miss our current life
  • Digital revolution changed the relationship to work
  • Connected with the world has led to being disconnected with ourselves
  • Not stepping back and asking why are we doing this
  • Buddhism is not about duality
  • What is meditation? It's about mindfulness: paying attention, in the moment, non judgmentally

He has a book out called Coming to Our Senses which explores these and many more topics in detail. I'm going to add it to my to read list as I found his way of approaching the topic spot on.

Tags: books ceaselesssociety mit tac

May 31, 2006

Bringing Down the House

Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich is a quick read. It's also a fluffy read. The book leaves many questions unanswered including some surrounding the main character, such as if and when he ever told his family what he did, which could have been answered. It also ends on too clean of a climax, with the purple poker chip on the table, making me think that certain aspects of the book were over embellished. The mystery of who sold the team out is only touched on and never explores the opinions of the characters. Having also read "John Magic and the Card Shark Kids" by David Kushner both books follow a similar vein. New team blackjack system that works for awhile in Vegas, he casinos catch on and they end up exploring other casinos which leads to trouble and the operation basically goes belly up. Neither book I felt did a good job of really exploring the subject, instead both were light treatments of the characters involved. Both are good plane reading material but nothing that great.

Tags: blackjack books gambling