Its sequel Change is also great: https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393707069, though in my copy the opening 20 pages or so are printed at the end (as if the printing machine used a ring buffer). That is a pity because the Preface has one of the great openings of all time. I was paging through the entire book looking for it—I'd read it years ago and remembered it being at the beginning, which it is, except the beginning was at the end in this copy.
I started reading to see if I thought person X would like book Y, and after the holidays realized I was so moved with some of those snippets that I went back to them and then just kept reading on my own.
Have burned through 4 of AndOtherStories books so far, every one excellent, distinct, intense. Each has taught me something and been memorable.
They (AndOtherStories) very cleverly have a subscription service, which I have signed up for, so I will get new books as they are published (6-10 a year perhaps) but at the moment I am still burning through the back catalog.
Specific titles so far: The Luminous Novel, Inland, Mammoth, I Don't Expect Anyone To Believe Me. Am now reading Open Door.
It has been the source of such joy in this otherwise difficult and stressful year, something I just never expected.
I really like "The identity trap" it's one of the few socio-political books that helps to make sense of a lot of the current social media landscape, and political landscape.
I continue to be inspired to live more closely with the land and life around me, and Grann's description of the native people of Patagonia, with their healthy varied diet, vigor and cold tolerance, and kindness to clearly-suffering strangers, made a lasting impression.
The Computer Age is just a way of coping with humanity's widespread and hopefully temporary degradation and loss of culture and traditions that are sustainable over many, many generations. I see books the same way; temporary technology, a bank of knowledge and experience that, like bacteria in the appendix, can help us get back on track with oral traditions.
Incidentally, I found out that Shakespeare covered similar timelines (especially the wars of the roses) in his 8 history plays, which I've been going through. Never read any Shakespeare before, and liking it enough that I already made a top ten list of his works to get into next.
No doubt the writing style isn't for everyone, but besides being a generally enjoyable story, I like the author's wit. He quite literally tells exactly how he's going to tell the story, and his on-going commentary serves to keep the reader in increasingly tantalizing cliff-hangers as the story progresses.
The Tiger was also amazing: https://www.amazon.com/Tiger-Vengeance-Survival-Vintage-Depa...
Both non-fiction
The book goes through a potential (not far fetched) scenario in which a nuclear war takes place. It's absolutely fascinating the way the story is told, and goes into great detail about the US and other countries nuclear programs, the technology behind said programs, and the devastating effects of these weapons.
It was really interesting to learn so much about how much state of the art technology is used in these systems, and reading it will definitely make you think a lot about how close we are as a species to being able to completely destroy ourselves at any moment.
Its pretty terrible. The first few chapters involve the main character literally walking onto a ship, and then tons of exposition about how her alien teamates are all alien in their own individualistic ways that in no way contribute to an over arching story.
You learn nothing about the world, no intrigue, characters are superficially interesting, and to top it all off, the writing is teen fiction bad. (The book screams of Mary Sue.)
I've been burned by HN book recommendations before. If you enjoyed the level of giddy writing shown in The Martian, Gödel, Escher, Bach, then you will probably like the giddy writing of this book.
Finally finished the last _Discworld_ book. The whole series is great, of course.
It is increasingly important that we not mistake mounds of data for thought. You may not buy off on a theistic basis for thinking about life, but Schumacher's concise argument is at least an interesting one.
Masterfully written, a tidbit of how sexism played a role on making her a historical villain while all the men around her, even the beheaded king, passed on as much less dangerous people.
This is the sort of coming of age story that I wish we had in the US.
Wild ride of a book, highly entertaining
Very approachable introduction to the math behind classical physics.
The Rise and Fall of American Growth: The U.S. Standard of Living since the Civil War:
> In the century after the Civil War, an economic revolution improved the American standard of living in ways previously unimaginable. Electric lighting, indoor plumbing, motor vehicles, air travel, and television transformed households and workplaces. But has that era of unprecedented growth come to an end? Weaving together a vivid narrative, historical anecdotes, and economic analysis, The Rise and Fall of American Growth challenges the view that economic growth will continue unabated, and demonstrates that the life-altering scale of innovations between 1870 and 1970 cannot be repeated. Gordon contends that the nation's productivity growth will be further held back by the headwinds of rising inequality, stagnating education, an aging population, and the rising debt of college students and the federal government, and that we must find new solutions. A critical voice in the most pressing debates of our time, The Rise and Fall of American Growth is at once a tribute to a century of radical change and a harbinger of tougher times to come.
* https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/26634594
Data Driven: Truckers, Technology, and the New Workplace Surveillance:
> Long-haul truckers are the backbone of the American economy, transporting goods under grueling conditions and immense economic pressure. Truckers have long valued the day-to-day independence of their work, sharing a strong occupational identity rooted in a tradition of autonomy. Yet these workers increasingly find themselves under many watchful eyes. Data Driven examines how digital surveillance is upending life and work on the open road, and raises crucial questions about the role of data collection in broader systems of social control.
* https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/60564512
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams:
> Neuroscientist and sleep expert Matthew Walker provides a revolutionary exploration of sleep, examining how it affects every aspect of our physical and mental well-being. Charting the most cutting-edge scientific breakthroughs, and marshalling his decades of research and clinical practice, Walker explains how we can harness sleep to improve learning, mood and energy levels, regulate hormones, prevent cancer, Alzheimer's and diabetes, slow the effects of aging, and increase longevity. He also provides actionable steps towards getting a better night's sleep every night.
* https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34466963-why-we-sleep
Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology (which goes over the history semiconductors, and not just present day events):
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chip_War:_The_Fight_for_the_Wo...
Avadhuta Gita
The Art of Communicating: Thich Nhat Hanh
Open to other recs for non dual meditation / spirituality without a lot of religious dogma.
note, if your wife doesn't like to be woken up, do not try to read this next to her in bed. you will LoL, and wake her up.