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l33tminion) wrote2009-02-28 05:52 pm
l33tminion) wrote2009-02-28 05:52 pm
Entry tags:
Book Crazy
Today, I got drawn into a bookstore I'd never been in before and left with lighter pockets, sold some of my old books and bought some new ones at the neighborhood used book store (and had a spontaneous conversation with a stranger about Infinite Jest), traded in my change for an Amazon certificate (to avoid the counting fee), thinned out my wish list (still way too long, obviously), and went to the library to get a library card (which has been on my to-do list since I moved after graduation).
(I also went to the dentist this morning. Can't find any way to fit that into the theme, but at least I don't have any cavities. Cold still ongoing, though on the recovering side.)
I used to do posts on the stuff I was reading, so here's a bit on some of the non-pulpy items I've consumed lately (since late November):
Arguing Well - Definitely a philosophy paper. A lot of it is spent going over the basics of deductive reasoning. But some of the arguments are interesting, like the one that only deductive reasoning is inherently valid (the author makes a pretty good case that inductive arguments may not be valid unless implicit or explicit assumptions make them reducible to deductive arguments). Don't expect the book to give any tips on how to be persuasive, though, by "well" the book means "valid" (and defines that term inexcruciating detail). Worth reading if you like reading philosophy papers.
Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace - Those that think the internet is inherently free forget that while the ethereal realm of "cyberspace" may indeed be hard to regulate, that "space" is manifested by real hardware and real software, easy to regulate, or at least easy enough that would-be cyber-libertarians shouldn't be able to get a good night's sleep. In other words, it's well written, but may be nothing surprising if Comcast is your ISP.
Sellout: The Politics of Racial Betrayal - The author is a bit of a controversy machine. A few years ago, he caused great consternation on the talk show circuit by publishing a book with a title that white people can't comfortably say. However, unlike some controversial authors, he's intellectually honest and has a lot of interesting stuff to say. This book is timely and accessible and well worth a read.
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier - The bad news is that bad circumstances can make children into monsters. The good news is that given the right circumstances, they can recover. Still, the hopeful end to this personal tale does little to prevent the whole thing from being very depressing.
Enough: Staying Human in an Engineered Age - I was going to do a full post on this one earlier. It was the only book in my stack I couldn't sell, so full post later. I didn't like it, but it's worth some analysis.
Accelerando - Three words: It got weirder. The book has a scene in which uploaded human personalities in a virtual environment argue about whether / when the singularity happened. If that sounds entertaining, then definitely worth a read.
Watchmen - I've heard this described as the greatest work of fiction of all time. It was okay. I think I might like the movie more.
Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World - Crazy plant genetics and biology, fruit companies toppling governments in the third world and reshaping culture in the first, SCIENCE! that deserves exclamation point and capital letters, and a race to save an exploitative industry tightly coupled with a race to save a staple that could stave off starvation in some of the poorest parts of the world. Worth reading.
(I also went to the dentist this morning. Can't find any way to fit that into the theme, but at least I don't have any cavities. Cold still ongoing, though on the recovering side.)
I used to do posts on the stuff I was reading, so here's a bit on some of the non-pulpy items I've consumed lately (since late November):
Arguing Well - Definitely a philosophy paper. A lot of it is spent going over the basics of deductive reasoning. But some of the arguments are interesting, like the one that only deductive reasoning is inherently valid (the author makes a pretty good case that inductive arguments may not be valid unless implicit or explicit assumptions make them reducible to deductive arguments). Don't expect the book to give any tips on how to be persuasive, though, by "well" the book means "valid" (and defines that term in
Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace - Those that think the internet is inherently free forget that while the ethereal realm of "cyberspace" may indeed be hard to regulate, that "space" is manifested by real hardware and real software, easy to regulate, or at least easy enough that would-be cyber-libertarians shouldn't be able to get a good night's sleep. In other words, it's well written, but may be nothing surprising if Comcast is your ISP.
Sellout: The Politics of Racial Betrayal - The author is a bit of a controversy machine. A few years ago, he caused great consternation on the talk show circuit by publishing a book with a title that white people can't comfortably say. However, unlike some controversial authors, he's intellectually honest and has a lot of interesting stuff to say. This book is timely and accessible and well worth a read.
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier - The bad news is that bad circumstances can make children into monsters. The good news is that given the right circumstances, they can recover. Still, the hopeful end to this personal tale does little to prevent the whole thing from being very depressing.
Enough: Staying Human in an Engineered Age - I was going to do a full post on this one earlier. It was the only book in my stack I couldn't sell, so full post later. I didn't like it, but it's worth some analysis.
Accelerando - Three words: It got weirder. The book has a scene in which uploaded human personalities in a virtual environment argue about whether / when the singularity happened. If that sounds entertaining, then definitely worth a read.
Watchmen - I've heard this described as the greatest work of fiction of all time. It was okay. I think I might like the movie more.
Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World - Crazy plant genetics and biology, fruit companies toppling governments in the third world and reshaping culture in the first, SCIENCE! that deserves exclamation point and capital letters, and a race to save an exploitative industry tightly coupled with a race to save a staple that could stave off starvation in some of the poorest parts of the world. Worth reading.
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Tell us whether you read anything in the waiting room or not?
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