Good, but not as good as the first in the trilogy; less interesting information about The Event and more random survivor stories (which were decent wiGood, but not as good as the first in the trilogy; less interesting information about The Event and more random survivor stories (which were decent within the already described world but in some cases fairly gratuitously violent or otherwise cinematic.). Kind of formulaic vs the first book which was pretty novel for the post apocalyptic genre. Still, decent....more
I'm no particular fan of Obama as a President, but this is a good Presidential memoir in several ways.
It accurately describes what he claims to have wI'm no particular fan of Obama as a President, but this is a good Presidential memoir in several ways.
It accurately describes what he claims to have wanted his Presidency to be, and how the reality differed from it. A lot of the book is factual accounting of events documented elsewhere, and it is great to see his personal reflection. Any autobiography is going to make the subject look as good as possible, but in this case it wasn't overdone.
As an audiobook, it's remarkably soothing. I think President Obama was one of the best orators we've had in office in my lifetime -- on par with Reagan. Solely in terms of delivery, possibly on the level of JFK. I would listen to this book to fall asleep (as none of the content was particularly new to me, missing 10-20 minutes wasn't a big deal.)...more
One of my favorite sci-fi novels, and a great audiobook edition. Dystopia where car ownership is restricted to executives at transnational corporationOne of my favorite sci-fi novels, and a great audiobook edition. Dystopia where car ownership is restricted to executives at transnational corporations, and post-collapse Britain is an anarcho-capitalist uptopia/dystopia where executives can call each other out for lethal road duels for advancement. "Show up with blood on your wheels or do not show up at all." There is a great larger plot around "conflict investment" as well.
Downside of reading this book: makes me want to buy a Saab (the protagonist's vehicle, although heavily modified), although finding a mid-2060s edition with spaced armor is unlikely....more
A good (but not even "very good", let alone great) short story by Philip K Dick. No real mind-bending, and probably the most normal thing I've ever reA good (but not even "very good", let alone great) short story by Philip K Dick. No real mind-bending, and probably the most normal thing I've ever read of his. Still a decent enough story, but nothing at all special....more
Philip K Dick is an amazing writer, and one of my absolute favorites. This isn't one of his own very best stories, but even then, it's one of the bettPhilip K Dick is an amazing writer, and one of my absolute favorites. This isn't one of his own very best stories, but even then, it's one of the better sci-fi short stories. The actual story is "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale", but it's been retitled to match the movie.. Ironically this was probably his most commercially successful work (although the movie is only based on the concept, and apparently there was a remake of the movie from 2012 which I've never seen). Layers of memory and subterfuge presented in a very concise way....more
This book was absolutely not what I expected, and was exceptionally good. I read it because I'm familiar with one of the authors from Twitter (GeoffreThis book was absolutely not what I expected, and was exceptionally good. I read it because I'm familiar with one of the authors from Twitter (Geoffrey Miller), and he's an interesting evolutionary psychologist. I'd heard of Tucker Max as a "lad's book" kind of guy with tales of sexual exploits. I figured it would be some pickup artist (PUA) bullshit, but it was pretty much the opposite.
Somehow this book manages to present a sound science-based argument for behavior, combined with moral/ethical one, and this behavior is pro-social and accomplishes the literal stated goal of the title. It's very much aimed at heterosexual teen to young adult men (maybe early 30s at most), but that's also a group with the biggest problems with dating -- although I'd love to see someone write the female version of this book for young women as well. Essentially it comes down to advocating for genuine self improvement on the dimensions which make men more attractive, how to present those traits accurately, and how to proceed from that basis.
If you have a young male relative or friend, this is the best book on dating I've ever read, and would be an excellent gift....more
Long book is long, but so is history. This is essentially one book of a comprehensive history from earliest recorded in the ancient world (I'm always Long book is long, but so is history. This is essentially one book of a comprehensive history from earliest recorded in the ancient world (I'm always curious what came before that...) and ~300AD in this volume; the next two volumes from the author cover up through Medieval period and then through the Renaissance.
It's a little heavy on reliance on the Bible as a historical document, but sourcing in ancient history is difficult anyway, and it's not at all an inferior source to other historians of the periods/peoples involved. Mostly European/Near East focused, although China specifically was covered pretty well (and outside China, not much historical documentation before the end period of this book; hopefully Japan/etc. will be covered in the next volumes.)
This is great as a broad overview book; specific topics obviously are areas where you'd go more in depth....more
You should just read Charles Haywood's excellent review of the book. In summary: GREAT.
Wrangel led the South Russian Army and government against the BYou should just read Charles Haywood's excellent review of the book. In summary: GREAT.
Wrangel led the South Russian Army and government against the Bolsheviks to the end of the White resistance agaist Bolsheviks in the west (I don't know the exact timeline in the East; that wasn't addressed except in passing in the book). This was a desperate struggle, with little foreign assistance, squabbling domestic allies, imperfect leaders, and very limited resources, set against the backdrop of a collapsing Russia (WW1), the collapse and murder of the Tsar, failed interim governments, and other challenges.
This is a high-level commander's view, rather than battle by battle details, but it's excellent at presenting the decisions he had to make and why during this period. You do need at least some historical familiarity with Russian history of the period -- a heavily footnoted/expanded version for modern readers without this experience, plus maps, etc. would be very useful. It would probably be an excellent movie or documentary.
While Wrangel was ultimately unsuccessful (and Russia was condemned to Communism for most of the rest of the 20th century), this is an excellent account of how to fight for one's nation while preserving honor even in defeat....more
An experiment in GPT-written stories, in this case centered around human-chatbot romance (and the artificial limits OpenAI puts on ChatGPT output). ThAn experiment in GPT-written stories, in this case centered around human-chatbot romance (and the artificial limits OpenAI puts on ChatGPT output). These were not the 3 best stories I've ever read, but certainly the best romance stories I've yet read which were written by a chatbot, and would be passable for a human author. Mostly interested in where this goes in the future. (The third story was by far the best concept, but very underdeveloped.)...more
About half of the devices selected were pretty random (a lamp is a weird shape, etc) — filler? The art style (minimalist drawings) Not very satisfying
About half of the devices selected were pretty random (a lamp is a weird shape, etc) — filler? The art style (minimalist drawings) failed to capture what is innovative about each object in a lot of cases. — eg the IBM selectric typewriter, interesting for the type ball, is just shown as a generic typewriter. The commentary on each was one paragraph, usually with a single fact and maybe a brief context....more
The first 1/3 to 1/2 of this book was extremely tedious, but it gets a lot better. The tedious beginning somewhat served a point for the plot, but it The first 1/3 to 1/2 of this book was extremely tedious, but it gets a lot better. The tedious beginning somewhat served a point for the plot, but it was extremely tedious and would have caused a smarter reader to just abandon the book.
Definitely inferior to the first book, and doesn't recap enough of the first book to completely make sense for a reader who hasn't recently read the first book. Some libertarian themes, but not "preachily" so; mostly about different groups and their different motivations all working together in the end through the magic mediation of commerce and free trade.
The writing was extra-tedious due to the main character's focus on inherently tedious topics (race, sex) in a few places, made worse by a somewhat-plodding audiobook version, but the underlying plot was solid. I think this entire (unfinished as of now) trilogy could have been one really good single novel, given a good editor....more
Second book in a trilogy about space flight, colonization, and human spirit.
Strong libertarian, pro-individual, pro-individual-agency, loyalty, anti-SSecond book in a trilogy about space flight, colonization, and human spirit.
Strong libertarian, pro-individual, pro-individual-agency, loyalty, anti-State messages throughout the book.
There's a pretty substantial "climate change destroying Earth" plot, but it's not completely gratuitous -- it actually drives some of the plot, although it does feel like the author intentionally added this element to make the book more mainstream-appealing to kids/reviewers these days.
Pacing of the story was a little off; the middle 30-40% of the book was quite boring, and the beginning part wasn't great, either. The last 20% was great, but has the "RPG problem" of the characters being incredibly powerful by then, so even big challenges are hard to take seriously; it's obvious they'll win, and it's only a question of how.
This trilogy isn't as good as Daemon/Freedom (which was probably a top-25 sci-fi book of all time), but is very good....more
This remains one of my favorite sci-fi novels of all time (and one of the few stories I re-read periodically). Essentially the perfect anti-war story,This remains one of my favorite sci-fi novels of all time (and one of the few stories I re-read periodically). Essentially the perfect anti-war story, from a Vietnam veteran, in a space context, with special relativity/time dilation as an important plot element.
Not generally a fan of time travel books, but this is PKD and reasonably well executed. While time travel is the major plot force, there are enough otNot generally a fan of time travel books, but this is PKD and reasonably well executed. While time travel is the major plot force, there are enough other aspects to keep it somewhat interesting. Definitely not one of my favorites of his, although it does show what a great writer he'll become later....more
Somewhere between 4 and 5 stars -- not quite as good as Shoe Dog (which was amazing), but still a really good story of someone's entry into entrepreneSomewhere between 4 and 5 stars -- not quite as good as Shoe Dog (which was amazing), but still a really good story of someone's entry into entrepreneurship from a very different background than mine (NYC urban), how amazingly supportive various people in his life were (especially his mother, who mortgaged her house, then MOVED OUT so he could turn the place into a factory, then saved him from bankruptcy when he had problems with receivables), some of the risks of startups (cashflow, competition, crime), etc. It was interesting seeing the "For Us By Us" being aggressively (re?) defined as a "any culture" thing vs. what I'd always assumed it was (urban/black/hip-hop specific), but who knows how much of that was original vs. ret-con.
It was really more of an interview/podcast presentation than a book, but was well worth the listen....more
This is a very cursory overview of personality tests, but does include some useful information -- reviews of both broad categories of tests and specifThis is a very cursory overview of personality tests, but does include some useful information -- reviews of both broad categories of tests and specific tests, as well as some of the factors which contribute to the validity of various tests. I was hoping for something far more in-depth, but for what it is, this isn't bad, just short....more
This was good/interesting, but while the introduction said basically "focus on the investigation, no political and bureaucratic axe grinding", there wThis was good/interesting, but while the introduction said basically "focus on the investigation, no political and bureaucratic axe grinding", there was a lot of bureaucratic axe grinding, as well as 60+% of the book being background on CIA and Counterintelligence operations, Moscow station, etc. I was hoping for a bit more focus on Ames himself, but this was much more a book about the CIA CI investigators and their careers (the authors of the book). Still, as someone interested in counterintelligence and CIA vs KGB history, I enjoyed it....more
A well argued but brief presentation of a very simple (but controversial today?) idea -- migration affects both the migrants and the societies into whA well argued but brief presentation of a very simple (but controversial today?) idea -- migration affects both the migrants and the societies into which they migrate.
Primarily, the author uses the examples of European migration (colonization/settlement) of the Americas, Australia, etc., as well as the Chinese diaspora elsewhere in Asia, to show how groups high on a particular score (SAT*, but particularly the technological development of the society in the year 1500), when traced through to where they live today, are very predictive of what those societies are like now.
The author almost exclusively uses the "positive" cases like these, rather than lower development groups moving into higher development areas, for two reasons -- until very recently, not developed culture would have permitted this to happen to them (and thus there isn't enough time to see the consequences), and presumably, a desire not to end up the next Charles Murray.
He argues convincingly for diversity of skills, ethnic background, etc., but not of values, as positives for a society. (Calling the skill diversity "Firefly diversity" after the great sci-fi tv show was maybe pandering to the audience a bit much, but I appreciated it!)
This is a major counterpoint to the Bryan Caplan/left-libertarian open borders argument that societies are so powerful at integrating and assimilating migrants that they will largely only be improved. This always seemed absurd to me -- especially on political/voting basis, it's very obviously not true; on an economic or skill basis, it's more ambiguous. Multiple studies are cited within this book to show overall immigrant groups retain 30-50% of their views even after multiple generations; varies by group and domain, but seems relatively well supported. It's pretty clear that moving people from dysfunctional societies into the "I-7" of highly-industrious, inventive nations is great for the migrants individually in the short term, but Jones argues it's potentially worse for everyone long-run by making those special societies less productive and thus producing fewer technological public goods. ...more
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