Great to hear more about not just Edison but Westinghouse and Tesla. Westinghouse in particular is a really inspirational figure. And Tesla is not as Great to hear more about not just Edison but Westinghouse and Tesla. Westinghouse in particular is a really inspirational figure. And Tesla is not as weird as I had been led to believe. I'm looking forward to reading dedicated books about both of them.
The chapter about killing dogs and cows with electricity and the chapter about the first execution by electricity were so difficult to read I eventually had to skip past in both cases. I did not value that much repeated graphic detail....more
While not the most interesting murder mystery I've read, it deserves a 3.5/5 for being written in 1937. There's something much more enjoyable in readiWhile not the most interesting murder mystery I've read, it deserves a 3.5/5 for being written in 1937. There's something much more enjoyable in reading old mysteries and scifi than modern ones. The simplicity....more
Either Franklin was the least likable guy I've read about since Woodrow Wilson or this biography was terrible. Isaacson repeatedly glanced over seeminEither Franklin was the least likable guy I've read about since Woodrow Wilson or this biography was terrible. Isaacson repeatedly glanced over seemingly important parts of Franklin's life and the broader happenings in ways you know Robert Caro would not. And when not skipping interesting context and details, Isaacson focused salaciously on Franklin's love life (time with prostitutes, mistresses, and attempted lovers).
Franklin's treatment of his family was poor. He was also very public about his ethics, while both at business and at home he did not follow the ethics he espoused. It is perhaps too high a standard we hold him to, but he put himself into the public amidst all his hypocrisy. All this, within this book, seemed to outweigh his contributions to science and his efforts to secure American independence and instill tolerance, democracy, and good habits among the people.
Ultimately it seems both impressions were fair: the biography was not great and Franklin was pretty unlikeable....more
Excellent book on the history of computing and personnel management, and on how IBM started in the late 1800s, grew, and ultimately peaked as the largExcellent book on the history of computing and personnel management, and on how IBM started in the late 1800s, grew, and ultimately peaked as the largest company by revenue in 1985. Starting with tabulators, then reinventing itself toward electro-mechanical computers, reinventing itself toward mainframes, and finally reinventing itself toward desktop computers....more
Always happy to read a business history but this was a bit more focused on the tabloid side, of bad personal relationships and early deaths.
I'd have lAlways happy to read a business history but this was a bit more focused on the tabloid side, of bad personal relationships and early deaths.
I'd have loved to have had the story focus solely on the first 100 years of the company. Forty years of the first generation passed in nearly a few pages....more
The high level history was very interesting and is probably worth reading for alone. But it also seemed very surface level and uncritical. Like MalcolThe high level history was very interesting and is probably worth reading for alone. But it also seemed very surface level and uncritical. Like Malcolm Gladwell but for semiconductor history....more
Pretty good! I'd give it 3.5 stars only because the tone was pretty rah-rah/military-enthusiast, more so than any other book I've read on wars. HowevePretty good! I'd give it 3.5 stars only because the tone was pretty rah-rah/military-enthusiast, more so than any other book I've read on wars. However, it was not particularly nationalist and seemed to do a good job portraying the Pakistan and Chinese perspectives.
After this and Guha's Gandhi 1915-1948 I was particularly interested to learn more about Vallabhbhai Patel, the first Home Minister of independent India, and his challenge unifying India. This was a good second read on some of the challenges in the region, focused on the military as the title would suggest....more
I guess everyone else knew about the sudden, prolonged focus on three-way alien sex, but that was a bit of a surprise to me. I'm glad I forced myself I guess everyone else knew about the sudden, prolonged focus on three-way alien sex, but that was a bit of a surprise to me. I'm glad I forced myself to get through the first few chapters. There were a number of interesting twists and satisfying tie-ins by the end. The structure of the book was completely inconsistent and mildly annoying in the beginning. But by the end I was still impressed....more
The first half was just not very well written, poorly edited. The second half was better! I'm reading this at the same time as reading The Power BrokeThe first half was just not very well written, poorly edited. The second half was better! I'm reading this at the same time as reading The Power Broker so it's surely making for an unfair comparison....more
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