Michael Nielsen
https://t.co/maezekzRUb, https://t.co/c28lgGuI3U, & @michael_nielsen@mastodon.social Searching for the numinous 🇦🇺 🇨🇦, home in 🇺🇸 Research @AsteraInstitute
150+ Book Recommendations by Michael Nielsen
@lexfridman Fun list. Hard not to make it sound like bragging, but I've honestly read and enjoyed almost everything on that list. Especially endorse Anne Frank & Machiavelli from the "maybe" list. For a very different view from Frank, Hannah Arendt's "Eichmann in Jerusalem" is also great
Eichmann in Jerusalem
Hannah Arendt
@lexfridman Fun list. Hard not to make it sound like bragging, but I've honestly read and enjoyed almost everything on that list. Especially endorse Anne Frank & Machiavelli from the "maybe" list. For a very different view from Frank, Hannah Arendt's "Eichmann in Jerusalem" is also great
The Fabric of Reality
David Deutsch
A penetrating exploration of the new physics, including time travel, quantum computers, and the multiverse – as referenced in the film “Avengers: Endgame” For David Deutsch, a young physicist of unusual originality, quantum theory contains our most fundamental knowledge of the physical world. Taken literally, it implies that there are many universes “parallel” to the one we see around us. This multiplicity of universes, according to Deutsch, turns out to be the key to achieving a new worldview, one which synthesizes the theories of evolution, computation, and knowledge with quantum physics. Considered jointly, these four strands of explanation reveal a unified fabric of reality that is both objective and comprehensible, the subject of this daring, challenging book. The Fabric of Reality explains and connects many topics at the leading edge of current research and thinking, such as quantum computers (which work by effectively collaborating with their counterparts in other universes), the physics of time travel, the comprehensibility of nature and the physical limits of virtual reality, the significance of human life, and the ultimate fate of the universe. Here, for scientist and layperson alike, for philosopher, science-fiction reader, biologist, and computer expert, is a startlingly complete and rational synthesis of disciplines, and a new, optimistic message about existence.@DavidDeutschOxf It's true that if someone liked David Deutsch's books then they would probably like "The Fabric of Reality" 😀
Seven Pillars of Wisdom
T. E. Lawrence
Churchill on Lawrence's "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" (according to Wikipedia): "It ranks with the greatest books ever written in the English language. As a narrative of war and adventure it is unsurpassable."
Too Much to Know
Ann M. Blair
Ann Blair's book, "Too Much to Know: Managing Scholarly Information before the Modern Age" https://t.co/1cedOMhn98
The Science of Science
Dashun Wang
This is the first comprehensive overview of the exciting field of the 'science of science'. Those concerned with maximizing their career impact and productivity, with their scientific creativity, with effective collaboration and with the metrics of assessment will better understand the fundamental workings of science. Big data analysis and quantitative tools help identify success and failure within the discipline. Areas in the 'science of science' that are ripe for further research are explored, and the implications this could have for future technological and innovative work are examined. With anecdotes and detailed, easy-to-follow explanations of the research, this book is accessible to all scientists, policy makers, and administrators with an interest in the wider scientific enterprise.Fascinating argument for why the distribution in number of papers published is so heavy-tailed (most scientists publish few, a few scientists publish many): (From Wang & Barabasi's book "The Science of Science") https://t.co/dYuVQyQE8Q
The Letters of Vincent van Gogh (Penguin Classics)
Vincent Van Gogh
A new selection of Vincent Van Gough's letters, based on an entirely new translation, revealing his religious struggles, his fascination with the French Revolution, his search for love and his involvement in humanitarian causes.If you haven't read them, his letters are remarkable: https://t.co/Zv2n6BUcNn
Subtle is the Lord
Abraham Pais
Subtle is the Lord is widely recognized as the definitive scientific biography of Albert Einstein. The late Abraham Pais was a distinguished physicist turned historian who knew Einstein both professionally and personally in the last years of his life. His biography combines a profound understanding of Einstein's work with personal recollections from their years of acquaintance, illuminating the man through the development of his scientific thought. Pais examines the formulation of Einstein's theories of relativity, his work on Brownian motion, and his response to quantum theory with authority and precision. The profound transformation Einstein's ideas effected on the physics of the turn of the century is here laid out for the serious reader. Pais also fills many gaps in what we know of Einstein's life - his interest in philosophy, his concern with Jewish destiny, and his opinions of great figures from Newton to Freud. This remarkable volume, written by a physicist who mingled in Einstein's scientific circle, forms a timeless and classic biography of the towering figure of twentieth-century science.If a better scientific biography has ever been written, I'd like to read it! Extraordinary history & biography: https://t.co/uyqTGmaM8C Much less technical, but Gleick's "Genius" and Skidelsky's abridged Keynes are also marvellous. (The abridged is better than the full bio.)
Dealers of Lightning
Michael A. Hiltzik
Ah! There's an account in Chapters 24-26 of "Dealers of Lightning". More "death by a thousand cuts" than a single decision, though certainly two forces (executive disinterest and the rise of companies like Microsoft, Apple etc) played a role.
Into Thin Air
Jon Krakauer
The author describes his spring 1996 trek to Mt. Everest, a disastrous expedition that claimed the lives of eight climbers, and explains why he survived@dommydoteth Just so you're not disappointed: Kropp is a side story. But the book is amazing.
Machines for Making Gods
Jon Bialecki
Oh, the book is already out: https://t.co/dslIXBG1XW The title is interesting. Reminded of Richard Brautigan's astonishing title, "All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace"
A Pattern Language
Christopher Alexander
Two hundred and fifty-three archetypal patterns consisting of problem statements, discussions, illustrations, and solutions provide lay persons with a framework for engaging in architectural designRest in peace, Christopher Alexander. Incredibly imaginative and original and thoughtful. Loved his "A Pattern Language": https://t.co/qxODrBX0xN https://t.co/clmlN7YCq3
The Genetic Lottery
Kathryn Paige Harden
A provocative and timely case for how the science of genetics can help create a more just and equal society In recent years, scientists like Kathryn Paige Harden have shown that DNA makes us different, in our personalities and in our health—and in ways that matter for educational and economic success in our current society. In The Genetic Lottery, Harden introduces readers to the latest genetic science, dismantling dangerous ideas about racial superiority and challenging us to grapple with what equality really means in a world where people are born different. Weaving together personal stories with scientific evidence, Harden shows why our refusal to recognize the power of DNA perpetuates the myth of meritocracy, and argues that we must acknowledge the role of genetic luck if we are ever to create a fair society. Reclaiming genetic science from the legacy of eugenics, this groundbreaking book offers a bold new vision of society where everyone thrives, regardless of how one fares in the genetic lottery.My quick review of @kph3k's lay intro to behavioural genetics, "The Genetic Lottery" (ht @albrgr) Behavioural genetics will be a crucial issue of the 21st century - I found this book a helpful stimulus to my thinking! https://t.co/WM6ExOvQfl
Whole Earth
John Markoff
Out March 22, I'm very much looking forward to this: https://t.co/n3tkt0YtDJ https://t.co/QzVAkHMWkg
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Robert M Pirsig
A narration of a summer motorcycle trip undertaken by a father and his son, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance becomes a personal and philosophical odyssey into fundamental questions on how to live. The narrator's relationship with his son leads to a powerful self-reckoning; the craft of motorcycle maintenance leads to an austerely beautiful process for reconciling science, religion, and humanism. Resonant with the confusions of existence, this classic is a touching and transcendent book of life. This new edition contains an interview with Pirsig and letters and documents detailing how this extraordinary book came to be. This P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.@noahlt Instinct, a sense that the book had some strength I'd missed the first time. Some of my favourite books I very nearly missed: I was bored by them, but sensed some strength I wasn't quite grasping. True of "Zen and the Art", for instance, or "Cyteen". And many others.
Cyteen
C.J. Cherryh
The Hugo Award-winning SF saga is now available in one complete trade paperback edition, containing Cyteen: The Betrayal, The Rebirth and The Vindication. "A psychological novel, a murder mystery and an examination of power on a grand scale, encompassing light years and outsize lifetimes".--Locus.@noahlt Instinct, a sense that the book had some strength I'd missed the first time. Some of my favourite books I very nearly missed: I was bored by them, but sensed some strength I wasn't quite grasping. True of "Zen and the Art", for instance, or "Cyteen". And many others.
Chaos
Tom O'Neill
A journalist's twenty-year fascination with the Manson murders leads to shocking new revelations about the FBI's involvement in this riveting reassessment of an infamous case in American history. Over two grim nights in Los Angeles, the young followers of Charles Manson murdered seven people, including the actress Sharon Tate, then eight months pregnant. With no mercy and seemingly no motive, the Manson Family followed their leader's every order-their crimes lit a flame of paranoia across the nation, spelling the end of the sixties. Manson became one of history's most infamous criminals, his name forever attached to an era when charlatans mixed with prodigies, free love was as possible as brainwashing, and utopia-or dystopia-was just an acid trip away. Twenty years ago, when journalist Tom O'Neill was reporting a magazine piece about the murders, he worried there was nothing new to say. Then he unearthed shocking evidence of a cover-up behind the "official" story, including police carelessness, legal misconduct, and potential surveillance by intelligence agents. When a tense interview with Vincent Bugliosi-prosecutor of the Manson Family, and author of Helter Skelter-turned a friendly source into a nemesis, O'Neill knew he was onto something. But every discovery brought more questions: Who were Manson's real friends in Hollywood, and how far would they go to hide their ties? Why didn't law enforcement, including Manson's own parole officer, act on their many chances to stop him? And how did Manson-an illiterate ex-con-turn a group of peaceful hippies into remorseless killers? O'Neill's quest for the truth led him from reclusive celebrities to seasoned spies, from San Francisco's summer of love to the shadowy sites of the CIA's mind-control experiments, on a trail rife with shady cover-ups and suspicious coincidences. The product of two decades of reporting, hundreds of new interviews, and dozens of never-before-seen documents from the LAPD, the FBI, and the CIA, CHAOS mounts an argument that could be, according to Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Steven Kay, strong enough to overturn the verdicts on the Manson murders. This is a book that overturns our understanding of a pivotal time in American history.@dalalzebat @NGKabra "Chaos" is a wonderful book. I like Gleick's "Genius" even better (a bio of Richard Feynman), one of my two favourite bios.
Governing the Commons
Elinor Ostrom
Tackles one of the most enduring and contentious issues of positive political economy: common pool resource management.@mindspillage @nayafia Many of these are, of course, more law-adjacent than law, per se. Ostrom really changed how I think about law in general, however, despite not exactly being about the law. Also, one of my favourite books ever :-)
Origin
Dan Brown
Another juxtaposition: Wootton on artists' gaining the ability to depict the previously unimaginable, and a passage I love from Mascelli's book on cinematography https://t.co/B4aJiyZZbc
The Berkshire Glass Works
Julie L. Sloan
The purity of the sand found in northern Berkshire County provided resources for over fifty years of glassmaking for regular windows and stained-glass windows in the rural landscape of western Massachusetts. From the first cylinders blown in November 1853, demand for the Berkshire Glass Company's work grew exponentially until it was producing three thousand feet of glass by 1855. As the Civil War raged, the company suffered along with the country but came out of the strife stronger than ever. Join authors William J. Patriquin and Julie L. Sloan as they reveal the inner workings of the Berkshire Glass Company and the intricate stained glass born of Berkshire glass.Another juxtaposition: Wootton on artists' gaining the ability to depict the previously unimaginable, and a passage I love from Mascelli's book on cinematography https://t.co/B4aJiyZZbc
The Limits of My Language
Eva Meijer
Another juxtaposition: Wootton on artists' gaining the ability to depict the previously unimaginable, and a passage I love from Mascelli's book on cinematography https://t.co/B4aJiyZZbc
Evergreen
Susan Fawcett
With carefully crafted instruction, engaging student models, and plentiful practice exercises, this best-selling text continues to provide the most effective paragraph-essay level writing instruction available. EVERGREEN is structured around Susan Fawcett's proven MAP (model-analysis-practice) format -- a guiding pedagogy featuring minimal inductive instruction followed by varied practice designed to improve students' confidence and learning outcomes. Known for its superior essay coverage, EVERGREEN demonstrates each of the nine rhetorical patterns with two student sample essays (one in the third person, and one in the first person), and a graphic organizer. The Eleventh Edition includes a new chapter focused on active reading strategies; more explanation of and practice for writing effective thesis statements; updated information about research and citing sources; and nine new high-interest readings in a variety of modes, with new post-reading questions and assignments. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.Another juxtaposition: Wootton on artists' gaining the ability to depict the previously unimaginable, and a passage I love from Mascelli's book on cinematography https://t.co/B4aJiyZZbc
The Invention of Science
David Wootton
A companion to such acclaimed works as The Age of Wonder, A Clockwork Universe, and Darwin’s Ghosts—a groundbreaking examination of the greatest event in history, the Scientific Revolution, and how it came to change the way we understand ourselves and our world. We live in a world transformed by scientific discovery. Yet today, science and its practitioners have come under political attack. In this fascinating history spanning continents and centuries, historian David Wootton offers a lively defense of science, revealing why the Scientific Revolution was truly the greatest event in our history. The Invention of Science goes back five hundred years in time to chronicle this crucial transformation, exploring the factors that led to its birth and the people who made it happen. Wootton argues that the Scientific Revolution was actually five separate yet concurrent events that developed independently, but came to intersect and create a new worldview. Here are the brilliant iconoclasts—Galileo, Copernicus, Brahe, Newton, and many more curious minds from across Europe—whose studies of the natural world challenged centuries of religious orthodoxy and ingrained superstition. From gunpowder technology, the discovery of the new world, movable type printing, perspective painting, and the telescope to the practice of conducting experiments, the laws of nature, and the concept of the fact, Wotton shows how these discoveries codified into a social construct and a system of knowledge. Ultimately, he makes clear the link between scientific discovery and the rise of industrialization—and the birth of the modern world we know.Another juxtaposition: Wootton on artists' gaining the ability to depict the previously unimaginable, and a passage I love from Mascelli's book on cinematography https://t.co/B4aJiyZZbc
The Sciences of the Artificial - 3rd Edition
Herbert A Simon
"People sometimes ask me what they should read to find out about artificial intelligence. Herbert Simon's book The Sciences of the Artificial is always on the list I give them. Every page issues a challenge to conventional thinking, and the layman who digests it well will certainly understand what the field of artificial intelligence hopes to accomplish. I recommend it in the same spirit that I recommend Freud to people who ask about psychoanalysis, or Piaget to those who ask about child psychology: If you want to learn about a subject, start by reading its founding fathers." -- George A. Miller, "Complex Information Processing" Continuing his exploration of the organization of complexity and the science of design, this new edition of Herbert Simon's classic work on artificial intelligence adds a chapter that sorts out the current themes and tools -- chaos, adaptive systems, genetic algorithms -- for analyzing complexity and complex systems.More: + The Sciences of the Artificial + Paradigms of Artificial Intelligence Programming (the first Norvig book, not the second) + Edward Abbey + The Sermon on the Mount + "The Starship and the Canoe" + Freeman Dyson
Paradigms of Artificial Intelligence Programming
Peter Norvig
Paradigms of AI Programming is the first text to teach advanced Common Lisp techniques in the context of building major AI systems. By reconstructing authentic, complex AI programs using state-of-the-art Common Lisp, the book teaches students and professionals how to build and debug robust practical programs, while demonstrating superior programming style and important AI concepts. The author strongly emphasizes the practical performance issues involved in writing real working programs of significant size. Chapters on troubleshooting and efficiency are included, along with a discussion of the fundamentals of object-oriented programming and a description of the main CLOS functions. This volume is an excellent text for a course on AI programming, a useful supplement for general AI courses and an indispensable reference for the professional programmer.More: + The Sciences of the Artificial + Paradigms of Artificial Intelligence Programming (the first Norvig book, not the second) + Edward Abbey + The Sermon on the Mount + "The Starship and the Canoe" + Freeman Dyson
The Sermon on the Mount
Emmet Fox
What did Jesus teach? Distilled from years of study and lecture, affirmed by nearly a million readers over the last fifty years, Emmet Fox's answer in The Sermon on the Mount is simple. The Bible is a "textbook of metaphysics" and the teachings of Jesus express--without dogma--a practical approach for the development of the soul and for the shaping of our lives into what we really wish them to be. For Fox, Jesus was "no sentimental dreamer, no mere dealer in empty platitudes, but the unflinching realist that only a great mystic can be." In his most popular work, Emmet Fox shows how to: Understand the true nature of divine wisdom. Tap into the power of prayer. Develop a completely integrated and fully expressed personality. Transform negative attitudes into life-affirming beliefs. Claim our divine right to the full abundance of life.More: + The Sciences of the Artificial + Paradigms of Artificial Intelligence Programming (the first Norvig book, not the second) + Edward Abbey + The Sermon on the Mount + "The Starship and the Canoe" + Freeman Dyson
The Starship and the Canoe
Kenneth Brower
"The Starship and the Canoe is neither a wilderness survival manual nor a book of blueprints. It is another of those rare books impossible to define: the kind that seeks you in time. And you will know it, live it, and consult it thereafter simply by name." --Chicago Sun-Times "Brower's superbly written book clutches at one's imagination." --Publishers Weekly "In the tradition of Carl Sagan and John McPhee, a bracing cerebral voyage past intergalactic hoopla and backwoods retreats." --Kirkus Reviews Originally published in 1978,The Starship and the Canoe is the remarkable story of a father and son: Freeman Dyson is a world-renowned astrophysicist who dreams of exploring the heavens and has designed a spaceship to take him there. His son George, a brilliant high school dropout, lives in a treehouse and is designing a giant kayak to explore the icy coastal wilderness of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Author Kenneth Brower describes with stunning impact their lives and their visions of the world. It is a timeless tale framed by modern science, adventure, family, and the natural world.More: + The Sciences of the Artificial + Paradigms of Artificial Intelligence Programming (the first Norvig book, not the second) + Edward Abbey + The Sermon on the Mount + "The Starship and the Canoe" + Freeman Dyson
Stories of Your Life and Others
Ted Chiang
Ted Chiang's first published story, "Tower of Babylon," won the Nebula Award for 1990. Now, collected for the first time, are all seven of this extraordinary writer's extraordinary stories--plus a new story written especially for this volume.More: + The Sciences of the Artificial + Paradigms of Artificial Intelligence Programming (the first Norvig book, not the second) + Edward Abbey + The Sermon on the Mount + "The Starship and the Canoe" + Freeman Dyson
The Collected Stories of Vernor Vinge
Vernor Vinge
A definitive compilation of short fiction by the two time Hugo Award winner ranges from his earliest works to his longer takes from the 1970s and 1980s and includes such classics as "The Ungoverned" and "THe Blabber." Reprint. 30,000 first printing.More: + The Sciences of the Artificial + Paradigms of Artificial Intelligence Programming (the first Norvig book, not the second) + Edward Abbey + The Sermon on the Mount + "The Starship and the Canoe" + Freeman Dyson
Stand on Zanzibar
John Brunner
Norman Niblock House is a rising executive at General Technics, one of a few all-powerful corporations. His work is leading General Technics to the forefront of global domination, both in the marketplace and politically---it's about to take over a country in Africa. Donald Hogan is his roommate, a seemingly sheepish bookworm. But Hogan is a spy, and he's about to discover a breakthrough in genetic engineering that will change the world...and kill him. These two men's lives weave through one of science fiction's most praised novels. Written in a way that echoes John Dos Passos' U.S.A. Trilogy, Stand on Zanzibar is a cross-section of a world overpopulated by the billions. Where society is squeezed into hive-living madness by god-like mega computers, mass-marketed psychedelic drugs, and mundane uses of genetic engineering. Though written in 1968, it speaks of 2010, and is frighteningly prescient and intensely powerful.More: + The Sciences of the Artificial + Paradigms of Artificial Intelligence Programming (the first Norvig book, not the second) + Edward Abbey + The Sermon on the Mount + "The Starship and the Canoe" + Freeman Dyson
Barbarian Days
William Finnegan
Surfing only looks like a sport. To initiates, it is something else entirely: a beautiful addiction, a demanding course of study, a morally dangerous pastime, a way of life. Raised in California and Hawaii, Finnegan started surfing as a child. He has chased waves all over the world, wandering for years through the South Pacific, Australia, Asia, Africa. A bookish boy, and then an excessively adventurous young man, he went on to become a writer and war reporter. Barbarian Days takes us deep into unfamiliar worlds, some of them right under our noses -- off the coasts of New York and San Francisco. It immerses the reader in the edgy camaraderie of close male friendships annealed in challenging waves.More: + The Sciences of the Artificial + Paradigms of Artificial Intelligence Programming (the first Norvig book, not the second) + Edward Abbey + The Sermon on the Mount + "The Starship and the Canoe" + Freeman Dyson
Proofs and Refutations
Imre Lakatos
More: + The Sciences of the Artificial + Paradigms of Artificial Intelligence Programming (the first Norvig book, not the second) + Edward Abbey + The Sermon on the Mount + "The Starship and the Canoe" + Freeman Dyson
The Death and Life of Great American Cities
Jane Jacobs
Penetrating analysis of the functions and organization of city neighborhoods, the forces of deterioration and regeneration, and the necessary planning innovationsMore: + The Sciences of the Artificial + Paradigms of Artificial Intelligence Programming (the first Norvig book, not the second) + Edward Abbey + The Sermon on the Mount + "The Starship and the Canoe" + Freeman Dyson
How Buildings Learn
Stewart Brand
More: + The Sciences of the Artificial + Paradigms of Artificial Intelligence Programming (the first Norvig book, not the second) + Edward Abbey + The Sermon on the Mount + "The Starship and the Canoe" + Freeman Dyson
Watership Down
Richard Adams
An allegorical tale of survival about a band of wild rabbits who leave their ancestral home to build a more humane society chronicles their adventures as they search for a safe place to establish a new warren where they can live in peace.More: + The Sciences of the Artificial + Paradigms of Artificial Intelligence Programming (the first Norvig book, not the second) + Edward Abbey + The Sermon on the Mount + "The Starship and the Canoe" + Freeman Dyson
Governing the Commons
Elinor Ostrom
Tackles one of the most enduring and contentious issues of positive political economy: common pool resource management.More: + The Sciences of the Artificial + Paradigms of Artificial Intelligence Programming (the first Norvig book, not the second) + Edward Abbey + The Sermon on the Mount + "The Starship and the Canoe" + Freeman Dyson
Deschooling Society
Ivan Illich
Illich suggests radical reforms for the education system to stop its headlong rush towards frustrated expectations and inequalities.More: + The Sciences of the Artificial + Paradigms of Artificial Intelligence Programming (the first Norvig book, not the second) + Edward Abbey + The Sermon on the Mount + "The Starship and the Canoe" + Freeman Dyson
A Civil Campaign
Lois McMaster Bujold
Spring in Vorbarr Sultana sends its inhabitants looking for love, which too often proves to be unrequited.More: + The Sciences of the Artificial + Paradigms of Artificial Intelligence Programming (the first Norvig book, not the second) + Edward Abbey + The Sermon on the Mount + "The Starship and the Canoe" + Freeman Dyson
Rainbows End
Vernor Vinge
La Californie, au milieu du XXIe siècle. Dans un monde où dominent l'informatique et le cyberespace, un dangereux procédé de contrôle des esprits est élaboré. Le chef des services secrets européens est derrière ce procédé appelé V-D-M-C (Vous-Devez-Me-Croire). Robert Gu, le plus grand poète américain, se trouve mèlé à l'affaire...More: + The Sciences of the Artificial + Paradigms of Artificial Intelligence Programming (the first Norvig book, not the second) + Edward Abbey + The Sermon on the Mount + "The Starship and the Canoe" + Freeman Dyson
@sennoma Canticle would have to go on my list, too. Amazing book! Thanks for the list, wonderful!
Stories of Your Life and Others
Ted Chiang
Ted Chiang's first published story, "Tower of Babylon," won the Nebula Award for 1990. Now, collected for the first time, are all seven of this extraordinary writer's extraordinary stories--plus a new story written especially for this volume.Many of these books had a transformative effect on me. I'll read something like Deschooling Society, be transformed; and then I meet someone else decades later who loved it, and we're both instantly in a club!
The Collected Stories of Vernor Vinge
Vernor Vinge
A definitive compilation of short fiction by the two time Hugo Award winner ranges from his earliest works to his longer takes from the 1970s and 1980s and includes such classics as "The Ungoverned" and "THe Blabber." Reprint. 30,000 first printing.Many of these books had a transformative effect on me. I'll read something like Deschooling Society, be transformed; and then I meet someone else decades later who loved it, and we're both instantly in a club!
Stand on Zanzibar
John Brunner
Norman Niblock House is a rising executive at General Technics, one of a few all-powerful corporations. His work is leading General Technics to the forefront of global domination, both in the marketplace and politically---it's about to take over a country in Africa. Donald Hogan is his roommate, a seemingly sheepish bookworm. But Hogan is a spy, and he's about to discover a breakthrough in genetic engineering that will change the world...and kill him. These two men's lives weave through one of science fiction's most praised novels. Written in a way that echoes John Dos Passos' U.S.A. Trilogy, Stand on Zanzibar is a cross-section of a world overpopulated by the billions. Where society is squeezed into hive-living madness by god-like mega computers, mass-marketed psychedelic drugs, and mundane uses of genetic engineering. Though written in 1968, it speaks of 2010, and is frighteningly prescient and intensely powerful.Many of these books had a transformative effect on me. I'll read something like Deschooling Society, be transformed; and then I meet someone else decades later who loved it, and we're both instantly in a club!
Barbarian Days
William Finnegan
Surfing only looks like a sport. To initiates, it is something else entirely: a beautiful addiction, a demanding course of study, a morally dangerous pastime, a way of life. Raised in California and Hawaii, Finnegan started surfing as a child. He has chased waves all over the world, wandering for years through the South Pacific, Australia, Asia, Africa. A bookish boy, and then an excessively adventurous young man, he went on to become a writer and war reporter. Barbarian Days takes us deep into unfamiliar worlds, some of them right under our noses -- off the coasts of New York and San Francisco. It immerses the reader in the edgy camaraderie of close male friendships annealed in challenging waves.Many of these books had a transformative effect on me. I'll read something like Deschooling Society, be transformed; and then I meet someone else decades later who loved it, and we're both instantly in a club!
Proofs and Refutations
Imre Lakatos
Many of these books had a transformative effect on me. I'll read something like Deschooling Society, be transformed; and then I meet someone else decades later who loved it, and we're both instantly in a club!
The Death and Life of Great American Cities
Jane Jacobs
Penetrating analysis of the functions and organization of city neighborhoods, the forces of deterioration and regeneration, and the necessary planning innovationsMany of these books had a transformative effect on me. I'll read something like Deschooling Society, be transformed; and then I meet someone else decades later who loved it, and we're both instantly in a club!
How Buildings Learn
Stewart Brand
Many of these books had a transformative effect on me. I'll read something like Deschooling Society, be transformed; and then I meet someone else decades later who loved it, and we're both instantly in a club!
Watership Down
Richard Adams
An allegorical tale of survival about a band of wild rabbits who leave their ancestral home to build a more humane society chronicles their adventures as they search for a safe place to establish a new warren where they can live in peace.Many of these books had a transformative effect on me. I'll read something like Deschooling Society, be transformed; and then I meet someone else decades later who loved it, and we're both instantly in a club!
Governing the Commons
Elinor Ostrom
Tackles one of the most enduring and contentious issues of positive political economy: common pool resource management.Many of these books had a transformative effect on me. I'll read something like Deschooling Society, be transformed; and then I meet someone else decades later who loved it, and we're both instantly in a club!
Deschooling Society
Ivan Illich
Illich suggests radical reforms for the education system to stop its headlong rush towards frustrated expectations and inequalities.Many of these books had a transformative effect on me. I'll read something like Deschooling Society, be transformed; and then I meet someone else decades later who loved it, and we're both instantly in a club!
A Civil Campaign
Lois McMaster Bujold
Spring in Vorbarr Sultana sends its inhabitants looking for love, which too often proves to be unrequited.Many of these books had a transformative effect on me. I'll read something like Deschooling Society, be transformed; and then I meet someone else decades later who loved it, and we're both instantly in a club!
Rainbows End
Vernor Vinge
La Californie, au milieu du XXIe siècle. Dans un monde où dominent l'informatique et le cyberespace, un dangereux procédé de contrôle des esprits est élaboré. Le chef des services secrets européens est derrière ce procédé appelé V-D-M-C (Vous-Devez-Me-Croire). Robert Gu, le plus grand poète américain, se trouve mèlé à l'affaire...Many of these books had a transformative effect on me. I'll read something like Deschooling Society, be transformed; and then I meet someone else decades later who loved it, and we're both instantly in a club!
Watership Down
Richard Adams
An allegorical tale of survival about a band of wild rabbits who leave their ancestral home to build a more humane society chronicles their adventures as they search for a safe place to establish a new warren where they can live in peace.What are some books where you it makes you happy & excited when you learn they're a favourite of someone else? A few for me, no particular order + Watership Down + Governing the Commons + Deschooling Society + A Civil Campaign + Last and First Men, or Starmaker + Rainbows End
Governing the Commons
Elinor Ostrom
Tackles one of the most enduring and contentious issues of positive political economy: common pool resource management.What are some books where you it makes you happy & excited when you learn they're a favourite of someone else? A few for me, no particular order + Watership Down + Governing the Commons + Deschooling Society + A Civil Campaign + Last and First Men, or Starmaker + Rainbows End
Deschooling Society
Ivan Illich
Illich suggests radical reforms for the education system to stop its headlong rush towards frustrated expectations and inequalities.What are some books where you it makes you happy & excited when you learn they're a favourite of someone else? A few for me, no particular order + Watership Down + Governing the Commons + Deschooling Society + A Civil Campaign + Last and First Men, or Starmaker + Rainbows End
A Civil Campaign
Lois McMaster Bujold
Spring in Vorbarr Sultana sends its inhabitants looking for love, which too often proves to be unrequited.What are some books where you it makes you happy & excited when you learn they're a favourite of someone else? A few for me, no particular order + Watership Down + Governing the Commons + Deschooling Society + A Civil Campaign + Last and First Men, or Starmaker + Rainbows End
Rainbows End
Vernor Vinge
La Californie, au milieu du XXIe siècle. Dans un monde où dominent l'informatique et le cyberespace, un dangereux procédé de contrôle des esprits est élaboré. Le chef des services secrets européens est derrière ce procédé appelé V-D-M-C (Vous-Devez-Me-Croire). Robert Gu, le plus grand poète américain, se trouve mèlé à l'affaire...What are some books where you it makes you happy & excited when you learn they're a favourite of someone else? A few for me, no particular order + Watership Down + Governing the Commons + Deschooling Society + A Civil Campaign + Last and First Men, or Starmaker + Rainbows End
Culture
A. L. Kroeber
Alfred Louis Kroeber offers an all-embracing account of human culture, looking at its historical definitions, many definitions, and its role as a foundation for all of the social sciences. A work striking for its thoroughness, Culture: A Critical Review begins by examining the origins of the term Culture, and how it came to be associated with civilization and social change. The appearance of the word in intellectual writings, such as those of Kant and Hegel, increased through the 19th century. Interpretations of the word - as the later section on definitions shows - persisted in varying widely, with scholars differing in what they consider part of a given country's culture. Some constructed strict definitions involving things like a country's symbols, morality, festivals, and heritage while others opted to apply the term more generally or loosely. This conceptual problem serves as an overarching theme, its difficulty apparent in the many contrasting views the author quotes. Nevertheless by listing and commenting on these numerous ideas, Kroeber demonstrates the broadness of culture; its influence ranging into disciplines such as psychology, history, linguistics, medicine and sociology. The author himself considers this study as anthropology; a tracing of how culture emerged from occasional academic mentions and allusions into a dominant cluster of ideas, transcending many disciplines and assuming place in popular consciousness.Link: https://t.co/rASAytFOCX
Problems and Theorems in Analysis I
George Polya
From the reviews: "The work is one of the real classics of this century; it has had much influence on teaching, on research in several branches of hard analysis, particularly complex function theory, and it has been an essential indispensable source book for those seriously interested in mathematical problems." Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society@DRMacIver Polya and Szego (volume 1 of 3, IIRC): https://t.co/aESbC4H740
Overcome neck & back pain, 4th edition
Kit Laughlin
A self-help approach to treating back and neck pain, comprising stretching, strengthening, re-patterning, and relaxation techiques.FWIW I found Kit Laughlin's book unusually well written in these ways: https://t.co/xqDVQysqHi Pretty good on explaining diagnosis, and mechanism of action, less good on the other two (though significantly better than most resources). Also just generally very thoughtful.
Reinventing Discovery
Michael Nielsen
"Reinventing Discovery argues that we are in the early days of the most dramatic change in how science is done in more than 300 years. This change is being driven by new online tools, which are transforming and radically accelerating scientific discovery"--Provided by publisher.Late addition, from someone without a Twitter account: https://t.co/nJ6FpYTCvs https://t.co/Jx47Fsz9gW
The Soul of A New Machine
Tracy Kidder
@gadgetmad Amazing book. Famous decades ago, but it seems to have gradually become obscure. I wonder how much of modern tech culture has its origins in this book?
Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics, second edition (The MIT Press)
Gerald Jay Sussman
The new edition of a classic text that concentrates on developing general methods for studying the behavior of classical systems, with extensive use of computation.@memosisland Loved it! https://t.co/KGUko6n4f8 Abelson's "Structure and Interpretation of Classical Mechanics" is also very interesting as an experimental medium (it's fine as a book on mechanics, though not the best book written).
Star Maker
Olaf Stapledon
This 1937 successor to Last and First Men offers another entrancing speculative history of the future. Cited as a key influence by science-fiction masters such as Doris Lessing, its bold exploration of the cosmos ventures into intelligent star clusters and mingles among alien races for a memorable vision of infinity.@tdfirth Two of my favorite books - just astounding! What a wonderful things Stapledon did!
The Spiritual Teachings of Marcus Aurelius
Mark Forstater
@Jon58632955 I'd never heard of Viz - thank you! MA is very interesting. I have an abridged version by Mark Forstater that I find intriguing - not so much the text, as the action of doing that abridgement. I suspect it's a good way to engage seriously with a text: https://t.co/jvIzJTZtLq
Impro
Keith Johnstone
First published in 1987. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.@coen_armstrong Oh, I've meant to read Rapoport forever, thank you for the suggestion! "Impro" was a surprise hit for me. I question the, er, status he gives to status. But that's a quibble: it's a great book!
Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance (Political Economy of Institutions and Decisions)
Douglass C. North
An analytical framework for explaining the ways in which institutions and institutional change affect the performance of economies is developed in this analysis of economic structures.@crabl Great book, and deeply influential on my current work! Your mini-review "might actually have enjoyed [...]" is wonderful :-)
Quantum Computing Since Democritus
Scott Aaronson
Takes students and researchers on a tour through some of the deepest ideas of maths, computer science and physics.@AlexLavin_C137 Lovely book! I wrote one of the endorsements. IIRC I suggested to one of my publishers to publish Scott's notes that the book is based on, but it turned out he already had a deal.
Proofs and Refutations
Imre Lakatos
@perceptophore One of my favorite books ever. I can't shut up about it, actually: https://t.co/XhZI15659h
Skunk Works
Ben R. Rich
This classic history of America's high-stakes quest to dominate the skies is "a gripping technothriller in which the technology is real" (New York Times Book Review). From the development of the U-2 to the Stealth fighter, Skunk Works is the true story of America's most secret and successful aerospace operation. As recounted by Ben Rich, the operation's brilliant boss for nearly two decades, the chronicle of Lockheed's legendary Skunk Works is a drama of cold war confrontations and Gulf War air combat, of extraordinary feats of engineering and human achievement against fantastic odds. Here are up-close portraits of the maverick band of scientists and engineers who made the Skunk Works so renowned. Filled with telling personal anecdotes and high adventure, with narratives from the CIA and from Air Force pilots who flew the many classified, risky missions, this book is a riveting portrait of the most spectacular aviation triumphs of the twentieth century. "Thoroughly engrossing." --Los Angeles Times Book Review@dassicity Absolutely loved it. Read it more than 20 years ago, at the very strong recommendation of an ex-girlfriend who worked for Lockheed-Martin. There's rarely a week I don't think of it.
The Logic of Collective Action
Mancur Olson
Olson develops a theory of group and organizational behavior that cuts across disciplinary lines and illustrates the theory with empirical and historical studies of particular organizations, examining the extent to which individuals who share a common interest find it in their individual interest to bear the costs of the organizational effort.@johncarlosbaez One of my favorite books is Mancur Olson's "The Logic of Collective Action", which among other things discusses how trade unions grow. Kinda similar :-)
The Inner Game of Work
W. Timothy Gallwey
Explains how to overcome the inner obstacles that prevent readers from accomplishing excellence, success, and fulfillment in the workplace and describes how such tools as focus, awareness, mobility, and coaching can offer a radical new approach to business performance.@jordanschnyc @ArtirKel Not the kind of focus I'm talking about, though a lovely book. (BTW, I recommend "The Inner Game of Work" over "... Tennis", though both are excellent.)
Also reflecting on Freeman Dyson's beautiful title, "The Scientist as Rebel": https://t.co/T99tGh00SX
Sustainable Energy - Without the Hot Air
David JC MacKay
Provides an overview of the sustainable energy crisis that is threatening the world's natural resources, explaining how energy consumption is estimated and how those numbers have been skewed by various factors and discussing alternate forms of energy that can and should be used.@dmthomann It's a lovely book (though dated), and I recommend it often. But it doesn't address the issues I described at all.
The Ear of the Heart
Mother Dolores Hart OSB
I should have checked: she has an autobiography: https://t.co/eloRGmu4HE
Science, Money, and Politics
Daniel S. Greenberg
Greenberg explores how scientific research is funded in the United States, including why the political process distributes the funds the way it does and how it can be corrupted by special interests in academia, business, and political machines.I've particularly enjoyed (and learned from) Daniel Greenberg, eg: https://t.co/pI2Wifr7qO (I disagree with much in that, but it was a very interesting read, as is much of his writing).
The Remains of the Day
Kazuo Ishiguro
*Kazuo Ishiguro's new novel Klara and the Sun is now available to preorder* From the Nobel Prize-winning author of Never Let Me Go Winner of the Booker Prize ONE OF THE BBC'S '100 NOVELS THAT SHAPED OUR WORLD' A contemporary classic, The Remains of the Day is Kazuo Ishiguro's beautiful and haunting evocation of life between the wars in a Great English House. In the summer of 1956, Stevens, the ageing butler of Darlington Hall, embarks on a leisurely holiday that will take him deep into the English countryside and into his past.@tommycollison Ishiguro's "Remains of the Day" is a book & movie I absolutely love. I've seen the movie of NLYG, but haven't read it.
General Theory of Relativity (Physics Notes)
P. A.M. Dirac
The Dirac book, BTW: https://t.co/wbwujq4JaM Great book! I learned a lot about GR from it (particularly in concert with Isham's book on differential geometry, & @seanmcarroll's wonderful short notes, which I carried around with me for months: https://t.co/agSq4gKA1c ).
The Inner Game of Tennis
W. Timothy Gallwey
Concentrates upon overcoming mental attitudes that adversely affect tennis performance, including learning to relax, effectively concentrating, and discarding bad habits@christinacaci @brettberson Oh, so fun to see this here! One of my favourite books. Love this clip of Alan Kay showing Tim Gallwey teaching tennis: https://t.co/meeuDdXjNF
The Righteous Mind
Jonathan Haidt
Presents a groundbreaking investigation into the origins of morality at the core of religion and politics, offering scholarly insight into the motivations behind cultural clashes that are polarizing America.When reading popular books in a field I'm often uncertain how to treat the evidence. I'm reading Haidt's "The Righteous Mind". Fascinating, and much agrees with my prejudices. But I worry about caveats & counter-evidence that may not have made it into the book
From Dawn to Decadence
Jacques Barzun
Highly regarded here and abroad for some thirty works of cultural history and criticism, master historian Jacques Barzun has now set down in one continuous narrative the sum of his discoveries and conclusions about the whole of Western culture since 1500. In this account, Barzun describes what Western Man wrought from the Renaisance and Reformation down to the present in the double light of its own time and our pressing concerns. He introduces characters and incidents with his unusual literary style and grace, bringing to the fore those that have "Puritans as Democrats," "The Monarch's Revolution," "The Artist Prophet and Jester" -- show the recurrent role of great themes throughout the eras. The triumphs and defeats of five hundred years form an inspiring saga that modifies the current impression of one long tale of oppression by white European males. Women and their deeds are prominent, and freedom (even in sexual matters) is not an invention of the last decades. And when Barzun rates the present not as a culmination but a decline, he is in no way a prophet of doom. Instead, he shows decadence as the creative novelty that will burst forth -- tomorrow or the next day. Only after a lifetime of separate studies covering a broad territory could a writer create with such ease the synthesis displayed in this magnificent volume.The book is, by the way, tremendous fun to read. I didn't read it all the way through - rather, for some months I would just pick it up, open to a random page, and read. And it was nearly always interesting.
Watership Down
Richard Adams
An allegorical tale of survival about a band of wild rabbits who leave their ancestral home to build a more humane society chronicles their adventures as they search for a safe place to establish a new warren where they can live in peace.Many fascinating recommendations in this thread. Tangential: A book that deeply affected me is "Watership Down". It's a book about power and survival and war and mateship, with quite a bit about leadership thrown in. I read it at age 7, & it's still in me, decades later. https://t.co/QIYvvLlqgv
First Principles
Howard Burton
Oops, that link should be to the in-print edition of the book: https://t.co/ptxQe4cAMf Recommended, if you have any interest at all in this kind of thing - how science works as a social enterprise.
First Principles
Howard Burton
Howard Burton was a freshly-minted physics PhD from the University of Waterloo when a random job query resulted in a strange-albeit fateful-meeting with Research-in-Motion founder and co-CEO Mike Lazaridis. Mike had a crazy idea: he wanted to fund a state-of-the-art science research facility and bring in the most innovative scientists from around the world. Its mission? To study and probe the most complex, intriguing and fundamental problems of science. Mike was ready to commit $100 million of his own money to get it started. But that wasn't his only crazy idea. He wanted Howard to run it. First Principles is part-biography and part lively rumination on the world-and the world of science in particular-by the engaging physicist and former director of the prestigious Perimeter Institute in Waterloo, Ontario. Since its founding in 1999, the Institute has received more than $125 million in government grants, not including the eye-popping sum of $150 million that Mike Lazaridis has donated from his own personal fortune.How theoretical physicists approach practical problems. I find this terribly endearing, and certainly recognize it in myself. From @IdeasRoadshow's fascinating book about founding Perimeter Institute: https://t.co/EiWshLXf2Q https://t.co/ogqe9GEbLm
The Scout Mindset
Julia Galef
Wonderful to see @juliagalef's book coming out! I just pre-ordered it: https://t.co/36MAZNTAAa Julia's good-faith and open-minded-but-rigorous approach to conversation is an ongoing inspiration to me. I'm excited to see this out! https://t.co/qF3zijNZc7
Accelerando
Charles Stross
Trying to cope with the unchecked technological innovations that have rendered humankind nearly obsolete, the members of the Macx family are confronted by an unknown enemy that is systematically attempting to annihilate all biological lifeforms.@minney_cat Charles Stress’s book Accelerando explored some ideas in this vein. So did Cory Doctorow’s Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom. Both are pretty good, if you haven’t read them, and like that kind of thing
Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom
Cory Doctorow
@minney_cat Charles Stress’s book Accelerando explored some ideas in this vein. So did Cory Doctorow’s Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom. Both are pretty good, if you haven’t read them, and like that kind of thing
Cyteen
C.J. Cherryh
The Hugo Award-winning SF saga is now available in one complete trade paperback edition, containing Cyteen: The Betrayal, The Rebirth and The Vindication. "A psychological novel, a murder mystery and an examination of power on a grand scale, encompassing light years and outsize lifetimes".--Locus.@uncatherio Great books, both unlike anything else!
Shards of Honor (2) (Vorkosigan Saga)
Lois McMaster Bujold
FIRST BOOK FEATURING CORDELIA NAISMITH. Journey back to where it all started, from multiple New York Times best selling author, Hugo Award winner, Lois McMaster Bujold. When Cordelia Naismith and her survey crew are attacked by a renegade group from Barrayar, she is taken prisoner by Aral Vorkosigan, commander of the Barrayan ship that has been taken over by an ambitious and ruthless crew member. Aral and Cordelia survive countless mishaps while their mutual admiration and even stronger feelings emerge. About Shards of Honor: “All in all, Shards is a worthy effort, and worth reading for any fan of SF romance.”—Analog About Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan Saga: “Bujold mixes quirky humor with action [and] superb character development…[E]normously satisfying.”—Publishers Weekly. “One of sf’s outstanding talents . . . an outstanding series.”—Booklist “. . . an intelligent, well-crafted and thoroughly satisfying blend of adventure, sociopolitical commentary, scientific experiments, and occasional perils . . . with that extra spicing of romance. . . .”—Locus The Vorkosigan Series in Story-based Chronological Order Falling Free Shards of Honor Barrayar The Warrior's Apprentice The Vor Game Cetaganda Ethan of Athos Borders of Infinity Brothers in Arms Mirror Dance Memory Komarr A Civil Campaign Diplomatic Immunity Captain Vorpatril's Alliance CryoBurn Omnibus Editions MILES, MYSTERY & MAYHEM contains Cetaganda, Ethan of Athos YOUNG MILES contains The Warrior's Apprentice + stories CORDELIA’S HONOR contains Shards of Honor, Barayarr MILES, MUTANTS & MICROBES contains Falling Free, Diplomatic Immunity MILES IN LOVE contains Komarr, A Civil Campaign MILES ERRANT contains Brothers in Arms, Mirror DanceOne of my favorite passages in all literature. It's in Lois Bujold's sci-fi book "Shards of Honor". The heroine, Cordelia Naismith, has just married Count Aral Vorkosigan. She's being question by his Emperor about why they married. https://t.co/FUt2TbmL6M
Governing the Commons
Elinor Ostrom
Tackles one of the most enduring and contentious issues of positive political economy: common pool resource management.It's not strictly about science, but I must also point to Elinor Ostrom's work, especially her wonderful "Governing the Commons" (https://t.co/GhKZoFVAna). It's not quite about managing a knowledge commons, like science, but is deep & wise & sufficiently close to be worth reading
Science Since Babylon (Enlarged Edition)
Derek De Solla Price
Professor Price has enlarged his widely known and influential study of science and the humanities to include much new material, extraordinarily broad in its range: from ancient automata, talismans and symbols, to the differences of modern science and technology. Science since Babylon is now more fascinating and useful than ever to anyone concerned with the humanistic understanding of science. Originating in a series of five public lectures delivered under the auspices of the history department at Yale University in 1959, this book is an investigation of the circumstances and consequences of certain vital decisions relating to scientific crises which have the world to its present state of scientific and technological development. Not just another book on "History of Science," it is a plea, an exemplification for a whole new range of studies to take its place in the territory between the humanities and the sciences. The chapter on "Diseases of Science" has received much public attention as an analysis of the present structure and probable future of the organization of science. The author documents his study with accounts of his own researches in his specific fields of interest, relating them to the "crises" which he believes to be of paramount importance.15. Derek de Solla Price is often recognized (along with Eugene Garfield) as cofounder of scientometrics. He wrote many thoughtful pieces (https://t.co/JfFBLdr5uL ), including "Science Since Babylon": https://t.co/9IJP8xpJi7 https://t.co/U6exMPo6Um
The Sciences of the Artificial, reissue of the third edition with a new introduction by John Laird
Herbert A. Simon
Herbert Simon's classic work on artificial intelligence in the expanded and updated third edition from 1996, with a new introduction by John E. Laird. Herbert Simon's classic and influential The Sciences of the Artificial declares definitively that there can be a science not only of natural phenomena but also of what is artificial. Exploring the commonalities of artificial systems, including economic systems, the business firm, artificial intelligence, complex engineering projects, and social plans, Simon argues that designed systems are a valid field of study, and he proposes a science of design. For this third edition, originally published in 1996, Simon added new material that takes into account advances in cognitive psychology and the science of design while confirming and extending the book's basic thesis: that a physical symbol system has the necessary and sufficient means for intelligent action. Simon won the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1978 for his research into the decision-making process within economic organizations and the Turing Award (considered by some the computer science equivalent to the Nobel) with Allen Newell in 1975 for contributions to artificial intelligence, the psychology of human cognition, and list processing. The Sciences of the Artificial distills the essence of Simon's thought accessibly and coherently. This reissue of the third edition makes a pioneering work available to a new audience.13. More: Herb Simon on "The Sciences of the Artificial", https://t.co/E2NcrgblwB, and @DavidDeutschOxf's "Beginning of Infinity", both of which consider the ultimate scope of human understanding and creativity: https://t.co/cTfJW8vJoL
The Beginning of Infinity
David Deutsch
A pioneer in the field of quantum computation explores the nature and progress of knowledge in the universe, arguing that humans are subject to the laws of physics but unlimited by what can be understood, controlled, and achieved.13. More: Herb Simon on "The Sciences of the Artificial", https://t.co/E2NcrgblwB, and @DavidDeutschOxf's "Beginning of Infinity", both of which consider the ultimate scope of human understanding and creativity: https://t.co/cTfJW8vJoL
The Sciences of the Artificial - 3rd Edition
Herbert A Simon
"People sometimes ask me what they should read to find out about artificial intelligence. Herbert Simon's book The Sciences of the Artificial is always on the list I give them. Every page issues a challenge to conventional thinking, and the layman who digests it well will certainly understand what the field of artificial intelligence hopes to accomplish. I recommend it in the same spirit that I recommend Freud to people who ask about psychoanalysis, or Piaget to those who ask about child psychology: If you want to learn about a subject, start by reading its founding fathers." -- George A. Miller, "Complex Information Processing" Continuing his exploration of the organization of complexity and the science of design, this new edition of Herbert Simon's classic work on artificial intelligence adds a chapter that sorts out the current themes and tools -- chaos, adaptive systems, genetic algorithms -- for analyzing complexity and complex systems.@RhysLindmark Yes, David's book (indeed, both) are just wonderful. Reminds me of Herb Simon's "Sciences of the Artificial", another of my favorite books. I should really read Merchants of Doubt!
Science, Money, and Politics
Daniel S. Greenberg
Greenberg explores how scientific research is funded in the United States, including why the political process distributes the funds the way it does and how it can be corrupted by special interests in academia, business, and political machines.7. One of our best long-term observers of science and science policy was Daniel Greenberg (who passed away last year). Many possibilities to choose from, but here's one I got a lot out of: "Science, Money, and Politics": https://t.co/8QANkuL6ZA
Creativity in Science
Dean Keith Simonton
Sample Text2. Dean Keith Simonton's book "Creativity in Science: Chance, Logic, Genius, and Zeitgeist". If an essentially scientometric book could be described as a fun romp through science & creativity, this would be it https://t.co/RQ935H1fKs
Cell Biology by the Numbers
Ron Milo
Very little in our human experience is truly comparable to the immensely crowded and bustling interior of a cell. Biological numeracy provides a new kind of understanding of the cellular world. This book brings together up-to-date quantitative data from the vast biological literature and uses the powerful tool of "back of the envelope" estimates to reveal fresh perspectives and insights from numbers commonly encountered in cell biology. Readers gain a feeling for the sizes, concentrations, energies, and rates that characterize the lives of cells-- thereby shedding new light on the microscopic realm.Thread inspired by the (terrific) book "Cell Biology by the Numbers": https://t.co/vH5Jo7f1fp
Biology Is Technology
Robert H. Carlson
17. @rob_carlson's excellent book "Biology is Technology" has a great discussion of the necessity of predictive quantitative models for design and engineering. Here's an excerpt, which repays thought IMO: https://t.co/9Ta64fFzG0
Dune
Frank Herbert
Follows the adventures of Paul Atreides, the son of a betrayed duke given up for dead on a treacherous desert planet and adopted by its fierce, nomadic people, who help him unravel his most unexpected destiny.@NatureInTheory @curiouswavefn Enjoy Stephenson - the best bits, in particular, are amazing! I enjoyed "Dune", though not the later books; I also found "Dune" quite difficult to get into, but once I did it was great! Also loved Carolyn Cherryh's "Cyteen" https://t.co/HgYHkSFFw5
@NatureInTheory @curiouswavefn Enjoy Stephenson - the best bits, in particular, are amazing! I enjoyed "Dune", though not the later books; I also found "Dune" quite difficult to get into, but once I did it was great! Also loved Carolyn Cherryh's "Cyteen" https://t.co/HgYHkSFFw5
His Dark Materials 3-Book Paperback Boxed Set
Philip Pullman
Lyra Belacqua tries to prevent kidnapped children from becoming the subject of gruesome experiments, helps Will Parry search for his father, and finds that she and Will are caught in a battle between the forces of the Authority and those gathered by her uncle, Lord Asriel.@andy_matuschak I'm not sure the audio books "substantially upgraded" the experience, but I did very much enjoy the "His Dark Materials" audio books. Certainly, they gave a different quality to it - I can still remember many of the voices.
Thought and Choice in Chess
Adriaan de Groot
What does a chess master think when he prepares his next move? How are his thoughts organized? Which methods and strategies does he use by solving his problem of choice? To answer these questions, the author did an experimental study in 1938, to which famous chessmasters participated (Alekhine, Max Euwe and Flohr). This book is still useful for everybody who studies cognition and artificial intelligence. The studies involve participants of all chess backgrounds, from amateurs to masters. They investigate the cognitive requirements and the thought processes involved in moving a chess piece. The participants were usually required to solve a given chess problem correctly under the supervision of an experimenter and represent their thought-processes vocally so that they could be recorded. De Groot found that much of what is important in choosing a move occurs during the first few seconds of exposure to a new position. Four stages in the task of choosing the next move were noted. The first stage was the 'orientation phase', in which the subject assessed the situation and determined a general idea of what to do next. The second stage, the 'exploration phase' was manifested by looking at some branches of the game tree. The third stage, or 'investigation phase' resulted in the subject choosing a probable best move. Finally, in the fourth stage, the 'proof phase', saw the subject confirming with him/herself that the results of the investigation were valid. De Groot concurred with Alfred Binet that visual memory and visual perception are important and that problem-solving ability is of paramount importance. Memory is particularly important, according to de Groot (1965), in that there are no 'new' moves in chess and so those from personal experience or from the experience of others can be committed to memory.Fun early papers on this were written about chess by the great Herb Simon (eg https://t.co/x6tgiHyBm6 ) and by Adriaan de Groot (eg https://t.co/UlAMezxOTO ).
His Dark Materials 3-Book Paperback Boxed Set
Philip Pullman
Lyra Belacqua tries to prevent kidnapped children from becoming the subject of gruesome experiments, helps Will Parry search for his father, and finds that she and Will are caught in a battle between the forces of the Authority and those gathered by her uncle, Lord Asriel.@robot__dreams @kanjun @InquilineKea Nice list! I liked the "His Dark Materials" books, too. Lyra's pluck is pretty amazing.
Technopoly
Neil Postman
A social critic argues that the United States has become a "technopoly"--a system that sacrifices social institutions for self-perpetuating technological advancement--and suggests ways to use technical skills to enhance our democracy@joaoeira @Noahpinion @bhorowitz The first few chapters of Technopoly remain a favourite. I do not get much out of Morozov, unfortunately.
Working in Public
Nadia Eghbal
Whoo! Excited to see @nayafia's book "Working in Public: The Making & Maintenance of Open Source Software" now for pre-order https://t.co/5mgd87Idp0 If you haven't seen her "Roads&Bridges: The Unseen Labor Behind Our Digital Infrastructure" it's a classic https://t.co/r42tnQMUDp
Governing the Commons
Elinor Ostrom
Congratulations to Elinor Ostrom, Co-Winner of The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2009! The governance of natural resources used by many individuals in common is an issue of increasing concern to policy analysts. Both state control and privatization of resources have been advocated, but neither the state nor the market have been uniformly successful in solving common pool resource problems. After critiquing the foundations of policy analysis as applied to natural resources, Elinor Ostrom here provides a unique body of empirical data to explore conditions under which common pool resource problems have been satisfactorily or unsatisfactorily solved. Dr. Ostrom first describes three models most frequently used as the foundation for recommending state or market solutions. She then outlines theoretical and empirical alternatives to these models in order to illustrate the diversity of possible solutions. In the following chapters she uses institutional analysis to examine different ways--both successful and unsuccessful--of governing the commons. In contrast to the proposition of the tragedy of the commons argument, common pool problems sometimes are solved by voluntary organizations rather than by a coercive state. Among the cases considered are communal tenure in meadows and forests, irrigation communities and other water rights, and fisheries.Lovely - Vienna is building a new park, filled with public goods, to be named after Elinor Ostrom. One of my most recommended books is Ostrom's remarkable "Governing the Commons": https://t.co/547TURB57b https://t.co/2Z5I90XEOC https://t.co/7pZ8we27sl
The Logic Of Failure
Dietrich Dorner
@zooko @bfeld @IanHathaway This is great. Reminds me of: https://t.co/wB7W3J9lZl (Which is a very good book, in addition to having a magnificent cover.)
失败的逻辑
德尔纳
@Altimor Similarly, the excellent "Logic of Failure": https://t.co/u6bOVu2eBE
What Should I Do with My Life?
Po Bronson
The bestselling author of "Bombardiers" and "The First $20 Million Is Always the Hardest" traveled the world in search of people who had found meaningful answers to one of life's greatest questions: What should I do with my life?"@sriramk @paulg Another good book with a related premise is Po Bronson's "What Should I Do With My Life?" Upon reflection, I suspect if I reread Terkel today I'd get far more out of it. At the time, I don't think I knew how to read that book well.
Technopoly
Neil Postman
A social critic argues that the United States has become a "technopoly"--a system that sacrifices social institutions for self-perpetuating technological advancement--and suggests ways to use technical skills to enhance our democracy@Clever_MetaName @literalbanana Neil Postman's book "Technopoly" ties together religion, technocracy, and bureaucratic control in a related way. He discusses many "transcendent narratives", from the Talmud to Marx to the belief in efficiency (narrowly defined) espoused by many bureaucracies.
Better
Atul Gawande
Explores the efforts of physicians to close the gap between best intentions and best performance in the face of insurmountable obstacles, discussing such topics as the ethical considerations of lethal injections, malpractice, and surgical errors.The WHO campaign to eradicate polio: a single new case comes in, & 5 days later 37,000 vaccinators have vaccinated 4.2 million children in 50,000 square miles around the initial case Done on a shoestring, & with very limited authority From Atul Gawande's excellent book "Better" https://t.co/zatOaAxaZB
The John McPhee Reader
John McPhee
@rememberlenny @paulg Very good choices. If you want just a taste, try "The John McPhee reader", which is a sample of some shorter essays. They ranged from extremely good to extraordinary, IMO.
In the Name of Identity
Amin Maalouf
I want to try and understand why so many people commit crimes in the name of identity,” writes Amin Maalouf. Identity is the crucible out of which we come: our background, our race, our gender, our tribal affiliations, our religion (or lack thereof), all go into making up who we are. All too often, however, the notion of identity—personal, religious, ethnic, or national—has given rise to heated passions and even massive crimes. Moving across the world’s history, faiths, and politics, he argues against an oversimplified and hostile interpretation of the concept. He cogently and persuasively examines identity in the context of the modern world, where it can be viewed as both glory and poison. Evident here are the dangers of using identity as a protective—and therefore aggressive—mechanism, the root of racial, geographical, and colonialist subjugation throughout history. Maalouf contends that many of us would reject our inherited conceptions of identity, to which we cling through habit, if only we examined them more closely. The future of society depends on accepting all identities, while recognizing our individualism.@eriktorenberg @glenweyl (Tangential, but Amin Maalouf's book "In the Name of Identity" has an interesting discussion of how we construct unique identities as the intersection of the communities to which we belong.)
Stories of Your Life and Others
Ted Chiang
Ted Chiang's first published story, "Tower of Babylon," won the Nebula Award for 1990. Now, collected for the first time, are all seven of this extraordinary writer's extraordinary stories--plus a new story written especially for this volume.Recently reread Ted Chiang's "Story of Your Life" (for the fourth time, I think), and "Exhalation". It's such a joy to read him in real time. I suspect he's one of the great writers Apologies for the hyping, which I know can create unmet expectations. Still, I'm just blown away
Exhalation
Ted Chiang
ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES 10 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR A NATIONAL BESTSELLER "Exhalation by Ted Chiang is a collection of short stories that will make you think, grapple with big questions, and feel more human. The best kind of science fiction." --Barack Obama From the acclaimed author of Stories of Your Life and Others--the basis for the Academy Award -nominated film Arrival: a groundbreaking new collection of short fiction. "THE UNIVERSE BEGAN AS AN ENORMOUS BREATH BEING HELD." In these nine stunningly original, provocative, and poignant stories, Ted Chiang tackles some of humanity's oldest questions along with new quandaries only he could imagine. In "The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate," a portal through time forces a fabric seller in ancient Baghdad to grapple with past mistakes and second chances. In "Exhalation," an alien scientist makes a shocking discovery with ramifications that are literally universal. In "Anxiety Is the Dizziness of Freedom," the ability to glimpse into alternate universes necessitates a radically new examination of the concepts of choice and free will. Including stories being published for the first time as well as some of his rare and classic uncollected work, Exhalation is Ted Chiang at his best: profound, sympathetic--revelatory.Recently reread Ted Chiang's "Story of Your Life" (for the fourth time, I think), and "Exhalation". It's such a joy to read him in real time. I suspect he's one of the great writers Apologies for the hyping, which I know can create unmet expectations. Still, I'm just blown away
The Silmarillion
J.R.R. Tolkien
RIP Christopher Tolkien. "The Silmarillion" and "Unfinished Tales", two books he edited, were two of my favourite books growing up. https://t.co/0l7DJfIztq
Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth
J.R.R. Tolkien
RIP Christopher Tolkien. "The Silmarillion" and "Unfinished Tales", two books he edited, were two of my favourite books growing up. https://t.co/0l7DJfIztq
Cyteen
C.J. Cherryh
The Hugo Award-winning SF saga is now available in one complete trade paperback edition, containing Cyteen: The Betrayal, The Rebirth and The Vindication. "A psychological novel, a murder mystery and an examination of power on a grand scale, encompassing light years and outsize lifetimes".--Locus.Short reviews of books & authors is, itself, a wonderful genre. Here's a classic, Cosma Shalizi on the marvellous Carolyn Cherryh. Cherryh's "Cyteen" is one of my favourite books. https://t.co/Wj6UkDKLqB
The Psychology of Invention in the Mathematical Field
Jacques Hadamard
Thoughtful and articulate study of the origin of ideas. Role of the unconscious in invention; the medium of ideas — do they come to mind in words? in pictures? in mathematical terms? Much more. "It is essential for the mathematician, and the layman will find it good reading." — Library Journal.@F_Vaggi @paulg Do you mean Hadamard's book? "The Psychology of Invention in the Mathematical Field"?
@DavidDeutschOxf One of the leads on ScopeX wrote this little book about geoengineering: https://t.co/ajG4FVoIuc
- In Drawdown, renowned environmentalist Paul Hawken has assembled a team of over 200 scholars, scientists, policymakers, business leaders and activists to illustrate the hundred most substantive solutions to combat climate change that together will not only slow down the growth of carbon emissions, but reverse them altogether. Put into action together, these solutions will mobilise society into taking the climate change conversation from problem definition to problem solving, from fear and apathy to collaboration and regeneration.
A few resources, which I don't necessarily have strong opinions on: Drawdown: from Paul Hawken and a large team of researchers. https://t.co/QJtGWhjW4i
The Language Instinct
Steven Pinker
In this classic, the world's expert on language and mind lucidly explains everything you always wanted to know about language: how it works, how children learn it, how it changes, how the brain computes it, and how it evolved. With deft use of examples of humor and wordplay, Steven Pinker weaves our vast knowledge of language into a compelling story: language is a human instinct, wired into our brains by evolution. The Language Instinct received the William James Book Prize from the American Psychological Association and the Public Interest Award from the Linguistics Society of America. This edition includes an update on advances in the science of language since The Language Instinct was first published.One of my favourite opening lines in literature is Steven Pinker's opening to "The Language Instinct": "As you are reading these words, you are taking part in one of the wonders of the natural world."
The New Atlantis
Sir Francis Bacon
What it wasn't: Bacon's "New Atlantis". There's certainly antecedents for open science in Bacon's vision. But I don't believe he uses the term.
Reinventing Discovery
Michael Nielsen
@buirachel Now I'm shilling for my own book, "Reinventing Discovery"! https://t.co/j5mFDSrcos
Governing the Commons
Elinor Ostrom
Tackles one of the most enduring and contentious issues of positive political economy: common pool resource management.And Elinor Ostrom's "Governing the Commons" - my most-frequently bought book, I believe - is a wonderful book about setting up functioning commons. Not directly open science, but very relevant: https://t.co/Iivzlivrbi
Henry Oldenburg
Marie Boas Hall
May as well add: Mary Boas Hall's biography of Henry Oldenburg is a wonderful, more personal account that is wrapped up with the origins of open science. https://t.co/NvR5Rpww0m (Yeah, that price. I read a library version - then shelled out for my own copy.)
Quantum Computation and Quantum Information
Michael A. Nielsen
One of the most cited books in physics of all time, Quantum Computation and Quantum Information remains the best textbook in this exciting field of science. This 10th anniversary edition includes an introduction from the authors setting the work in context. This comprehensive textbook describes such remarkable effects as fast quantum algorithms, quantum teleportation, quantum cryptography and quantum error-correction. Quantum mechanics and computer science are introduced before moving on to describe what a quantum computer is, how it can be used to solve problems faster than 'classical' computers and its real-world implementation. It concludes with an in-depth treatment of quantum information. Containing a wealth of figures and exercises, this well-known textbook is ideal for courses on the subject, and will interest beginning graduate students and researchers in physics, computer science, mathematics, and electrical engineering.@_NicT_ @andy_matuschak It's explained on page 108 of my book with Ike Chuang, "Quantum Computation and Quantum Information". Depending on your background, you may need to read back in the book (it uses things like the reduced density operator and other things).
Against Method
Paul Feyerabend
Beyond Popper and Kuhn to an anarchist philosophy of science.@The_Lagrangian @Meaningness I read "Against Method" when I was 17, and it really got into the core of how I think about science. "Epistemological anarchist" sounds about right.
The macroscope
Joël de Rosnay
@eriktorenberg Related: I recommend Joel de Rosnay's book "The Macroscope". Not about the noosphere, but definitely related. The author has an English translation online somewhere, Google will know where.
The Phenomenon of Man (Harper Perennial Modern Thought)
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
Visionary theologian and evolutionary theorist Pierre Teilhard de Chardin applied his whole life, his tremendous intellect, and his great spiritual faith to building a philosophy that would reconcile religion with the scientific theory of evolution. In this timeless book, which contains the quintessence of his thought, Teilhard argues that just as living organisms sprung from inorganic matter and evolved into ever more complex thinking beings, humans are evolving toward an "omega point"—defined by Teilhard as a convergence with the Divine.@eriktorenberg I read part of Teilhard de Chardin's book on it, crouching in the library stacks, as a teenager. I remember the book as pretty weird and wild and interesting. IIRC it was "The Phenomenon of Man", though Wikipedia suggests "Cosmogenesis".
- This is a practical anthology of some of the best elementary problems in different branches of mathematics. Arranged by subject, the problems highlight the most common problem-solving techniques encountered in undergraduate mathematics. This book teaches the important principles and broad strategies for coping with the experience of solving problems. It has been found very helpful for students preparing for the Putnam exam.
@johncarlosbaez Huh. I'd forgotten that. Another book which I loved, and spent hundreds of hours with, is Larson's "Problem Solving Through Problems". More than anything I learnt the basics of discrete math from that book.
Concrete Mathematics
Ronald L. Graham
This book, updated and improved, introduces the mathematics that supports advanced computer programming and the analysis of algorithms. The primary aim of its well-known authors is to provide a solid and relevant base of mathematical skills--the skills needed to solve complex problems, to evaluate horrendous-looking sums, to solve complex recurrence relations, and to discover subtle patterns in data. It is an indispensable text and reference, not only for computer scientists but for all technical professionals in virtually every discipline.@johncarlosbaez I thought Graham, Knuth, and Patashnik's "Concrete Mathematics" was very good when I read (part of) it, and wished I'd come to it right when I'd started mathematics. Haven't looked at it in years.
The Logic Of Failure
Dietrich Dorner
An incisive analysis of real-life situations that helps all those involved in any kind of strategic planning recognize and avoid logical yet devastating errors.@DRMacIver Much less horrifying, but I quite enjoyed "The Logic of Failure". Has one of the best covers ever: https://t.co/PR8dAhB6Wa
Proofs and Refutations
Imre Lakatos
Just ordered Brand's "How Buildings Learn", Illich's "Deschooling Society", Ostrom's "Governing the Commons", Adams's "Watership Down", Lakatos's "Proofs and Refutations", Gleick's "Genius". Six books I love, and hope someone else will enjoy too.
Governing the Commons
Elinor Ostrom
Tackles one of the most enduring and contentious issues of positive political economy: common pool resource management.Just ordered Brand's "How Buildings Learn", Illich's "Deschooling Society", Ostrom's "Governing the Commons", Adams's "Watership Down", Lakatos's "Proofs and Refutations", Gleick's "Genius". Six books I love, and hope someone else will enjoy too.
Deschooling Society
Ivan Illich
Illich suggests radical reforms for the education system to stop its headlong rush towards frustrated expectations and inequalities.Just ordered Brand's "How Buildings Learn", Illich's "Deschooling Society", Ostrom's "Governing the Commons", Adams's "Watership Down", Lakatos's "Proofs and Refutations", Gleick's "Genius". Six books I love, and hope someone else will enjoy too.
How Buildings Learn
Stewart Brand
Just ordered Brand's "How Buildings Learn", Illich's "Deschooling Society", Ostrom's "Governing the Commons", Adams's "Watership Down", Lakatos's "Proofs and Refutations", Gleick's "Genius". Six books I love, and hope someone else will enjoy too.
Watership Down
Richard Adams
WINNER of the Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Animated Program Now a Netflix animated miniseries starring James McAvoy, Nicholas Hoult, and Oscar and Grammy award-winner Sir Ben Kingsley. A worldwide bestseller for more than forty years, Watership Down is the compelling tale of a band of wild rabbits struggling to hold onto their place in the world—“a classic yarn of discovery and struggle” (The New York Times). Richard Adams’s Watership Down is a timeless classic and one of the most beloved novels of all time. Set in the Hampshire Downs in Southern England, an idyllic rural landscape, this stirring tale of “suspense, hot pursuit, and derring-do” (Chicago Tribune) follows a band of rabbits in flight from the incursion of man and the destruction of their home. Led by a stouthearted pair of brothers, they travel forth from their native Sandleford warren through harrowing trials to a mysterious promised land and a more perfect society. “A marvelous story of rebellion, exile, and survival” (Sunday Telegraph) this is an unforgettable literary classic for all ages.Just ordered Brand's "How Buildings Learn", Illich's "Deschooling Society", Ostrom's "Governing the Commons", Adams's "Watership Down", Lakatos's "Proofs and Refutations", Gleick's "Genius". Six books I love, and hope someone else will enjoy too.
Genius
James Gleick
A biography of the flamboyant Nobel Prize-winning scientist describes how Feynman cracked safes, played the bongos, studied the behavior of Jell-O, and conducted experiments in seduction, all in the name of science. Reprint. 125,000 first printing. $50,000 ad/promo. Tour.Just ordered Brand's "How Buildings Learn", Illich's "Deschooling Society", Ostrom's "Governing the Commons", Adams's "Watership Down", Lakatos's "Proofs and Refutations", Gleick's "Genius". Six books I love, and hope someone else will enjoy too.
Topology from the Differentiable Viewpoint
John Willard Milnor
This elegant book by distinguished mathematician John Milnor, provides a clear and succinct introduction to one of the most important subjects in modern mathematics. Beginning with basic concepts such as diffeomorphisms and smooth manifolds, he goes on to examine tangent spaces, oriented manifolds, and vector fields. Key concepts such as homotopy, the index number of a map, and the Pontryagin construction are discussed. The author presents proofs of Sard's theorem and the Hopf theorem.@braised_babbage @JaminSpeer Fun suggestion. I tried to read "Topology from the Differentiable Viewpoint" years ago, and must admit I didn't connect. I wonder how I'd enjoy it now.
Sustainable Energy - Without the Hot Air
David JC MacKay
Provides an overview of the sustainable energy crisis that is threatening the world's natural resources, explaining how energy consumption is estimated and how those numbers have been skewed by various factors and discussing alternate forms of energy that can and should be used.@richardtomsett @JaminSpeer Really enjoying the frequency with which McKay's name comes up; I feel there's a message here. I loved his "Sustainable Energy [etc]". I should read more.
Governing the Commons
Elinor Ostrom
Tackles one of the most enduring and contentious issues of positive political economy: common pool resource management.@Conaw Let me plug Ostrom's "Governing the Commons" (again) as a great book on open source, despite being written ~1990. And Schelling's book on Micromotives and Macrobehaviour is pretty great too. I read it before finishing RD, but didn't appreciate it as much as I have since come to
Barbarian Days
William Finnegan
Surfing only looks like a sport. To initiates, it is something else entirely: a beautiful addiction, a demanding course of study, a morally dangerous pastime, a way of life. Raised in California and Hawaii, Finnegan started surfing as a child. He has chased waves all over the world, wandering for years through the South Pacific, Australia, Asia, Africa. A bookish boy, and then an excessively adventurous young man, he went on to become a writer and war reporter. Barbarian Days takes us deep into unfamiliar worlds, some of them right under our noses -- off the coasts of New York and San Francisco. It immerses the reader in the edgy camaraderie of close male friendships annealed in challenging waves.Mavericks just before 2pm today. Good spot to finish reading William Finnegan's superb "Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life". https://t.co/rSHvxV3rrE
Reading Disentangled
Favell Lee Mortimer
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.@gwern @calebmontiveros @Altimor Fun fact: I believe there are premade cards in this too, from the 19th century: https://t.co/1IHwNNApgt (My copy is still on its way, so I'm not yet sure.)
Frank Herbert (Recognitions)
Tim O'Reilly
A study of the creator of the Dune saga, a landmark of modern science fiction.@simonw @timoreilly In a lovely piece of symmetry, both books are now available from Amazon: https://t.co/E62Jqn9Fwj and https://t.co/gnxJb4AAhc Just ordered the second.
The Maker of Dune
Frank Herbert
A compendium of Herbert's essays, articles, observations, reminiscences and meditations, as well as a never-before-published interview with the late writer@simonw @timoreilly In a lovely piece of symmetry, both books are now available from Amazon: https://t.co/E62Jqn9Fwj and https://t.co/gnxJb4AAhc Just ordered the second.
Ducks
William Cook
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.@flantz It's this one: https://t.co/ET5JoU2PZe
Technopoly
Neil Postman
A social critic argues that the United States has become a "technopoly"--a system that sacrifices social institutions for self-perpetuating technological advancement--and suggests ways to use technical skills to enhance our democracy@glenweyl @ESYudkowsky Have you read Neil Postman's "Technopoly"? It's perhaps the most striking argument against technocracy I've seen. https://t.co/DsGQXDQ50V
First Man
James R. Hansen
Soon to be a major motion picture, this is the first—and only—definitive authorized account of Neil Armstrong, the man whose “one small step” changed history. When Apollo 11 touched down on the Moon’s surface in 1969, the first man on the Moon became a legend. In First Man, author James R. Hansen explores the life of Neil Armstrong. Based on over fifty hours of interviews with the intensely private Armstrong, who also gave Hansen exclusive access to private documents and family sources, this “magnificent panorama of the second half of the American twentieth century” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) is an unparalleled biography of an American icon. In this “compelling and nuanced portrait” (Chicago Tribune) filled with revelations, Hansen vividly recreates Armstrong’s career in flying, from his seventy-eight combat missions as a naval aviator flying over North Korea to his formative trans-atmospheric flights in the rocket-powered X-15 to his piloting Gemini VIII to the first-ever docking in space. For a pilot who cared more about flying to the Moon than he did about walking on it, Hansen asserts, Armstrong’s storied vocation exacted a dear personal toll, paid in kind by his wife and children. For the near-fifty years since the Moon landing, rumors have swirled around Armstrong concerning his dreams of space travel, his religious beliefs, and his private life. A penetrating exploration of American hero worship, Hansen addresses the complex legacy of the First Man, as an astronaut and as an individual. “First Man burrows deep into Armstrong’s past and present…What emerges is an earnest and brave man” (Houston Chronicle) who will forever be known as history’s most famous space traveler.@suzatweet @AlSalehSarahs I should reread both these. I enjoyed both circa age 20, but suspect I'd read them very differently now. Camus' autobiographical "The First Man" has had a lasting impact on my life.
Matrix Analysis (Graduate Texts in Mathematics)
Rajendra Bhatia
This book presents a substantial part of matrix analysis that is functional analytic in spirit. Topics covered include the theory of majorization, variational principles for eigenvalues, operator monotone and convex functions, and perturbation of matrix functions and matrix inequalities. The book offers several powerful methods and techniques of wide applicability, and it discusses connections with other areas of mathematics.@DRMacIver Bhatia's "Matrix Analysis" and Cooks' "Ducks: And How to Make Them Pay" seem like a promising combo.
Ducks
William Cook
This book has been considered by academicians and scholars of great significance and value to literature. This forms a part of the knowledge base for future generations. So that the book is never forgotten we have represented this book in a print format as the same form as it was originally first published. Hence any marks or annotations seen are left intentionally to preserve its true nature.@DRMacIver Bhatia's "Matrix Analysis" and Cooks' "Ducks: And How to Make Them Pay" seem like a promising combo.
Governing the Commons
Elinor Ostrom
Tackles one of the most enduring and contentious issues of positive political economy: common pool resource management.@webdevMason SICP. Watership Down. Governing the Commons. How Buildings learn. Death and Life of Great American Cities. Cosmos.
How Buildings Learn
Stewart Brand
@webdevMason SICP. Watership Down. Governing the Commons. How Buildings learn. Death and Life of Great American Cities. Cosmos.
The Death and Life of Great American Cities
Jane Jacobs
Penetrating analysis of the functions and organization of city neighborhoods, the forces of deterioration and regeneration, and the necessary planning innovations@webdevMason SICP. Watership Down. Governing the Commons. How Buildings learn. Death and Life of Great American Cities. Cosmos.
The Story of Human Language
John McWhorter
@devonzuegel One of my favourite things learned this year: baboons have been known to sit down, put their arms around one another, and watch the sunset together. Source: https://t.co/TMocKCIRv4
A Pattern Language
Christopher Alexander
Two hundred and fifty-three archetypal patterns consisting of problem statements, discussions, illustrations, and solutions provide lay persons with a framework for engaging in architectural design@melsreallife @stewartbrand @kevin2kelly I love "A Pattern Language"! Also, this note from CA is a favourite mini-essay: https://t.co/poUmHWm8uI
The Transparent Society
David Brin
Argues that the privacy of individuals actually hampers accountability, which is the foundation of any civilized society and that openness is far more liberating than secrecy@juliagalef @dgkimpton David Brin's book "The Transparent Society" accepts that logic and explores the consequences of a society without privacy. It's old - mid-90s - but I enjoyed the exploration.