Motley Moose – Archive

Since 2008 – Progress Through Politics

What are you reading? June 19, 2013

For those who are new … we discuss books.  I list what I’m reading, and people comment with what they’re reading.  Sometimes, on Sundays, I post a special edition on a particular genre or topic.

If you like to trade books, try bookmooch

I’ve written some book reviews on Yahoo Voices:

Book reviews on Yahoo

Just finished

Heechee Rendezvous by Fred Pohl. The third book in the Heechee series. This was a re-read for me

Now reading

Cooler Smarter: Practical tips for low carbon living  by the scientists at Union of Concerned Scientists, a great group. These folk make sense, concentrating on the changes you can make that have the biggest impact with the least effort.

Thinking, fast and slow  by Daniel Kahneman.  Kahneman, most famous for his work with the late Amos Tversky, is one of the leading psychologists of the times. Here, he posits that our brains have two systems: A fast one and a slow one. Neither is better, but they are good at different things. This is a brilliant book: Full of insight and very well written, as well.

On politics: A history of political thought from Herodotus to the present by Alan Ryan. What the subtitle says – a history of political thought.  

Woodrow Wilson by John Cooper, Jr. A fairly admiring look at Wilson.

Algorithms Unlocked  by Thomas Corman  A gentle introduction to computer algorithms

Robert Oppenheimer: A life in the center by Ray Monk  Oppenheimer was one of the most interesting people of the 20th century. In this biography Monk (a wonderful writer) attempts to cover both his physics and his many other interests.

Just started

The Bohr Maker by Linda Nagata. Science fiction, lots of nano-tech.

Eminence: Cardinal Richelieu and the Rise of France by Jean-Vincent Blanchard.  Richelieu, best known to many from The Three Musketeers was a master of the dark arts of politics. And 16th and 17th century politics was no place for wusses.  


7 comments

  1. iriti

    Reading Walter Isaacson’s biography of Benjamin Franklin. I’ve had it in the get-to files on my Kindle for some time waiting for the right mood, which hit yesterday.

    Loving it so far.

  2. slksfca

    Imperial Requiem, a quadruple biography of four empresses (of Britain, Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary). I’ve gotten as far as the post-war (WWI) period where three of the empresses have been deposed and one (Alexandra of Russia) is dead. The book is poorly written and badly edited, but an informative read nonetheless.

    Next up is a memoir by Frank Langella which a friend bought for my Kindle. He’s on my case about getting started reading it. Maybe as soon as tomorrow I’ll get to it.

  3. fogiv

    …and little else.

    Though I confess that I’ve been sneaking little bits of Nelson DeMille’s The Gold Coast in (as a bit of constitutional brain bleach).

    heh.

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