My Book Harvest — April 2024

10 min readMay 16, 2024

Excellent sci-fi, a bit of Buddhism, and more

Welcome to the next episode of My Book Harvest. Here is the link to the previous articles in the series:

8 books in April. 5 were excellent sci-fi books (3 books from the Dune series and the first two of the Expanse series), and three were non-fiction. The non-fiction included a memoir by Tim Kennedy, a US special forces veteran, and an MMA fighter, Why Buddhism is True by Robert Wright — which is generally considered to be one of the best books on the subject, and Best Things First by Bjorn Lomborg, which is essentially the 2023 version of his book How to Spend 75 million to make the world a better place (2012), which I covered in my February book harvest article.

Here we go:

James. S.A. Corey. Leviathan Wakes (2011) and Caliban’s War (2012)

Have you seen the Expanse? Arguably one of the best sci-fi TV series out there. That’s right. If you love sci-fi and have not seen it, check it out — it is a must-see. I was so impressed with the show that I bought all nine books in the series and the tenth one with short stories set in the Expanse universe.

The series is set in a not-so-distant future where humanity has colonized the solar system. There are three distinct factions — Earth (the old, the tired, but rich and powerful), Mars (the young, the hardworking, militaristic, and insecure), and the Belt (those born on and living on asteroids between Mars and Jupiter). Political tensions between these three groups form the story's backbone, with a ragtag group of unlikely heroes at the center of a vast conspiracy involving a bioengineered alien virus — the protomolecule.

Leviathan Wakes introduces us to the heroes, and the story takes off as they try to prevent an interplanetary war. Caliban’s War continues the saga with new great characters and an unexpected plot direction as the protomolecule seems to have its own plans.

After reading the first two books, I must say that as much as I loved the show, the books are even better. The plot is fast-paced; a lot is happening, and you need to get into it to keep up with all the different characters and locations. In that sense, it reminded me of the Game of Thrones — which I guess is unsurprising because both writers worked with George R.R. Martin. Luckily for all of us, unlike Martin, they know how to write fast… The politics make sense; they are intricate, plausible, and ruthless. But what impressed me most was the realistic depiction of space. As I’ve seen in many reviews, the scientific accuracy is one of the main reasons The Expanse is so impressive. You get a distinct sense that SPACE IS DANGEROUS. This is no vanilla space story. You are never under any illusion that you live in constant danger outside Earth (and partially Mars).

But the politics and the space are a background. The books explore serious topics about human morality and ambition (particularly in war), politics and power struggles, identity, social inequality, class tensions, the ethical implications of biological experimentation, the impact of technology on society, and environmental concerns.

The characters are diverse and complex; each has well-developed backgrounds and motivations, which enrich the narrative. Their growth parallels the escalating plot, providing a personal touch to the story. Granted, all the complexity can make it feel a little convoluted, potentially confusing some readers, but I loved it. Overall, the first two books of The Expanse series were a blast — a great blend of space opera and political thriller. I am looking forward to the next books in the series.

Highly recommended!

Frank Herbert, Dune (1965), Dune Messiah (1969), and Children of Dune (1976)

The Dune series is regaining popularity thanks to Denis Villeneuve’s movie adaptation. This, and my question to read as much of the great sci-fi as I could this year, led me to revisit these books. I had read the first one a long time ago. I finished the three books that constitute Herbert’s original trilogy this time. While the series continues with God Emperor of Dune (1981), Heretics of Dune (1984), and Chapterhouse: Dune (1985), I decided to stop at the first three books for now.

And I loved it.

Dune is set in the distant future in an interstellar empire. Without spoiling the story for those (lucky ones!) who don’t know it, the plot centers around a power struggle over the desert planet Arrakis and follows the story of Paul Atreides, the young heir to the Atreides family. Dune is a classical hero’s journey but with twists. As much as I enjoyed the first book, though, the second book was a real treat, focusing on the burdens of leadership and the dangers of the cult of personality.

What can I say about Dune that has not been said already? These books are about the moral and ethical complexities of leadership, illustrating how power can corrupt. Paul’s transition from a noble’s son to a messianic figure is a warning often overlooked in the real world. The books explore a variety of themes — they delve deeply into ecological concerns and the impact of environmental changes on society, manipulation of religious beliefs and myths in the service of gaining and holding on to power, and most importantly, human potential. Somewhat similar to Asimov’s Foundation, one of the central questions is whether individuals have the power and ability to change the course of large-scale events. Unlike Asimov, Herbert leans towards the individual. And again, unlike Asimov’s seminal work, the major characters in Dune are very well-developed, which is rare even in good sci-fi. In the Foundation series, you barely get to know the characters and are on to the next storyline, which happens a generation or more later. In Dune, you get to experience a lot about the characters — their quest, their evolution, their inner world, how they make their decisions, how they change their opinions, all of it. Also, Dune has excellent female characters (Lady Jessica, Chani, Alia, and even Irulan), whereas in the Foundation series, female characters feel like they are part of the decor.

The world-building in Dune is masterful. Herbert’s Dune universe is intricate and very detailed, providing a vivid setting that broke new ground in science fiction, inspiring many works of fiction, including Star Wars. We are introduced to a universe where certain technologies (robotics) have been abandoned as thousands of years earlier, humans waged war against the AI (known as Butlerian Jihad) and outlawed it. This is interesting because technology in Dune takes a backseat, which is unusual for sci-fi. Instead, humanity has gone in the direction of bio-engineering, resulting in the emergence of mentats — individuals with computer-like calculation capacities, the Bene Gesserit Order of sorceresses/witches, who are more spies, nuns, scientists, and theologians than anything, and guild navigators with special powers to guide space-faring ships across vast distances of the universe. Even the weapons of choice in Dune are swords, knives, and daggers, rather than guns and warships — because the personal shield technology has rendered pulse weapons useless. So Dune feels like a Medieval Ages story set in the distant future.

Plus, Dune has sandworms. Sandworms are awesome. :)

Overall, Dune is one of the best works of sci-fi fiction. It is an epic story of impressive creativity. At the same time, it is a thoughtful commentary on politics, the economy (spice is a reference to oil), religion, war, and so much more.

Highly recommended!

Tim Kennedy, Scars and Stripes, 2022

This is an autobiographical book by Tim Kennedy, a former UFC fighter and a US Army Special Forces sniper. The book describes Kennedy’s experiences in the military and the mixed martial arts, his life’s challenges, combat experiences overseas, and his views on toughness and resilience. He shares lessons learned from the battlefield and the octagon, emphasizing the importance of discipline, mental toughness, patriotism, and service and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of life while being honest about his mistakes and failures. It is compelling in that his voice is genuine and straightforward, if not a bit one-dimensional. Then again, who is to say multi-dimensional people are better? For me, the most impactful were the chapters on combatting child traffickers and trying to evacuate Afghans from Kabul post-Taleban takeover.

For the parts about MMA and being a fighter, I am an MMA fan, so I was already familiar with many of the names, contexts, and terminology. It was a fun read. It may not be so for other readers. However, when it comes to the parts about his service in the military, one thing that I found off-putting was Kennedy’s perspective on his service in Iraq and Afghanistan. I am not blaming Kennedy for anything, but this whole — we were there to save the locals — perspective needs to be dropped. Too American. You did not have to be there. In Iraq. Nor in Afghanistan. And Kennedy is not the only author whose book suffers from this. I had the same impression in Jocko Willink’s otherwise excellent book, Extreme Ownership.

One last comment I’ll make is that if you are looking for actionable advice, you will have to extract it yourself — Kennedy is simply telling his story. Cameron Hanes’ book, which I reviewed last month, is structured differently and offers more pointed advice, although I would say Kennedy’s life story is more eventful and compelling.

Overall, I can’t say I’d recommend this book as a must-read, although I know people who loved it. It is interesting, but perhaps not for everyone.

Robert Wright, Why Buddhism is True, 2017

I meant to read a good book about Buddhism for a while, especially as I was detecting parallels between Buddhism and my philosophy of choice — Stoicism. Or as Nassim Nicholas Taleb in his book, Anti-Fragile, puts it: “A Stoic is a Buddhist with attitude, one who says “f*** you” to fate.” :)

Wright’s book is generally considered one of the best on the subject, so I decided to give it a try. Indeed, a lot of similarities between Buddhism and Stoicism, which is impressive given that there was barely any contact between the regions where Stoicism and Buddhism thrived. Both philosophies emphasize inner peace and self-control by mastering one’s desires and emotions. In Buddhism, this is achieved through mindfulness and meditation, while in Stoicism, it is all about rational thinking and self-discipline achieved through specific mental exercises. Both frameworks emphasize the transient nature of the world and that it has to be accepted without emotional distress. Both encourage focus on the present and avoid overthinking the past or the future. Both preach the importance of detachment from material goods and external factors, including the opinions of others. Both promote ethical living, though the methods are different. Both aim at reducing human suffering. Finally, both embrace the concept of everything being connected. Buddhism teaches compassion to all sentient beings, and the interconnectedness of all is a key concept very similar to sympatheia in Stoicism.

Unfortunately, if I am honest, this all meant that I did not find the book very useful regarding philosophical content and concepts. But that does not diminish the book's value one bit.

Wright approaches Buddhism from the perspective of modern scientific understanding. He explores Buddhist teachings, focusing on the concept of not-self (the idea that the self is illusory). He explains how the key concepts of Buddhism are supported by evolutionary biology and psychology. He argues that meditation and mindfulness practices can effectively counteract the negative tendencies (like anxiety, delusion, and dissatisfaction) that evolution has ingrained in all of us. Wright focuses on the practical benefits of meditation, sharing his personal experiences and insights. What I liked about the book is that you do not need any prior understanding of Buddhism to enjoy it; the author does a great job breaking down complex concepts in an accessible way.

Overall, “Why Buddhism is True” is a thought-provoking book that aims to bridge the gap between ancient spiritual wisdom and contemporary scientific understanding. It challenges us to reconsider our perceptions of reality and offers practical advice on improving mental and emotional health through Buddhist practices.

Bjorn Lomborg, First Things First, 2023

I reviewed Lomborg’s 2014 book How to Spend 75$ Billion to Make the World a Better Place in my February Book Harvest article (here). Since then, I discovered a more recent version of Lomborg’s work and bought First Things First.

In both books, Lomborg presents the results of the work of the Copenhagen Consensus Center, which researches global spending priorities. The idea is to put a price tag on what needs to be done regarding global priorities to help make related discussions specific and prioritized.

In the 2014 book, the prioritized initiatives were interventions to reduce undernutrition in pre-schoolers, specific activities dealing with infectious diseases, particularly malaria and tuberculosis, R&D to increase yield enhancements, investing in effective early warning systems against natural disasters, etc. I was curious to see if this still holds up in the 2023 book.

The 2023 analysis uses a more refined methodology and updated data. Lomborg uses the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 targets to measure the effectiveness of proposed actions in this book. The book highlights twelve strategic policies that promise a significant impact on the world’s poorest, covering areas such as health, education, and economic development. The price tag is more modest—$35 Billion—and Lomberg projects a $52 yield for every dollar spent, which is very impressive.

In First Things First, Lomborg proposes 12 interventions in no particular order. Some are completely new, like implementing e-procurement systems to increase government spending transparency. Securing land tenure is also a new area of focus. This one aims to address a critical issue affecting economic stability and development, particularly in poorer regions where unclear land rights can lead to conflicts and stunt economic development.

Overall, I would recommend this book. Whatever your area of interest is — education, healthcare, agriculture, reducing corruption, trade, migration, or land tenure — this book is compelling and gives a lot to think about. Experts won’t agree on everything in the book, but it poses useful questions worth factoring in decision-making.

Eight books, almost all excellent. I hope these summaries help you decide which books to add to your reading list. Enjoy!

If you liked this read, check out my home page for articles about philosophy, learning, self-improvement, literature, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and more. Here are some you may be interested in:

My Book Harvest — April 2024

Written by Rational Badger