Reading List, 2013
In no particular order.
After weeks of good intentions, I finally got around to contributing my reading list for the year. Books I would highly recommend are in bold; books marked with an asterisk are, for one reason or another, unfinished.
The Broom of the System by David Foster Wallace
The all-important “first novel” to come from the man who is now heralded as “one of the most influential and innovative writers of the last 20 years”. Broom of the System is an excellent read, though (as with much of DFW’s work) it can take a while to get through.
Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman by Richard P. Feynman
I was terribly behind the 8-ball on this one, and am glad to have caught up. Feynman’s personal anecdotes are a joy.
Science and Method by Henri Poincare*
A dear friend recommended this and it is, thus far, exceptional. A worthwhile read from a true polymath, and one of the most esteemed scientific minds of all time.
The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life by Richard J. Herrnstein and Charles Murray
If you’re interested in better understanding IQ and “the cognitive elite”, this book is for you. Incredibly controversial and worthwhile— definitely let me know if you pick this one up, we’ll have to have a conversation (or seven) about it.
The Story of Psychology by Morton Hunt
Hunt displays some of the world’s great thinkers against their cultural backdrop. Is a really great perspective for better understanding where these people (Socrates, Plato, Freud) were coming from.
Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov
After being completely entranced by Lolita (devoured in one sitting), I had to spend more time with Nabokov. Again, he’s excellent.
Words in the Mind: An Introduction to the Mental Lexicon by Jean Aitchison
The latest in our understanding of the brain and language. It takes a special person to have the patience to study linguistics in much more depth than this book will give you.
Lean In: Women, Work, and The Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg
Props to Sheryl for A. Forcing conversations about women in the workplace and B. Being superwoman.
On the Road by Jack Kerouac
A classic that I last read as a snobby, bookish 12-year-old and didn’t understand or appreciate. Listened to the audio book while driving cross-country on my move to California.
The Art of Doing Science and Engineering by Richard Hamming*
Am pedaling (slowly but surely) through the PDF-version of this book, as I’ve been warned that physical copies are nearly impossible to come by.
The Wisdom of Insecurity by Alan Watts
My first Watts, and almost certainly not my last. Highly recommended for anyone interested in understanding man’s journey to find psychological security in a world that has largely abandoned religion and spirituality.
From Jesus to Christianity: How Four Generations of Visionaries and Storytellers Created the New Testament and Christian Faith by Michael White
Those who know me well know I am fascinated by religion. The next several books are my attempt at better understanding the historical contexts surrounding the origins of several major religious movements.
Rebecca’s Children: Judaism and Christianity in the Roman World by David B. Capes
Religion of the Ancient Egyptians by Alfred Weidemann
The Book of Symbols: Reflections on Archetypal Symbols by the Archive for Research on Archetypal Symbolism*
This is a veritable “Symbols Encyclopedia”. A collection of essays from many authors, each weighing in on various symbols and archetypes. Think C.G. Jung, here.
From the man who left us our earliest historical accounts of the life and times of Jesus. Someone, somewhere has likely read this all the way through.
The Medici Effect: What Elephants and Epidemics Can Teach Us About Innovation by Franz Johansson
A reflection on some of the powerful breakthroughs that have come from the intersection of various disciplines and perspectives.
Love in the Time of Algorithms: What Technology Does to Meeting and Mating by Dan Slater
Fast read about the paradox of choice and technology’s role in changing the way we discover new relationships.
How To Create a Mind: The Secret of Human Thought Revealed by Ray Kurzweil*
If you (like me) have already gotten a lot of Kurzweil in your life, you may be able to skip this one.
The Circle by Dave Eggers
No no no no. The worst book I read this year. My hopes for a thoughtful critique of Silicon Valley were dashed by page 5, though I continued reading (in anger) to the end. In addition to the insult of suffering through a book being written at a second-grade reading level, there is nothing intelligent or insightful to be found in the latest of Egger’s novels.
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers
A truly heartwarming coming-of-age story, visited only after swearing (loudly and to many people) that I would never give Eggers another shot post- The Circle. Recommended, though Eggers is no Jonathan Franzen.
The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
Notably polarizing, I cannot promise you that you will love Franzen (but a girl can dream). Truly well-written and clever, I was consumed by this book for days.
How to Be Alone by Jonathan Franzen
Again with the Franzen. He is my go-to for modern social criticisms/ “serious fiction”. Some of the essays are worlds better than others, but they’re all worth your time.
Room by Emma Donoghue
Mother and young son trapped in a room by mother’s kidnapper for years. After repeated recommendations, I decided to pick this up. Was ultimately not impressed or terribly moved.
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do In Life and Business by Charles Duhigg
Really insightful, well-researched book about habit formation. The jury’s still out on whether it’s actually helpful to spend this amount of time deliberating on your habits, or if that kind of meta-rumination is in itself a bit poisonous (unless you’re a philosopher, in which case go for it).
Democracy by Joan Didion*
Just picked up, but am very much looking forward to knocking this one out over the holidays.
Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas R. Hofstadter*
Reflection on human thought and creativity. An easy one to recommend, given that if I don’t everyone else will.
The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran
Read if you’re feeling particularly philosophical or lost. (As an aside, try not to ruminate on it too much, in preservation of your health/ sanity.)
The Pleasure of My Company by Steve Martin
A marvelous novella. Steve Martin is great— would recommend everything he has written.
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey*
I get the sense that this is another one of those books that takes a few very simple things and makes them unnecessarily complex.
Eloquent Javascript by Marijn Haverbeke*
Have not finished. Certainly will. Javascript, woo.
Fooled by Randomness by Nassim Nicholas Taleb*
This book could be 1/4 as long and lose very little. (Also known as “The reason I don’t read very many business books”).
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
Obviously a classic, but I failed to sympathize. Emma is too obnoxious for me. May need to return and re-read in a few years.
Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas by Seymour A. Papert*
The role of technology in education and learning. This is one of the books on my “to-finish” list that I’m the most excited about.
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
Before Thinking, Fast and Slow, this man had me convinced I wanted to study behavioral economics and work at a think tank. So yah, this is a great book. Read in 2012, but included here because I still recommend it to people frequently.
My Antonia by Willa Cather
I apathetically enjoyed my time with Willa Cather, though would likely not recommend. Unless you’re really into Nebraska and early 20th-century literature.
The Dream Machine: J.C.R. Licklider and the Revolution That Made Computing Personal by Mitchell Waldrop*
A book about the people and circumstances behind the engineering of personal computing.
