Recent Reading

Walden
by Henry David Thoreau
The original classic first published in 1854
never gets old.
Life in the woods,
as experienced by Thoreau's 2 years there,
or, in my case, 30 years by the sea,
quiets the mind.
A must read.
(8/25/2007)


Walden Two
by BF Skinner
A description of Utopia
as envisioned by the behaviorist author
first published in 1945.
(8/1/2007)


Made to Stick
Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
by
Chip Heath & Dan Heath
If your ideas could use some help
in getting the world to notice
this is a book for you.




I've just finished reading
Ronnie: The Autobiography of Ronnie O'Sullivan
the world champion snooker player.

I got interested in learning more about the game
and the player,
after watching this video on youTube
in which he runs the table
faster than anyone, ever:




I also learned a little something about
the differences between pool and snooker.
(6/18/2007)




Extraordinary Popular Delusions and
The Madness of Crowds
by Charles Mackay, LL.D.

This awesome book,
with the aid of the history of stupidity of crowds,
proves we are all lemmings.

If you had read this book when it was published in 1841,
you wouldn't have been hornswoggled
in the Internet bubble.
A most excellent read,
and one of my all-time favorites.

Where Are The Customers' Yachts?
by Fred Schwed Jr.
Subtitle: A Good Hard Look at Wall Street. Humorous, but serious review of the investment business. Written just prior to WWII, with lessons learned from the Crash of '29 and the Great Depression, this book is a great read for anyone trying to deal with the issues facing investors today. Not much has changed. A true classic. (4/14/2007)


The EnerQi Connection: Demystifying Acupuncture
by Sheri Laine and Tiffany Strause
Qi ("chee") is the energetic vibrating force field in each of us. Good friend Sheri Laine, a licensed acupuncturist, explains this concept in detail and takes you through a typical session of acupuncture and offers several case studies of success with this ancient healing/balancing technique. (3/17/2007)


Crimes Against Logic
Exposing the Bogus Arguments of Politicians, Priests,
Journalists, and other Serial Offenders
by Jamie Whyte
This should be required reading for anyone with a brain. It is very well written, clear, witty, and loaded with examples of how we are all led astray by illogical statements and arguments in all aspects of our lives. (3/15/2007)


iCon: Steve Jobs
The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business
by Jefrey S. Young & William L. Simon
Excellent! Show Jobs' significant human and business flaws as well as his extraordinary talents and good fortune. I am not an Apple fan, but I am also not a detractor, so this book seemed to be a well balanced presentation of the prime mover of the Apple experience. (3/12/2007)

On Bullshit
by Harry G. Frankfurt
Highly philosophical treatise on the subject. Sometimes witty. (3/1/2007)



The Wisdom of Crowds
Why the Many Are Smarter Than the Few and How Collective Wisdom Shapes Business, Economies, Societies and Nations
by James Surowiecki
The best book I have read in years. The scientific proofs for ideas I have held for decades, and which will propel me forward with implementation. (1/3/2007)


They Poured Fire On Us From The Sky
The True Story of Three Lost Boys From Sudan
by Alphonsion Deng, Benson Deng, Benjamin Ajak,
and Judy A. Bernstein

This is the story of the Lost Boys of the Sudan -- incredibly depressing reading of the true story of the tens of thousands of orphans whose parents were killed during the continuing genocide in the Sudan, and how these children escaped by walking through deserts and war zones experiencing the worst of tragedies including starvation, exposure, disease, physical abuse, slavery, and attacks by wild animals, to reach refuge camps in neighboring countries, only to subsist in continuing horrible conditions for 14 years until, miraculously, a precious few were rescued through the kindness of strangers, and were brought to a new life in the USA. This story was written by 3 boys who came to San Diego. After reading this fantastic story, you will be amazed at the indomitable human spirit, and the will to survive, powerful reading... (11/21/2006)