Micro-Reviews of Books Read, September 2014

Reviews of books read last month: two novels and a non-fiction book
   about the benefits of using technology.


   1. "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
     <https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38447.The_Handmaid_s_Tale>
     <http://www.amazon.com/The-Handmaids-Tale/dp/038549081X>

   This dystopian novel was published in 1986 and is set in the near
   future. Religious fundamentalists have staged a coup in the United
   States, forming the Republic of Gilead. The new regime introduced
   an extreme patriarchal society, overturning many of the rights
   gained by women. There has been a dramatic reduction in births, so
   leaders of the regime are assigned "handmaids" if their wives are
   unable to have children. Before the coup, the narrator used to be
   an working woman with a husband and daughter. She was forcibly
   separated from her family, and assigned as a handmaid to a Commander
   in the regime. Her name was changed to "Offred", signifying her
   relationship to her master. She describes her daily life as a
   handmaid, which affords her some specific privileges, she has very
   few freedoms compared to her previous life. As long as she has the
   ability to conceive and stays out of trouble, she can at least
   avoid getting banished to work in the colonies and be branded an
   "unwoman".

   Dystopian novels can be heavy going, and not everyone's cup of tea.
   I seem to like reading cautionary tales like this one, which reminds
   us to be vigilant against the reactionary rhetoric of our political
   leaders.


   2. "Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline
     <https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9969571-ready-player-one>
     <http://www.amazon.com/Ready-Player-One/dp/0307887448>

   Thirty years in the future, the real world has become a bleak and
   rundown place. Mounting debts have weakened governments and
   corporations, making conditions difficult for ordinary people.
   Fortunately, the infrastructure of the information age has remained
   mostly intact. Children can get an education online, and it's
   usually safer to do so than in the real world. More generally,
   people can escape the drudgery of everyday life by logging into
   OASIS, a massively multiplayer online virtual reality environment.
   An added incentive is that the founder of OASIS, James Halliday,
   left some "Easter eggs" in the system, and whoever finds all of
   them will inherit his vast fortune. But this provides an opportunity
   for Halliday's bitter corporate rival, Innovative Online Industries
   (IOI), to send its own agents into the system and to try to usurp
   Halliday's business. Halliday was a child of the Eighties, so the
   egg hunters ("gunters") believe there are clues in cultural
   artifacts of that era. "Anorak's Almanac", an electronic book that
   compiles Halliday's interests, is the go-to guide for the gunters.

   This novel delves deeply into the computer games, music, movies and
   television of the 1980s. Readers unfamiliar with these nostalgic
   cultural references may find the story harder to follow and
   appreciate. Most of the action takes place in the virtual world, so
   in-game avatars can provide alternative insights into the real-life
   characters. Overall, I found this an enjoyable page turner.


   3. "Smarter Than You Think" by Clive Thompson
     <https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17707600-smarter-than-you-think>
     <http://www.amazon.com/Smarter-Than-You-Think/dp/0143125826>

   The author of this book challenges the view that over-reliance on
   technology is reducing our powers of thought and making us less
   intelligent. For example, tailored search results can lead to filter
   bubbles, where we are only present with information that confirms our
   biases. Easy access to search engines can lead us to rely less on our
   own memory. Multitasking and highly distracting social media can lead
   us to be "shallow". The author acknowledges that technology is not
   always positive. However, he argues that, when applied wisely, it can
   make us smarter. We can use technology as "outboard memory", freeing
   up our minds to concentrate on the actual problems at hand. Technology
   provides the ability to quickly search and cross-reference large
   collections of data. It facilitates increased collaboration across
   cultures and national boundaries. Computers can be used to do a lot
   of the low-level calculations necessary to work on complex problems.

   The use of technology has been an area of debate and controversy
   throughout history. For example, Socrates lamented that, compared to
   interactive conversation, books were an inferior medium to conduct
   intelligent debate. The author does a reasonable job of explaining
   how technology can take a load off our minds so we can work on big-
   picture problems. But we should remember that technology can make
   constant surveillance, creepy advertising and other invasions of
   privacy easier.

Micro-Reviews of Books Read, August 2014

   Reviews of books read last month: two novels and two non-fiction books
   on how our minds play tricks on us.


   1. "Tigerman" by Nick Harkaway
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19322249-tigerman>
     <http://www.amazon.com/Tigerman/dp/0385352417>

   Mancreu is a former island colony of Britain facing an environment
   catastrophe. The island is a formerly dormant volcano, which has
   started discharging toxic vapours. Black marketeers, drug pushers
   and other shady types are taking advantage of the island's remoteness
   and precarious state. Middle-aged Sergeant Lester Ferris has been
   appointed to look after British interests, with a brief to merely
   observe and report. The brutal murder of Shola, his friend and local
   businessman, spurs Lester to defy his orders to "sit tight". With the
   aid of a street-smart and comic-obsessed local boy, he decides to
   find out why Shola was killed. Inspired by the boy's love of comic
   book heroes, Lester even wears a costume and takes on a superhero
   identity, Tigerman. The boy makes clever use of the internet to
   spread the mystique of Tigerman around the world.

   As I've come to expect from this author, some clever things going on
   here. The villains and supporting characters spice things up. While
   I did find the story interesting, it didn't quite work as well for me
   as the author's earlier novels. Maybe comic fans would enjoy this
   book more?


   2. "Lexicon" by Max Barry
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16158596-lexicon>
     <http://www.amazon.com/Lexicon/dp/0143125427>

   In the near-future, almost the entire population of Broken Hill is
   wiped out by a mysterious incident. There are lots of conspiracy
   theories, but few people know what really happened. The lone survivor,
   Wil Parke, has been living in the US for a a couple of years. A secret
   society, who call themselves the Poets, has located him and want to
   interrogate him so they can find out what happened. The members of
   this society have learned how to use words as weapons. Certain words
   go beyond persuasion and can actually kill. Emily Ruff is also on the
   run from the Poets. She was one of the brightest alumni of the Poet
   training program, but she chose love over a career as a secret agent.

   This is another novel with some interesting ideas, but which didn't
   follow through in my opinion. If the writing style had included more
   humour, as in the style of Jasper Fforde or Douglas Adams, I may have
   been better able to suspend my disbelief. "The Rook" by another
   Australian author, Daniel O'Malley, did a better job of portraying a
   supernatural secret society.


   3. "You Are Now Less Dumb" by David McRaney
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16101143-you-are-now-less-dumb>
     <http://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Now-Less-Dumb/dp/1592408796>

   The author continues his examination of cognitive biases and self-
   delusion. Research studies and historical anecdotes are used to
   describe psychological phenomena such as the halo effect (your
   overall impression of someone impacts your feelings and thoughts
   about that person), the Ben Franklin effect (doing a favour for a
   rival makes you like them more), why hard to change minds of others
   (the backfire effect), ego depletion (self-control and willpower can
   run down, leading to lapses), enclothed cognition (the clothes you
   wear affects how you think and act).

   A worthy follow-up book to "You Are Not So Smart". By accepting our
   susceptibility to biases and self-delusion, we can learn how to
   overcome them. If this subject matter interests you, check out the
   author's blog and podcasts at:
     <http://youarenotsosmart.com/all-posts/>


   4. "Mind Over Mind" by Chris Berdik
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13588409-mind-over-mind>
     <http://www.amazon.com/Mind-Over-Mind/dp/1591846579>

   Research shows how expectations, assumptions and predictions can
   play a large part in shaping what happens to us, both good and bad.
   The placebo effect was observed in medicine as early as WW2, when a
   shortage of morphine lead doctors to give some injured soldiers
   shots of saline instead. By making these patients believe their
   pain would subside, the onset of potentially fatal shock was
   prevented for many of them. There are various factors which
   determine whether or not placebos work. The book also looks at
   several other facets of life, including penalty kicks, wine tasting,
   phantom limbs, economic bubbles and gambling addiction. For example,
   being convinced that food is high in calories (when it actually
   isn't) can make our bodies respond as if we've eaten something
   fattening - in effect, food can have "placebo calories".

   I found this a very eye-opening and though-provoking book. By taking
   into account the importance of expectations, we can find new
   approaches to deal with problems and challenges. 

Micro-Reviews of Books Read, July 2014

   Reviews of books read last month: two short novels, two books on
   economics, and a book about the man who recovered the manuscript
   that allegedly launched the Renaissance.


   1. "Whatever" by Michel Houellebecq
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58372.Whatever>
     <http://www.amazon.com/Whatever/dp/1846687845>

   This short novel is set in the 1990s in France. The narrator is a 30
   year-old IT worker. He's single, and unhappy with both his job and
   life in general. He doesn't have a lot of nice things to say about
   his co-workers or his clients, either. Mid-way through the novel he
   confesses: "I don't like this world ... The society in which I live
   disgusts me; advertising sickens me; computers make me puke."
   Unfortunately, he does not seem to provide any alternatives.

   Described as "L'Etranger for the info generation", this is a book
   you'll either love or hate. I'm afraid I fall into the latter
   category. I had hoped it would at least provide a glimpse at what
   it's like to work in IT. Alas, no. It could really be about any
   clerical/office work, in any era.


   2. "Messenger" by Lois Lowry
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12930.Messenger>
     <http://www.amazon.com/Messenger/dp/0440239125>

   This is the third book in "The Giver" Quartet, which are all set in
   a post-apocalyptic future. This story picks up a few years after
   "Gathering Blue", and describes life in the Village where outcasts
   from other places have been welcomed and appear to thrive despite
   their disabilities. Unfortunately, this idyll is falling apart due
   to the greed, vanity and selfishness of some of the villagers. The
   central character, Matty, is now a teenager and acts as messenger
   between the Village and nearby towns. Until recently the living
   Forest allowed him free passage, but that seems to be changing.
   When the Villagers decide to close themselves off from everyone
   else, Matty decides to get her friend Kira to come to the Village
   to be reunited with her father before it's too late.

   The series is aimed at younger readers, and that probably made the
   plot a bit simple and predictable. But I still found it enjoyable.


   3. "The Swerve: How the Renaissance Began" by Stephen Greenblatt
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10954979-the-swerve>
     <http://www.amazon.com/Swerve/dp/0393343405>

   Poggio Bracciolini was an ex-Vatican official who became a successful
   book hunter in the 15th century. A colourful character, he served as
   an official for seven popes, eventually rising to the post of papal
   secretary. Mid-way through his career, power struggles in the papacy
   forced him into temporary exile. He embarked on a search for ancient
   manuscripts scattered in various remote monastery libraries around
   Europe. He is credited with recovering many classical Latin
   manuscripts. The author argues that one manuscript in particular,
   "De rerum natura" by Roman poet and philosopher Lucretius, was the
   key to the development of Humanism. Its rediscovery kick-started the
   Renaissance, and influenced French rationalism, the American Founding
   Fathers, and our modern world.

   I mostly enjoyed reading about the book hunters of the early
   Renaissance. Poggio comes across as a bit of an Indiana Jones type
   of guy. Unfortunately, the author's strong anti-religious sentiment
   somewhat distorts his argument. He focuses on the negatives without
   giving credit for the positive influence of the Church on art, for
   example. Other reviewers question the validity of the author's
   thesis, in light of the findings of other historians.


   4. "The Undercover Economist Strikes Back: How to Run - or Ruin -
       an Economy" by Tim Harford
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19311677-the-undercover-economist-strikes-back>
     <http://www.amazon.com/Undercover-Economist-Strikes-Back/dp/1594631409>

   This book looks at economics at the macro or national level. It is
   written in a conversational manner, answering questions from a typical
   person-in-the-street. It guides the reader through monetary policy
   (money and interest rates) and fiscal policy (taxes, spending and
   welfare). It examines effect of policies on unemployment, productivity
   and growth. These are heavy and complex topics, which the author
   manages to explain in an accessible way.

   This book should should appeal to anyone with an open mind and an
   interest in the various approaches to managing economies. It should
   also make readers wary of any politicians who claim to have a simple
   solution for a country's economic problems. The author has written
   other good books on economics, and recently released a series of
   short podcasts, "Pop-Up Ideas":
     <http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/thpop>


   5. "Think Like a Freak" by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17331349-think-like-a-freak>
     <http://www.amazon.com/Think-Like-Freak/dp/0062218336>

   This is another book about economics, but with a focus on the micro
   level: how individuals make decisions in their everyday lives about
   things such as money, work, love, crime and education. This book
   expands on the themes of the authors' previous books, Freakonomics
   and SuperFreakonomics. Key ideas include making sure the right costs
   are considered (forget sunk costs but acknowledge opportunity costs),
   how to frame incentives, applying game theory, and accepting that
   it's okay to say "I don't know" or think like a child.

   The authors use entertaining case studies backed up by relevant
   research to provide advice on how to "think smarter about almost
   everything". Many of the topics have been covered in their
   Freakonomics podcast:
      <http://freakonomics.com/radio/>

Micro-Reviews of Books Read, June 2014

   Reviews of books read last month: two collections of short stories,
   two science fiction novels, a book about the impact of noise on
   history, and a book about creativity.


   1. "Into the War" by Italo Calvino
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/493434.L_entrata_in_guerra>

   This is a collection of three of the author's early short stories.
   The protagonists are mostly youths living in northern Italy during
   WW2, something the author experienced himself. There's building
   tension between supporters of the government and its war, and those
   who are less convinced. Either way, everyone tries to live their
   lives as best they can.

   These stories show many of the traits of Calvino's writing style
   that I've admired in his later, major works: clarity, humour and
   intelligence.


   2. "Solaris" by Stanislaw Lem
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/95558.Solaris>
     <http://www.amazon.com/Solaris/dp/0156027607>

   Kris Kelvin has just arrived at a space station in orbit around
   the planet Solaris. There are signs of an unusual intelligence in
   the planet's ocean, which has triggered much debate back on Earth
   in the decades since Solaris was discovered. But, instead of
   encountering the aliens directly, it appears that whatever life
   exists on the planet is choosing to "make contact" by making
   manifest the memories, dreams and fears of the visitors.

   This story gets quite philosophical and psychological at times
   about sentience and life. It's been made into movies, firstly by
   Tarkovsky in the USSR, and more recently by Hollywood. Not an
   easy book to read, but definitely thought-provoking.


   3. "More Tales of the Unexpected" by Roald Dahl
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/183381.More_Tales_Of_The_Unexpected>
     <http://www.amazon.com/More-Tales-Unexpected/dp/0140056068>

   While the author is mostly known for his novels aimed at children,
   he also wrote many short stories with a twist for older audiences.
   This collection is a bit uneven, but still delivers good
   entertainment value. If you haven't read them already, try the
   original "Tales of the Unexpected" collection first.


   4. "Gathering Blue" by Lois Lowry
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12936.Gathering_Blue>
     <http://www.amazon.com/Gathering-Blue/dp/0547904142>

   This short novel is set in a post-apocalyptic future where technology
   is primitive. Kira is a crippled teenage girl with a talent for
   weaving and embroidery. Having already lost her father, her future
   becomes shaky when her mother dies. Everyone is struggling to survive,
   and there's not a lot of sentimentality in the village. Normally,
   those who can't fend for themselves are cast out. But Kira's talent
   saves her, and she is taken in by one of the village leaders. At her
   new home, she finds another adoptee, Thomas, a talented carver who
   also lost his parents. However, there is something sinister about
   their village leadership and its plans for Kira, Thomas and other
   talented orphans.

   This type of story seems popular these days (e.g. "The Hunger Games").
   The author's earlier novella, "The Giver", will be released as a movie
   this year.


   5. "Noise: A Human History of Sound and Listening" by David Hendy
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17213951-noise?>
     <http://www.amazon.com/Noise/dp/0062283073>

   This is a companion book to a BBC Radio 4 series about the history
   of sound and its importance to civilisation. It covers many aspects
   of sound and noise, from cave dwellers to the 21st century. The world
   is a noisy place, and the sounds of speech, music, machinery,
   weaponry, bells and nature can all touch, affect and even control us.
   According to the author: "In a very real sense, being within earshot
   of a sound was what made you a citizen or subject. With radio, the
   distances involved were dramatically transformed". Improved
   communications technology helps keep people in touch, but has a
   downside of making the spread of propaganda easier.


   6. "Creativity, Inc." by Ed Catmull with Amy Wallace
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18077903-creativity-inc>
     <http://www.amazon.com/Creativity-Inc/dp/0812993012>

   Written by a founder and executive of Pixar Animation (one of Steve
   Jobs's other tech startups), this book provides advice on how to
   foster creativity in the workplace. Catmull draws on his somewhat
   accidental 30 year career as an animation studio chief executive.
   In the conclusion he argues: "Unleashing creativity requires that
   we loosen the controls, accept risk, trust our colleagues, work to
   clear the path for them, and pay attention to anything that creates
   fear. Doing all these things won't necessarily make the job of
   managing a creative culture easier. But ease isn't the goal;
   excellence is."

   This is not the typical business book, and much of the advice extends
   to anyone who wants to work in a creative environment. In a touching
   afterword, he provides a personal view of the Steve Jobs he knew and
   worked with for three decades.

Micro-Reviews of Books Read, May 2014

   Reviews of books read last month: a spy novel, two collections of
   short stories, and an unofficial biography of Apple's lead designer.


   1. "The Secret Agent" by Joseph Conrad
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/86658.The_Secret_Agent>
     <http://www.amazon.com/The-Secret-Agent/dp/0141441585>

   This novel was written in the early 20th century. Verloc is a French
   emigre runs a little shop/newsagency with his wife. The shop seems to
   be a front for selling dubious material. Verloc has delusions of being
   a revolutionary, and associates with anarchists and foreign officials.
   So far, his activities have been mostly harmless, such as spreading
   propaganda through his shop. But his handler at the foreign embassy
   demands more than just talk to justify his retainer: blow up the
   Greenwich Observatory. Unfortunately, things don't go quite to plan,
   resulting in the accidental death of Verloc's mentally retarded
   brother-in-law. It doesn't take long for Chief Inspector Heat to
   suspect Verloc.

   This was a short novel, but I found it overly verbose at times. The
   plot was interesting, but the characters were too dark and unlikeable.
   It wasn't until the last few chapters that the story started to grab
   me - too late. Generally, I've been underwhelmed by Conrad's writing.
   My disappointment with this book could be that it suffered in
   comparison with G. K. Chesterton's "The Man Who Was Thursday", which
   has similar settings and themes, but was much more enjoyable.


   2. "Armageddon in Retrospect" by Kurt Vonnegut
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2024223.Armageddon_in_Retrospect>
     <http://www.amazon.com/Armageddon-Retrospect/dp/0425226891>

   This is a collection of short stories and other writings, released
   posthumously. They all share the themes of war and peace. The author
   was himself a prisoner of the Germans in WW2, and was in Dresden when
   the allies firebombed the city into the Stone Age. This experience
   obviously left a mark on the young American (with a German name), as
   most of his work contains strong anti-war sentiments.

   This collection of stories, while inconsistent in quality, does have a
   few gems. And the author's trademark satire and humour helped keep my
   interest. Perhaps a better introduction to the author's work is his
   breakthrough novel, "Slaughterhouse-Five".


   3. "Strange Pilgrims" by Gabriel García Márquez
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22175.Strange_Pilgrims>
     <http://www.amazon.com/Strange-Pilgrims/dp/1400034698>

   This is a collection of short stories on the theme of Latin Americans
   who find themselves in Europe: an ex-President in exile visiting a
   Swiss hospital for an operation and being preyed upon by fellow
   migrants, children on vacation in Sicily with their parents and being
   looked after by a strange young German governess, and a Colombian man
   who travels to Rome in the hope of having his sister declared a saint.
   For me, the most memorable story was about a young woman, Maria, whose
   car broke down outside Barcelona. No one stops to help her, except for
   a bus driver, who lets her come on board. She just wants to be taken
   somewhere so she can call her husband to let him know she'll be late.
   As it happens, the bus is taking its passengers to a sanatorium. The
   staff assume she is also a new inmate, so she finds herself admitted.

   This collection was a bit uneven, but the author's trademark style
   still shines through. It's a pretty good introduction to his work,
   if you're not yet willing to tackle his classic novels.


   4. "Jony Ive" by Leander Kahney
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17707768-jony-ive>
     <http://www.amazon.com/Jony-Ive/dp/159184617X>

   This is an unofficial biography of the head of Apple's design team,
   Jony Ive. Born and educated in England, Ive had already established a
   reputation for inspired and groundbreaking designs before moving to
   the US. But it is at Apple where he made a name for himself, helping
   develop a string of hit products: iMacs, iPods, iPhones and iPads.
   He's generally described as mild-mannered and humble, but also
   obsessed with craftsmanship and willing to stand by his principles.
   The book also provides interesting insights into Apple's design
   processes. A hallmark of the second Steve Jobs era as Apple CEO was
   a shift in emphasis from design as an afterthought to the idea of
   design and technical implementation going hand-in-hand to provide
   simple and harmonious products. People can argue about the merits of
   Apple's approach, but it does seem to be working. While the author
   likes playing up the role of his fellow Englishman, reading this book
   gives me the sense that Apple's success is the result of a talented
   team of several highly motivated people. The book also suggests
   Apple's obsession with perfection stops it from releasing concept
   products. In contrast, I would argue, that companies such as Google
   and Microsoft try to bolster their image with publicity stunts (e.g.
   Google Glass, Nexus Q and self-driving cars).

   The author based the book on interviews with many of Ive's former
   colleagues, as well as other information in the public domain. While
   the author has met with Ive, these were chance meetings. Hopefully,
   we will someday be able to read official biographies of Ive and his
   current colleagues. Until then, this book will have to do and readers
   will need to take the contents with a grain of salt.

Micro-Reviews of Books Read, April 2014

   Reviews of books read last month: three great short novels by renowned
   authors, a book advocating working away from traditional offices, and
   a book about the development of the Italian language.


   1. "Rosshalde" by Herman Hesse
     <http://www.amazon.com/Rosshalde/dp/0312422296>
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10064.Rosshalde>

   Johann Veraguth is a successful painter who lives in a country manor
   (Rosshalde) with his wife and young son, Pierre. Another much older
   son, Albert, is away at boarding school. Their marriage has been
   loveless for a while, to the extent that Johann and his wife spend
   most of their days in different parts of the estate. Young Pierre is
   caught in the middle as the parents compete for his affection.
   Johann's latest painting bluntly portrays the household situation:
   Pierre in the centre, "tranquilly happy and without suspicion of the
   cloud hanging over him", flanked by the parents sitting "in rigid
   symmetry, severe sorrowful images of loneliness". After a brief visit
   by a longtime friend, Johann decides he should accept an invitation
   to take a spiritual adventure in India. He hopes this would at least
   reduce the tension at Rosshalde. Before he can leave, tragedy
   strikes, which temporarily brings unity to the family.

   This is not an uplifting story, but it is thought-provoking and
   poignant. I've read and enjoyed most of the author's other novels,
   and found this one rewarding as well.


   2. "The Quiet American" by Graham Greene
     <http://www.amazon.com/Quiet-American/dp/0143039024>
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3698.The_Quiet_American>

   This novel is set in the early 1950s in Vietnam. The narrator,
   Thomas Fowler, is an English journalist covering the war between
   the colonial French and the Viet Cong. He's escaping a failing
   marriage, and has taken up a local girl, Phuong, as his lover.
   This arrangement is soon complicated when a young American, Alden
   Pyle, starts working at the so-called "American Economic Mission".
   Pyle meets Phuong, whose sister works at the mission, and falls
   for her. He bluntly but politely makes it clear to Fowler that
   he intends to marry her. Soon we discover that Pyle is a supporter
   of some rather naive foreign policy ideals. He is involved in some
   intrigue, conspiring with a "Third Force" to break the deadlock
   in the colonial war. Fowler becomes suspicious of Pyle's real
   agenda in Vietnam, and wouldn't be too upset if his rival came
   to a sticky end. The love triangle gets complicated when Pyle
   risks his own life to save Fowler after a Viet Cong attack. Pyle
   argues he wouldn't want to win the battle for Phuong's affection
   by default. This creates an unusual bond between the two men.

   Prescient at times, this controversial novel depicts the tense
   and complex political situation in Vietnam at the time. I also
   found the description of various cultural and religious traditions
   in Vietnam interesting.


   3. "Leaf Storm" by Gabriel García Márquez
     <http://www.amazon.com/Leaf-Storm/dp/B00HVPSXT2>
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3038606-leaf-storm>

   This novel is set in the early 20th century in a fictional Colombian
   town of Macondo. The story is told from the viewpoints of three
   different narrators: the "Colonel", his daughter Isabel, and her son.
   This regular change in narrator, along with the use of several
   flashbacks, can make the story difficult to follow. The main story
   revolves around a mysterious retired French doctor who came to live
   in the town. His actions over the years made him universally reviled
   by the rest of the citizens of Macondo. He rented a room in the
   Colonel's house and soon started an affair with the indigenous maid.
   When she got pregnant, he performed an abortion secretly. He moved
   into another house with her where they "lived in sin". When the
   doctor refused to treat wounded soldiers, the townspeople would've
   had him lynched had the Colonel not intervened. Years later, when
   the doctor commits suicide, the Colonel stands up for him, taking
   responsibility for his burial. The impending funeral is the focal
   point of the three narrators: they are the only people from Macondo
   in attendance. The Colonel in particular feels duty-bound to pay his
   respects, in light of a key event from their past.

   The author, one of the giants of Latin American literature, passed
   away recently. Credited with popularising magical realism, he was
   awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. I've read and recommend two
   of his other classic novels: "One Hundred Years of Solitude" and
   "Love in the Time of Cholera". By the way, the story's title is a
   metaphor for how the banana company came to Macondo, bringing
   temporary prosperity, only to depart a few years later, leaving its
   discarded trash behind. Perhaps the the leaf storm metaphor also
   applies to the doctor's stay in Macondo?


   4. "Remote: Office Not Required" by Jason Fried and
       David Heinemeier Hansson
     <http://www.amazon.com/Remote/dp/0804137501>
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17316682-remote>

   The goal of this book is to promote the benefits of allowing workers
   to work off-site. It addresses the major complaints and arguments
   that are often used against allowing remote workers. The authors are
   two founders of a successful web development company, 37signals. They
   practice what they preach: the head office is in Chicago, the main
   developer lives and works in Denmark, and several other staff live
   and work in other parts of the US and the world. Modern technology
   can help collaboration: email, instant messaging, teleconferencing,
   file sharing services, web-based project management tools. They argue
   that traditional work environments and practices, including cubicles,
   open plans, desk phones and status meetings, actually reduce
   productivity. Remote workers can avoid unnecessary interruptions and
   focus on their work. It has some advice dealing with feelings of
   isolation, which is a problem when working away from clients and
   colleagues.

   Overall, this book presents a good case for allowing employees to
   work remotely. Personally, I've had the opportunity to work off-
   site, and agree that most times this is very effective for the
   type of work I do. However, I can see how more extroverted or
   socially-oriented managers and employees would not be as
   comfortable with remote work.


   5. "La Bella Lingua" by Dianne Hales
     <http://www.amazon.com/La-Bella-Lingua/dp/0767927702>
     <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4951923-la-bella-lingua>

   The author is an American journalist who decided to learn Italian,
   and began what she calls her love affair with the language and
   Italian culture. This book looks at the historical development of
   the Italian language, which started out as a localised Tuscan
   dialect of Latin. She examines the language's founding trio of
   literary titans: Dante, Boccaccio and Petrarch. These writers
   bucked the convention of the 14th century, preferring to write
   their major works in the vernacular rather than the official Latin.
   This entertaining book also looks at other influential aspects of
   the Italian language: Renaissance artists, baroque and classical
   musicians, Italian unification and culinary chroniclers of the
   1800s, through to 20th century cinema.

   This book should appeal to anyone interested in Italian history,
   culture and the development of language. The writing style is light
   and highly readable. There's even an amusing chapter on "irreverent
   Italian", covering insults and swearing.

Micro-Reviews of Books Read, March 2014

Reviews of four books read last month.


   1. "This Is Your Brain on Music" by Daniel Levitin
     <http://www.amazon.com/This-Your-Brain-Music/dp/0452288525>

   Music and psychology come together in this very interesting and
   informative book by a former musician and record producer. The
   author wanted to learn more about how music affects us, so in
   the 1990s he changed careers and studied psychology. Music theory,
   psycho-acoustics, evolutionary psychology and neuroscience are
   interwoven into a relatively easy to read book. Highly recommended
   for anyone with more than a passing interest in music and its
   affect on our emotions and thoughts. It helps if the reader has
   basic knowledge of classical and rock music. If the book came in
   an electronic format with embedded audio snippets, it would make
   the book even more accessible.


   2. "Help!" by Oliver Burkeman
     <http://www.amazon.com/Help/dp/0857860267>

   Self-help is a booming area these days. The never-ending search for
   happiness has spawned an industry of gurus. The author writes a
   column on psychology which critically examines alleged solutions
   to the troubles of modern living. Many profits, I mean, prophets
   of "positive thinking", such as Rhonda Byrne and Anthony Robbins,
   are skewered, often humorously. But the author isn't just negative:
   ideas from ancient philosophies and modern "lifehacks", supported
   by scientific studies, can make us a bit happier, or at least more
   productive. I can also recommend the author's more recent book,
   "The Antidote", which looks more deeply into philosophies that can
   help us cope with what life throws our way.


   3. "After the Collapse" by Paul di Filippo
     <http://www.amazon.com/After-Collapse/dp/B005V1ZKEO>

   This is a collection of short stories by the author who coined the
   term "ribofunk" (a biotech-based subgenre of sci-fi). As the
   collection's title suggests, each of the six stories has a post-
   apocalyptic angle. In the first story, climate change has forced
   humans to live nearer to the poles. Survivors coexist with
   genetically-modified human/cat hybrids, or "furries". "Keeks"
   (super-geeks), have their own agenda, and want to force human
   evolution in a specific direction. In another story, set in the
   near future, America has split into two countries: "Agnostica" and
   "Faithland". In this story, a teenage girl is considering defecting
   because she likes the country music that originated in Faithland.
   Other stories look at virtual reality and artificial intelligence.
   Overall, an interesting collection of stories about how we might
   adapt in the event of a global crisis.


   4. "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens
     <http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Carol/dp/1493680943>

   Ebenezer Scrooge, the central character of this Victorian-era
   novella, has become synonymous with miserliness and misanthropy.
   He hates Christmas, dismissing it as "humbug". After being visited
   by the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Yet To Come, he
   finds a path to redemption. A simple story, told well. While I'm
   familiar with several of Dickens' stories, this is the first I've
   read. After "testing the waters", I'll probably try some of the
   author's beefier novels in the future.

Micro-Reviews of Books Read, February 2014

Reviews of four books read last month: two novels, a collection of
   short stories, and a book about habits.

   Suggested musical accompaniment:
   * "The Crane Wife" by The Decemberists, which includes a couple of
     songs inspired by the original folktale
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ERax7RFq6w>
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEZ3lSurNCI>
   * "The Kreutzer Sonata": A sonata for violin and piano by Ludwig van
     Beethoven, performed here by Anne-Sophie Mutter and Lambert Orkis
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COGcCBJAC6I>
   * "Into Dust" by Mazzy Star
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO30b_SxLzE>


   1. "The Crane Wife" by Patrick Ness
     <http://www.amazon.com/The-Crane-Wife/dp/1594205477>

   George Duncan is a middle-aged divorcee who runs a printing business
   in London. One night, awoken by a noise, he finds a injured crane in
   his backyard. The bird has an arrow in its wing.  George manages to
   remove it, then the bird flies off. The next day, a strange woman
   with a Japanese name visits George's shop. Kumiko notices that George
   makes sculptures by carving old books, and she offers to collaborate
   with him to produce a series of artwork tiles. These tiles soon
   become highly sought after, and George and Kumiko's chemistry
   blossoms into romance. But, throughout, Kumiko still has an air of
   mystery about her. Where did she come from? Why does she spend so
   much time away, and why doesn't she let anyone see her while she's
   working?

   This novel is based on a Japanese folktale of the same name. In
   addition to the modern setting, the novel adds other characters,
   in particular George's ex-wife, his daughter, Amanda, who has a
   complicated situation with the father of her child, and her self-
   absorbed workmates. All the characters are carrying wounds that
   haven't fully healed. I enjoyed the writing style, and the story
   moved along quite well. If you don't mind a bit of magical realism,
   this is a novel worth reading.


   2. "The Kreutzer Sonata and Other Stories" by Leo Tolstoy
     <http://www.amazon.com/Kreutzer-Sonata-Stories/dp/0140449604>

   Tolstoy wrote a fair bit about marriage, most notably in the novel
   "Anna Karenina". This collection includes four short stories written
   at various points in the author's career on the themes of love, lust,
   marriage, jealousy and betrayal. For brevity, I will only talk about
   the title story. The narrator is a passenger on a long train ride. He
   describes his bachelor days, his marriage, and what drove him to
   jealous rage and murder. His story is basically a rant, and an attempt
   to justify his actions. He has controversial views, for example, he
   thinks sex is a filthy act worthy only of animals, not humans. He also
   sounds like a proto-feminist: "They've emancipated woman in the
   universities and the legislative assemblies, but they still regard her
   as an object of pleasure. Teach her, as is done in our society, to
   consider herself in the same light, and she will forever remain an
   inferior being."

   Apparently, the author did not live according to his characters'
   convictions, and failed to live up to the puritanical quotations from
   the Gospels included at the start of two of the short stories. But,
   he was only human, after all, and just as flawed as his characters.
   Don't let that stop you from reading these though-provoking stories.


   3. "Dust" by Hugh Howey
     <http://www.amazon.com/Dust/dp/1490904387>

   This novel completes the Silo Trilogy. "Wool" set the scene,
   describing life in one of 50 underground silos (Silo 18) that
   preserved humanity after nuclear war rendered the atmosphere toxic.
   "Shift" filled in the backstory, describing the people responsible
   for building the silos. "Dust" picks up the story from the end of
   "Wool", when the heroine, Juliette Nichols, manages to return to
   Silo 18. She was sent "outside", which usually means death.
   Spoiler: she survives thanks to a functioning protective suit. She
   discovers Silo 17 and its handful of survivors. She vows to come
   back for them if she returns to Silo 18. After being elected Mayor
   of Silo 18, she has a plan to dig an underground tunnel connecting
   Silos 17 and 18. She's also been talking on the radio to Donald
   Keene in Silo 1, an original architect of the silos. In "Shift" we
   learnt he was awakened from cryo-sleep. After piecing together the
   true purpose of the silos, he was horrified. He wants to help
   Juliette and the other survivors in Silo 18, but only manages to
   come across as a threat. Juliette makes shocking discoveries of
   her own, and when Silo 18 is "shut down", she is intent on getting
   revenge on the inhabitants of Silo 1.

   Overall, I found this a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. The
   characters undergo some growth. Lots of questions were answered,
   such as the true purpose of the lotteries, the servers, the gases
   and the periodic "cleanings". At around 1500 pages, the trilogy is
   a big investment of time, but worth it in my opinion.


   4. "The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg
     <http://www.amazon.com/The-Power-Habit/dp/081298160X>

   The author uses research in neurology and psychology to examine why
   habits form and how we can change them. The key to habit formation
   is the habit loop: cue-routine-reward. The cue is the automatic
   trigger for the habit. The routine is the behaviour itself. The
   reward is what reminds you about the pattern. The conventional
   approach for dealing with habits put the focus on the behaviour or
   routine. Recent findings suggest a more effective approach is to
   address the cue and the reward. The author proposes a four step
   framework for changing bad habits and replacing them with good habits:
    1. Identify the routine or behaviour you want to change.
    2. Experiment with rewards to find out what's actually being craved.
    3. Isolate the cue, which triggers the habit.
    4. Have a plan to avoid the bad habit cue, which may include creating
       a better replacement habit.

   Comprehensive end notes are included. The author was part of the The
   New York Times team which did a hit job on Apple to win a Pulitzer
   Prize. Hmmm, seems like they couldn't resist the temptation to use
   sensationalism (routine) to get a reward. But I'm willing to forgive
   that bit of shoddy journalism to recommend this book.

   Related talk: "The Power of Habit: Charles Duhigg at TEDxTeachersCollege"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3cp8LERM70>

Ludovico Einaudi - A Rough Guide

   "Ludovico Einaudi (born 23 November 1955) is an Italian pianist and
   composer. After training at the Conservatorio Verdi in Milan and
   under composer Luciano Berio in the early 1980s, Einaudi started
   his career as a classical composer and soon began incorporating
   other styles and genres, including pop, rock, world music, and
   folk music."
   "Einaudi composed the scores for a number of films and trailers,
   including The Intouchables, I'm Still Here, Doctor Zhivago, and
   Acquario in 1996, for which he won the Grolla d'oro for best
   soundtrack. He has also released a number of solo albums of
   piano and orchestra, notably I Giorni in 2001, Nightbook in 2009,
   and In a Time Lapse in 2013." [Wikipedia]
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludovico_einaudi>

   I’ve hastily put this guide together as he is touring Australia right
   now, playing in Adelaide on Tuesday. Here's his official website:
     <http://www.ludovicoeinaudi.com/>

   The links in the guide below are to movies on YouTube.  If the links
   are blocked, try this Spotify playlist (if you have an account):
     <https://play.spotify.com/user/bru.and/playlist/3keQjY3fRNCD5CCQgzhcA4>

   Now, the "rough guide". On a different day, I probably would have
   selected different tracks. I've had to leave out collaborations and
   soundtracks.

   1. Album: "Le onde" ("The waves") (1996)
   Track 12: "Passaggio" ("Way")
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rWgZiSF30c>
   Wonderful solo piano piece. Other highlights include the title track,
   "Le onde", "Ombre" and "Questa notte".

   2. Album: "Eden Roc" (1999)
   Track 8: "Giorni dispari" ("Odd days")
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95N-SSuPHRg>
   Mostly just piano and haunting cello. Also check out the title track,
   "Eden Roc", the contemplative "Nefeli", and the jazzy "Julia".

   3. Album: "I giorni" ("The days") (2001)
   Track 5: "Stella della mattina" ("Morning star") (Live version,
             Royal Albert Hall, with string section)
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZDfOkDZ8cQ>
   Track 9: "La nascita delle cose segrete" ("The birth of secrets")
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHUQCx969m8>
   Other standouts include the achingly beautiful tracks "I due fiumi"
   and "I giorni".

   4. Album: "Una mattina" ("A morning") (2004)
   Track 2: "Ora" ("Now")
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkAQ2LzG3nw>
   Track 12: "Nuvole bianche" ("White clouds")
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcihcYEOeic&t=0m10s>
   Two other great tracks open and close the album:  "Una mattina" and
   the 12 minute epic, "Ancora".

   5. "Divenire" ("Becoming") (2007)
   Track 2: "Divenire" (Live at Royal Albert Hall with string section)
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1DRDcGlSsE>
   Track 6: "Primavera" ("Spring")
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmxFAT581T4>
   Both these tracks build slowly and then accompanied by strings with
   dramatic effect. There are many other great tracks on this album,
   including the hypnotic "Fly" and "L'origine nascosta" ("Hidden
   motives"). On this album Einaudi experimented with electronic keyboards.

   6. "Nightbook" (2009)
   Track 2: "Lady Labyrinth"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zq1hPXJPtto>
   Track 4: "Indaco"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhBmb9Y0puo>
   This album has a darker, haunting tone. Some tracks are backed by
   percussion instruments, such as "Lady Labyrinth" and the great title
   track "Nightbook”. Other highlights include "In principio", "Eros" and
   "The Planets".

   7. "In a Time Lapse" (2013)
   Track 3: "Life"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZpD4YeYl08>
   Track 14: "Burning"
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIf2OXtDhhQ>
   The latest release, including these two pieces of pure bliss. Other
   standouts include "Time Lapse", "Walk", "Experience" and "Waterways".

   There are many other videos on YouTube, including some great live
   performances.

Micro-Reviews of Books Read, January 2014

   Reviews of books read last month: a novel, three novellas, and a
   non-fiction book.


   1. "Angelmaker" by Nick Harkaway
     <http://www.amazon.com/Angelmaker/dp/0307743624>

   Joe Spork, single and in his late thirties, barely makes a living
   repairing mechanical devices from a bygone era. Most of the things
   he fixes are harmless, but one day he unwittingly reassembles a
   doomsday device for a client. The "Angelmaker", among other things,
   distorts time and compels people to tell the truth. This triggers
   panic among world leaders. It also plays into the hands of an evil
   despot, Shem Shem Tsien (the Opium King), who seems to have cheated
   death in his quest to "become God".

   After learning that he may be responsible for the end of the world,
   Spork teams up with a female octogenarian and former superspy to
   thwart Tsien's plans. He enlists his late father's former colleagues,
   both criminal and legitimate. Together they have to deal with shady
   secret government agents and the Order of Ruskinites before they can
   confront Tsien. Along the way, Spork finds the love of his life and
   some inconvenient truths about his family: the double-life of his
   paternal grandmother and the real motivation for his father's
   criminal career.

   This novel mostly succeeds in blending espionage, gangsters and
   science fiction, with a dash of humour. My only major criticism is
   that the ending of this swash-buckling thriller seemed a bit
   contrived. Overall, I enjoyed this book, although not as much as
   the author's first novel, "The Gone-Away World".


   2. "The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson
     <http://www.amazon.com/The-Strange-Case-Jekyll-Hyde/dp/149228856X>

   Having seeing several movies and TV shows based on this classic
   Victorian novel, I never felt the need to read the original. As it
   happens, Stevenson's novella is a bit different to how the story
   has been portrayed on screen. In addition the dual nature of the
   individual comprising the title characters, the novella considers
   the events from two viewpoints. Firstly, there is the account by
   Jekyll's friend and attorney, Utterson. The developing relationship
   between the doctor and the objectionable Mr Hyde has troubled
   Utterson. Why has the respected Jekyll given Hyde unfettered access
   to his home and laboratory, even going so far as naming him as his
   sole beneficiary? When Hyde is linked with assaults and a murder,
   Utterson feels duty-bound to warn Jekyll to sever his ties with
   Hyde. The doctor gets a chance to explain his side of the story in
   the final chapter.

   This story examines the internal struggles between good and evil in
   all of us, using the emergence of pharmaceuticals to take the idea
   to extremes.


   3. "The Giver" by Lois Lowry
     <http://www.amazon.com/The-Giver/dp/B00AHG3UYA>

   This story is set in a future where there is no war, no suffering
   and no disease. All aspects of society and life are carefully planned.
   Children gain additional privileges, responsibilities and toys, at
   specified annual milestones. When they reach twelve years old, their
   lives so far are assessed and their future roles in the Community are
   assigned. For example, if a child shows skill and aptitude for
   building things, he or she will be groomed as an engineer. Someone
   who is good with younger children might be trained as a teacher. But
   the Community is not the utopia it appears to be: people are
   constantly medicated to avoid pain; feelings are suppressed and
   unpleasant memories are erased to maintain emotional stability;
   euphemisms are used to cover up euthanasia and death. Everyone
   experiences a comfortable "sameness", sacrificing colour, music and
   love.

   Jonas, the main character, has demonstrated some special skills, and
   is assigned the important role of the "Receiver of Memory". He will
   be trained by the "Giver", and become the sole repository of
   emotional memories for the Community. Later, in times of crisis or
   when difficult decisions need to be made, he may be called on to
   provide advice by drawing from that memory. Once Jonas becomes aware
   of what really is happening in the Community, he decides to rebel.

   This novella is generally considered a young adult's book, but the
   themes are challenging and universal enough for any reader. It
   reminded me a bit of Brave New World, focussing on children growing
   up in an apparent utopia. The author has written sequels which
   further explore the themes in this book.


   4. "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck
     <http://www.amazon.com/Cannery-Row/dp/014200068X>

   The opening lines set the scene: "Cannery Row in Monterey in
   California is a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light,
   a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream. Cannery Row is the gathered
   and scattered, tin and iron and rust and splintered wood, chipped
   pavement and weedy lots and junk heaps, sardine canneries of
   corrugated iron, honky tonks, restaurants and whore houses, and
   little crowded groceries, and laboratories and flophouses."

   Everybody loves Doc, a marine biologist who prepares exhibits for
   various museums around the country. He's done lots of little things
   to help his fellow inhabitants of Cannery Row: Lee Chong, a Chinese
   immigrant, runs the local grocery; Dora Flood is owner/operator of
   an establishment called the Bear Flag Restaurant, which is actually
   the local whorehouse; Mack is a middle-aged layabout and leader of
   "the boys", who try to do as little work as possible so they enjoy
   the good things in life. Mack suggests they all throw a party at
   Doc's place. But despite good intentions, things take a farcical
   turn, when gatecrashers arrive, fights break out, and Doc's place
   gets trashed. The people of Cannery Row decide to make amends by
   preparing a surprise birthday for Doc, but will they learn from
   their mistakes?

   This was an enjoyable look at life, friendship and simple pleasures
   in working class America in the 1930s.


   5. "You Are Not So Smart" by David McRaney
     <http://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Not-So-Smart/dp/1592407366>

   Using research in psychology, cognition and neuroscience, the author
   explains why we often make irrational decisions. The book contains
   are 48 brief chapters, each examining one particular way we delude
   ourselves. Examples include: Priming (our unconscious minds are
   easily influenced by certain words and situations), Confirmation bias
   (we tend to focus on things that confirm our beliefs rather than
   consider evidence that challenges them), Hindsight bias (we look back
   on things we've just learned and assume we knew or believed them all
   along), Groupthink, Conformity, the Dunning-Kruger Effect (we're bad
   at estimating our competency and the difficulty of a task), the
   Bystander Effect, and Learned Helplessness. The author presents the
   results of many pivotal studies and experiments that helped verify
   our various cognitive biases and delusions.

   If you're interested in this subject matter, I recommend you listen
   to the author's podcast, named after the book:
     <http://youarenotsosmart.com/podcast/>

   Overall, this is a great introduction to cognitive and evolutionary
   psychology, exposing the many foibles of our minds. We're not as
   smart as we think we are. But that's ok, we're only human. I look
   forward to reading the follow-up, "You Are Now Less Dumb".

Micro-Reviews of Books Read, December 2013

   Reviews of books read last month: two novellas, a novel, and two
   non-fiction books.


   1. "Indian Nocturne" by Antonio Tabucchi
     <http://www.amazon.com/Indian-Nocturne/dp/0811210804>

   The narrator is an Italian nicknamed Roux (short for "rouxinol",
   Portuguese for nightingale). His friend, Xavier, went missing in
   India. Roux, determined to find out what happened to Xavier, travels
   across India, retracing his friend's steps. He starts in Bombay
   (Mumbai) on the west coast, crosses the country to Madras (Chennai)
   on the east coast, then ends up back on the west coast in Goa. He
   encounters a wide spectrum of Indians and their culture: poverty and
   luxury, rural and metropolitan settings, and diverse religious
   beliefs. He travels by taxi, boat, train and bus, meeting some
   interesting locals and foreigners along the way.

   A contemplative novella, which incorporates philosophy and literary
   elements.


   2. "Annabel Scheme" by Robin Sloan
     <http://www.amazon.com/Annabel-Scheme/dp/B004E3XC1S>

   This book is set in the near future in San Francisco. Annabel Scheme
   is a private investigator, specialising in cyber and occult cases
   (usually simultaneously). Search giant Grail (loosely modelled on the
   advertising company we know as Google) has its HQ, called the Shard,
   in a trendy part of town. The brief use of a network of quantum
   computers generated a "quantum cloud" around the Shard, and the area
   became known as Fog City. Strange things happened there: for example,
   people could randomly pop in and out of existence. Annabel, with the
   help of her virtual assistant Hu, start off investigating why a long-
   dead singer's voice can be heard on what appear to be brand new
   recordings. This case is solved quickly, but more weirdness lies
   ahead when the Falafel King is murdered, then appears to live on in a
   multiplayer online game set in Jerusalem 2000 years ago.

   Lots of other interesting ideas are presented in this novella,
   including augmented reality, a website called doctorfaust.us (think
   eBay, except for selling organs to demons in return for favours), and
   the ghost of a man, electrocuted in 1879, who lives in the the city's
   electrical grid.


   3. "Three Men in a Boat" by Jerome K. Jerome
     <http://www.amazon.com/Three-Men-Boat/dp/1484156706>

   Written in 1889, this novel is about of a group of hypochondriacs
   who decide to go on a two-week boat ride and camping trip along the
   Thames. The narrator's mischievous fox terrier, Montmorency (Monty)
   goes with them on their comical adventure. But first they need to
   agree what supplies to take with them, which leads to amusing
   arguments. The book is part travelogue through historic Thames
   sites, including the alleged site of the signing of the Magna Carta,
   and various inns that Elizabeth I and other historical figures
   apparently visited. When they eventually get on the boat, they get
   themselves into some funny situations, compounded by their rather
   delicate natures. Many digressions describe other events in their
   past, and provide further insight into the lives of the three men
   (and the dog).

   I guess the style of humour is not everyone's cup of tea. But at
   least it's a relatively short novel, and it does include some
   interesting historical and cultural tidbits.


   4. "Time Warped: Unlocking the Mysteries of Time Perception"
      by Claudia Hammond
     <http://www.amazon.com/Time-Warped/dp/0062225200>

   This book looks at the psychology, neurology and physiology of time
   perception. It includes results of scientific studies and anecdotes
   from people who's perception of time have been altered, including a
   journalist kept hostage for four months, a base-jumper who experienced
   a life-threatening situation, and a man who voluntarily spent two
   months in a dark ice cave. Factors affecting our perception of the
   passing of time include: fear, depression, fever and boredom.
   Different people have different internal concepts of time and how they
   move through it. The book also considers why a watched kettle appears
   to never boil, and why time seems to speed up when you get older. The
   author proposes the "holiday paradox": time flies when your having an
   enjoyable holiday, but novel experiences create memories that make the
   holiday seem longer in retrospect.

   A deeper review of the book:
     <http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/07/15/time-warped-claudia-hammond/>
   The author's RSA talk:
     <http://www.thersa.org/events/audio-and-past-events/2012/time-warped>


   5. "Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes" by Maria Konnikova
     <http://www.amazon.com/Mastermind/dp/014312434X>

   This book shows how the adventures of the fictional detective
   Sherlock Homes can help us become clearer thinkers. The author
   argues that Holmes' metaphor of the "brain attic" is borne out by
   modern research in psychology and neuroscience. The book covers the
   brain's two modes of thinking, System 1 and System 2, relabelling
   them as System Watson and System Holmes respectively. System Watson
   provides immediate and automatic responses, often triggered by the
   fight-or-flight part of our brain. System Holmes involves more
   considered analysis, is slower with a higher energy cost, but is
   often more accurate. Distractions, including multitasking, affect
   our thinking. Sherlock's use of mindfulness can improve our critical
   thinking. Cognitive biases also distort our thinking. We can adopt
   Sherlock's techniques of introducing some distance, keeping an open
   mind and remaining objective can help overcome biases.

   A deeper review of the book:
     <http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/01/07/mastermind-maria-konnikova/>
   The author's RSA talk:
     <http://www.thersa.org/events/audio-and-past-events/2013/the-scientific-
       method-of-the-mind-what-sherlock-holmes-can-teach-us-about-decision-making>