71–80 of 294 posts
He's a CS prof at Georgetown now and wrote this while finishing up his Phd. Gives great and contrarian advice on career strategy snd path - focus on getting good at something (eg protramming. You'll grow to become passionate about it - most likely the things you're passionate about before your career can't be a career (eg sports, gaming). Also talks about deliberate practice and mission oriented careers.
For the mind: http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Good-Life-Ancient-Stoic/dp/01953... A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy - William B. Irvine Not only a description of the Stoic philosophy, which is, unfortunately, not very well known today, but also a great practical guide to a variety of techniques that can be included into daily activities easily, and will increase happiness. For the body: http://www.am…
> A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy - William B. Irvine I read this, and have nothing bad to say about it per se. I think Stoicism in the classic sense is very under-appreciated these days, and it's good to have a book to serve as an introduction. But I personally found it to be very repetitive. The historical context part is worth reading in my opinion, but apart from that you'd be better off re…
Incidentally, I'm trying to read Meditations now, but it's not an easy reading and it goes very slowly. Maybe I'll be able to put in on my 2015 list of influential books?
1) Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden
Not only the best written account of the action in World War I's trenches but also a wonderful account of race in Canada, this book is absolutely beautiful.
2) The Winds of War/War and Remembrance by Herman Wouk
If you want to learn the most minute history of WW2, this series is a great way to boost your knowledge. This not only covers the War, but also gives enough background that the rest of the 20th century's history makes more sense.
3) Deep Currents by Valerie Haig-Brown
I read this book on Vancouver Island just a few km from the Haig-Brown house and it changed my views on conservation, the pacific fisheries, and Campbell River (which is where my Dad spent his teenaged years).
* Edited because of fat fingers.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy - William B. Irvine I read this, and have nothing bad to say about it per se. I think Stoicism in the classic sense is very under-appreciated these days, and it's good to have a book to serve as an introduction. But I personally found it to be very repetitive. The historical context part is worth reading in my opinion, but apart from that you'd be better off re…
you'd be better off reading something like Marcus Aurelius' Meditations instead, or some of the other classics. Incidentally, I'm trying to read Meditations now, but it's not an easy reading and it goes very slowly. Maybe I'll be able to put in on my 2015 list of influential books?
e.g. just compare the first few lines from the version on Project Gutenberg:
"Of my grandfather Verus I have learned to be gentle and meek, and to refrain from all anger and passion. From the fame and memory of him that begot me I have learned both shamefastness and manlike behaviour."
and the same lines from the Hammond translation:
"From my grandfather Verus: decency and a mild temper.
From what they say and I remember of my natural father: integrity and manliness."
Obviously a matter of personal preference though, but it's worth shopping around for a translation before you start reading, and the Gutenberg versions tend to be the most archaic (which doesn't necessarily even mean they're more accurate, I think it was just the fashion back then to translate classic texts into a more formal prose).
It's a tough read, because it assumes a lot of prior knowledge of academic econ and finance. Also, what I would regard as lackluster editing makes comprehension a challenge beyond that. But the content is one of the best descriptions of our economic system, steeped in historical analysis, and finishing with some strong advice on how to address the public vs private enterprise dilemma to address the challenges of tomorrow.
This is a great book for anyone running a bootstrapped business. It is based on the Corelytics software product, which is a financial analysis tool that syncs with Quickbooks to provide trendline, progress against goals, and other real time financial metrics for startups. This gives you a view of where things are headed rather than a "too late" picture in your financials.
http://www.amazon.com/Pulse-Understanding-Vital-Signs-Busine...
How To See Color And Paint It - http://www.amazon.com/How-Color-Paint-Arthur-Stern/dp/082302... Taught me how to paint what I see accurately.
Secret Knowledge - http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Knowledge-New-Expanded-Rediscov... Taught me that painters have been using projection for hundreds of years so I'm allowed to use any technology I can get my hands on to make art.
Van Gogh: The Life -- http://www.amazon.com/Van-Gogh-Life-Steven-Naifeh/dp/0375758... Hated this book because the authors (two obnoxious lawyers who happen to be good at research) write about him with zero compassion like he deserved the abuse he received for being different. However, Van Gogh's story is fantastic and inspiring even if it is very tragic.
There's a whole ton of others, but those stand out.