Good Books for a Lousy Year

#1

Post by yarapavan » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 8:21 AM UTC

Good Books for a Lousy Year
gatesnotes.com

Re: Good Books for a Lousy Year

#2

Post by russellbeattie » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 9:42 AM UTC

I've read The Spy and the Traitor, and it was quite good. I had just come off a binge of spy novels written by John LeCarre and it was amazing to read the same exact sort of craziness, but in a real life situation. I would actually recommend doing something similar, as the fiction definitely help set the mental stage for the history.

That said, Roger Federer is a generalist?!? Why, because he has trouble beating Rafa on clay?? As a techie generalist who has knowledge a mile wide and an inch deep, I'm not sure he would qualify. But I'll read the book and see.

Re: Good Books for a Lousy Year

#3

Post by happy_path » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 9:49 AM UTC

When I see this kind of lists I always think of getting some of these books and reading them. However, I feel like reading books that have no relationship with my job (software engineer) is a waste. Do any feel the same? Is this a harmful mindset and should stop worrying about "wasting" my free time?

Re: Good Books for a Lousy Year

#4

Post by badjeans » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 9:50 AM UTC

Was it a tough year for Bill Gates? How?

    Net worth     US$ 119 billion

Re: Good Books for a Lousy Year

#5

Post by bergstromm466 » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 9:51 AM UTC

badjeans wrote: post #4

Was it a tough year for Bill Gates? How? Net worth US$ 119 billion

I guess the world's biggest monopolizer is trying to show empathy for others.

Re: Good Books for a Lousy Year

#6

Post by jcynix » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 9:52 AM UTC

I'm currently reading "The White Plague" (1982) by Frank Herbert, which seems somehow appropriate given the current pandemic.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_White_Plague (contains spoilers)

Re: Good Books for a Lousy Year

#7

Post by AntiImperialist » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 9:53 AM UTC

badjeans wrote: post #4

Was it a tough year for Bill Gates? How? Net worth US$ 119 billion

He has enough money to not have to care about money. He just didn't get to kill as many Africans as he and his father would have liked to. Give the poor guy a break. It's been a tough year for him.

Re: Good Books for a Lousy Year

#8

Post by jcynix » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 9:57 AM UTC

happy_path wrote: post #3

When I see this kind of lists I always think of getting some of these books and reading them. However, I feel like reading books that have no relationship with my job (software engineer) is a waste. Do any feel the same? Is this a harmful mindset and should stop worrying about "wasting" my free time?

Your free time should be the time when you do things unrelated to your professional work. A healthy advise I got from Usenet a long time ago is that one should have a hobby unrelated to computers.

That advise was given when there where no eBook readers, Smartphones or other mobile stuff. But it's still a good advise IMO as long as you use these tools for mainly recreational activities.

So long note, short answer: reading books isn't a waste of time.

Re: Good Books for a Lousy Year

#9

Post by digikazi » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 9:58 AM UTC

happy_path wrote: post #3

When I see this kind of lists I always think of getting some of these books and reading them. However, I feel like reading books that have no relationship with my job (software engineer) is a waste. Do any feel the same? Is this a harmful mindset and should stop worrying about "wasting" my free time?

Reading books that are unrelated to what you do for a living is not a waste - not in my opinion at least.

The stuff you read "for work" will undoubtedly increase your technical knowledge and make you a better software engineer, but the books you read for pleasure might just soothe your soul, increase your knowledge about the world you live in (good, interesting biographies, history books, etc) or they might just be good fun and a good way to switch off.

So while I don't necessarily think your mindset is harmful per se, I do think it is perhaps a little self limiting. That's just my opinion of course - I like literature so for me books are definitely a pleasure. Your mileage might vary :)

Re: Good Books for a Lousy Year

#10

Post by why5s » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 9:59 AM UTC

happy_path wrote: post #3

When I see this kind of lists I always think of getting some of these books and reading them. However, I feel like reading books that have no relationship with my job (software engineer) is a waste. Do any feel the same? Is this a harmful mindset and should stop worrying about "wasting" my free time?

I don't think it's a waste. A good chunk of my reading involves content unrelated to my job (software engineer). Not every hour of the day has to be spent chasing "productivity". Unstructured free time outside of work is essential to keeping me productive at work.