Mythos by Stephen Fry.
Stephen Fry re-tells the ancient greek myths in his own style, adding personal commentary along the way. Recommended.
Ask HN: What books have you read recently?
11–20 of 26 posts
Re: Ask HN: What books have you read recently?
#12Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot. Narrowly, about Scottish succession. More broadly, about UK politics.
It’s describes the pro-succession movement in very negative terms, but simultaneously defends the UK political system in general.
I’m like ... if UK politics isn’t that dysfunctional, how did such a dysfunctional movement some about?
Either both UK politics and Scottish succession are “reasonableish”, or neither is “reasonableish.” Because the two are pretty closely connected.
Based exclusively on this book, I’m thinking both are “reasonableish.”
Re: Ask HN: What books have you read recently?
#13Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
She is a wonderful writer and her book was an eye-opening journey through the deleterious and ubiquitous effects of caste, which is distinct from class or race, on American society and other societies.
Re: Ask HN: What books have you read recently?
#14The New Paradigm for Financial Markets — George Soros.
This is honestly more of a philosophy textbook than a book on Finance.
Soros, explains his interesting idea of reflexivity, an extension of the mind-body problem [0]
[0]:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind%E2%80%93body_problem
Re: Ask HN: What books have you read recently?
#15Leonardo da Vinci Biography. Crazy how limitless, how curious he was... He also lived one hell of a life.
Re: Ask HN: What books have you read recently?
#16The Expectant Father – was split up in such a way that once a month, I was reading the relevant chapter to keep up with my partner's pregnancy and all the things I need to/should know along the way. Was well worth it for me... there were many things in there that I wouldn't have otherwise been aware of that I think have made the journey a lot smoother (and less mysterious) for me.
One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each – a compilation of Japanese poetry from ~800 years ago. The variety of poems in this were a great read and although the English translations can't replicate the originals perfectly, the translator's notes that go with them in the edition I own described the original techniques and wordplay used and it a lot of it is thoroughly impressive.
Re: Ask HN: What books have you read recently?
#17The Ministry for the Future - Kim Stanley Robinson.
Love every page of it. Its ci-fi, climate fiction, plays 10-20years in the future and tells eye whiteness stories about what people experience during extreme weather events. Plus how the global community is failing to address the crisis. It s mixing storytelling with climate science, sustainability, economics, politics, crypto.
Re: Ask HN: What books have you read recently?
#18How to avoid a climate disaster - Bill Gates. I found it extremely comprehensible and well structured, other than I learned a lot. It's the beginning of a new rabbit hole.
That will never work - Marc Randolph. I'm also a big fan of his new podcast, same title.
The dispatcher - John Scalzi. Short, kind of weird, but a nice distraction from tech & startups
(all available on Audible)
Re: Ask HN: What books have you read recently?
#19Small Unit Leadership - Col. Dandridge M. (Mike) Malone, US Army (Ret.)
Just something I picked up in a thrift shop. It’s alright.
Re: Ask HN: What books have you read recently?
#20I finished What is the name of this book? by Smullyan and am halfway through The Lady or the Tiger? (also Smullyan). I'd read the latter years ago along with one other book of his. I'll find out which it was when I get to it and recognize the text. They've been a pleasant, light diversion in the evenings the past few weeks (with stretches of not reading them and doing programming learning/side projects).