Books

April 15th, 2006 by alephnaught

Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea

Title: Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea Author: Charles Seife Paperback: 256 pages Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (September 1, 2000) ISBN: 0140296476 This was a really fun read – it reminded me of discussions I had in college about zero and infinity (and part of the whole thing about Aleph Naught and the Null Set). […]

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April 8th, 2006 by alephnaught

The Wisdom of Crowds

Title: The Wisdom of Crowds Author: James Surowiecki Paperback: 336 pages Publisher: Anchor; Reprint edition (August 16, 2005) ISBN: 0385721706 In my quest to learn more about business (never ending it seems), I found this book referenced in one of the business-related RSS feeds I read daily. This is a really good book, I almost […]

March 25th, 2006 by alephnaught

Company: A Novel

Title: Company: A Novel Author: Max Barry Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: Doubleday (January 17, 2006) ISBN: 0385514395 This was a truly fun read, and in some ways may remind you of the TV show, “The Office,” but with some very dark twists.  There are some interesting observations (like balancing happiness with work), and the ending […]

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March 18th, 2006 by alephnaught

The Cobweb

Title: The Cobweb Author: Neal Stephenson and J. Frederick George Paperback: 448 pages Publisher: Spectra; Reissue edition (May 31, 2005) ISBN: 0553383442 I read the pair’s other book, Interface, with great interest (could hardly put it down). This book was also a page turner. I like the implication that people are placed in a niche […]

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March 18th, 2006 by alephnaught

Small Pieces Loosely Joined: A Unified Theory of the Web

Title: Small Pieces Loosely Joined: A Unified Theory of the Web Author: David Weinberger Hardcover: 256 pages Publisher: Perseus Books Group; 1st edition (March 2002) ISBN: 0738205435 This is a good read, especially if you either didn’t grow up along with the web or want to remember what the web should be about. There weren’t […]

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March 18th, 2006 by alephnaught

In Cold Blood

Title: In Cold Blood Author: Truman Capote Paperback: 368 pages Publisher: Vintage; Reprint edition (February 1, 1994) ISBN: 0679745580 Saw the movie Capote – yep, I think Phillip Seymore Hoffman deserved his Oscar. This book is classified as a novel, but is really non-fiction, the story of a gruesome family slaying in rural Kansas. I […]

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March 11th, 2006 by alephnaught

My Forbidden Face

Title: My Forbidden Face: Growing Up Under the Taliban – A Young Woman’s Story Author: Latifa Paperback: 224 pages Publisher: Miramax Books; 1st ed. I. edition (July 9, 2003) ISBN: 1401359256 I spent three months working in Saudi Arabia, and that gave me an interest in the Arab world. So, I decided to read this […]

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March 10th, 2006 by alephnaught

Man’s Search for Meaning

Title: Man’s Search for Meaning Author: Viktor E. Frankl Paperback: 224 pages Publisher: Pocket; Rev&Updtd edition (December 1, 1997) ISBN: 0671023373 A friend recommended that I read this book – it provides a valuable perspective on how people handle those things that are in our control and those that are not. In addition, it describes […]

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March 4th, 2006 by alephnaught

The Prepared Mind of a Leader

Title: The Prepared Mind of a Leader: Eight Skills Leaders Use to Innovate, Make Decisions, and Solve Problems Author: Bill Welter and Jean Egmon Hardcover: 304 pages Publisher: Jossey-Bass (October 24, 2005) ISBN: 0787976806 I’d give this book 5 out of 10 – the premise and some of the ideas are good, but the format […]

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February 27th, 2006 by alephnaught

The Reindeer People : Living with Animals and Spirits in Siberia

Title: The Reindeer People : Living with Animals and Spirits in Siberia Author: Piers Vitebsky Hardcover: 480 pages Publisher: Houghton Mifflin (December 8, 2005) ISBN: 0618211888 This is a wonderful book! There are a few book in print today on northern Siberia, but Vitebsky lived this for a number of summers (and at least one […]

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