Books

I decided to keep a record of books I've read, starting in 2019. My hope is it cements some of the learning/themes by writing it up post-reading.

September 2023 Update - I can and do still read, I just couldn't keep up the habit of updating this. One day...

The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea

non-fiction

Bob Burg, John David Mann - read Dec 2023

Saw on a recomended reading list from an old colleague. Short, easy read. Good reminder of the importance of giving, even unrelated to work/business. I can see there's a whole series of these books, but would guess message lands most clearly in this original from 2007.

Scorpio (Frontlines: Evolution, #1)

fiction

Marko Kloos - read Dec 2023

Extension of the Frontlines series. Original series had 8 books, all excellent, and this is no different. I didn't personally warm to Kloos' `Palladium Wars` series but was very happy to rip through Scorpio. Looking forward to the next installment.

Columbus Day (Expeditionary Force #1)

fiction

Craig Alanson - read May 2019

Bit cheesy in places but a pretty good book (and series) for downtime/escapism. Need to get back to something non-fiction...

Company Of One (audiobook)

non-fiction

Paul Jarvis - read Apr 2019

The benefits of, and practices for, starting and running a small company with no employees. Okay to outsource and best part is the "anti-growth" approach. "Growth" has torpedoed a bunch of systems and services I've used over the years, and assuming you can build a resilient business, it's okay to stay in a sweet spot where you're not stressed out all the time!

Tiamat's Wrath (Expanse

fiction

James S. A. Corey - read Apr 2019

Probably the best The Expanse installment yet. Some bold plot and character changes running up to the series finale #9...

The Gods Themselves

fiction

Isaac Asimov - read Apr 2019

Parallel universes with different laws of Physics. Part of my attempt to finish up the SF MasterWorks series but not a favourite read.

Ancestral Night (White Space

fiction

Elizabeth Bear - read Apr 2019

A well constructed Universe and intruiging story/plot. Feels a little heavy on some of the protagonist dialogue and introspection which made some parts drag

Elysium Fire

fiction

Alastair Reynolds - read Jan 2019

Dedidcated adaptation/book based on background of Tom Dreyfus in Revelation Space. Feels like it's the pre-cursor to the Glitter Band becoming the Rust Band, but....

Factfulness

non-fiction

Hans Rosling - read Jan 2019

* Macro events of which you have vague knowledge are rarely as bad as you think
* Dividing people, themes or concepts into binary (2) groups is rarely appropriate. There probably isn't a gap, you just don't have appropriate perspective

Murderbot Series

fiction

Martha Wells - read Feb 2019

Entertaining bite sized first person diary.

Revenger and Shadow Captain

fiction

Alastair Reynolds - read Feb 2019

Hoovering up everything else that Alastair Reynolds has written that I haven't read. Pirate scifi. Protracted character development/dialogue in places but compelling steampunk-esque ideas

The Island

fiction

Peter Watts - read Feb 2019

Set in the Sunflower cycle series, this is a sequel to The Freeze-Frame Revolution, despited being written 9 years prior. Epic.

The Rifter Series (1,2,3)

fiction

Peter Watts - read Mar 2019

Reviving the Peter Watts back catalogue. First 2 books done in March (Starfish and Maelstrom). Typically great from PW even though it's mostly underwater.