The following is what I've been reading. The reviews are capsules; if you want to discuss the works in more detail, or recommend something, mail me.
On the nightstand:
Recent additions to the library:
- What Have You Changed Your Mind About?, Edited by John Brockman
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The very definition of the thinking person's bathroom book, this is a collection of maybe 100 very short essays from various scientists and bright folks loosely organized around the topic in the title. The results are fascinating, both in taking the work as a whole, and in each essay.
Individually various writers make interesting points and throw up novel ideas, even when they're not directly addressing the topic. For example, the idea that human evoloution has become a process of self-domestication of the species is illuminating, regardless of whether it's the focus of a change of mind. Some of the essays miss the mark, but at the 1-2 page limit, they're diverting train wrecks instead of self-indulgent slogs.
Taken as a whole, it's also remarkable how many scientists are toiling away in the various life sciences that touch the same ideas, but remain insulated from one another. It says something about humanity (or at least academics) that people carve out the tiny niches in expertise that they do.
For many reasons this is well worth the read.
Strongly recommended.
- Passionate Declarations, Howard Zinn
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Howard Zinn is a man with clear views about the world, and while I don't share all of them, I admire his clarity and optimism. Zinn is a pretty left-wing guy, in a very classical sense. He believes in an almost classless society and takes socialist positions for real. The folks screaming about Obama's socialism should have a look at what a real socialist sounds like.
And, as advertised, he's passionate about his positions. He takes people and governments to task for not living up to their responsibilities to be decent and just with earnest fervor and intellectual rigor. He makes compelling arguments, but I'm not sure I believe that one can live up to them. He'd fault me for lack of vision, but I guess I don't believe that I can be as good as he needs me to be for the world to work his way, much less trust my neighbors to do it.
While I'll continue to be a slightly optimistic pragmatist in my world view, it's bracing to read the arguments of a man who thinks we can be better. I wish I believed him more.
Recommended.
- Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to promote Peace .. One School at a Time, Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
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This bio of Greg Mortenson is a nice description of how people can work hard and wind up having a great impact. Mortenson is a climber who finds himself sucked into building schools in Packistan almost on a whim. While recovering from a failed attempt at K2 he realizes how badly the village he recovers in needs a school and promises to build one. At that point he has no resources or understanding of how to do that, but he manages to find both and make significant changes to a tough part of the planet.
The book is written by an admirer, and is a little breathless in places, but overall it's an inspiring story well told. Beyond the specifics of what Mortenson accomplishes and how, there really is a strong subtext that mere mortals can do a lot to make the world a better place. That's always good to reinforce. A fine thing.
Recommended.