- On The Wealth Of Nations (Books That Changed the World) by P.J. O'Rourke. Not quite as funny as his Eat the Rich, but it's a humorous but serious analysis of Adam Smith's classic book from the 18th Century.
- Programming Collective Intelligence. I heard about this on the Python 411 podcast. I just started it, but I chose it for two reasons. First of all, it uses Python, which makes it accessible for me. Secondly, the idea of collecting data from the web and mashing it up is similar to the concept for fuselets in work I'm doing for my employer.
- Persistent Human Bridge Errors. I don't necessarily agree with all of the recommendations from "Chthonic", but the book is entertaining and raises good points.
What I finished recently:
- Fleet of Worlds by Larry Niven and Edward M. Lerner. I have been a big fan of Niven's "Known Space" stories for nearly 30 years. This book acts as a kind of prequel to many of those stories. I found a few things interesting:
- Information technology elements of the plot that are clearly inspired by modern computers and the Internet. As forward-looking as the Known Space stories are, this element wasn't thought of in the 1970s and 80s.
- The book is labeled "200 years before the discovery of the Ringworld" but the plot doesn't really seem to relate to the Ringworld. Maybe another book is in progress?
- The Praxis by Walter Jon Williams. I read a story in this universe in an anthology about space opera. It's an interesting concept, and I look forward to reading more of the stories in this universe.
- Now I Can Die in Peace by Bill Simmons of ESPN Page 2.
- The Long Tail by Chris Anderson.
