What are you reading?

I read Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs a couple months ago. Our CEO gave each designer a copy, which was a thoughtful gesture. I can’t say anything about Jobs that hasn’t already been said, but I do think Isaacson did a great job in letting the reader make up his or her mind about how to feel.

I’ve been on a Sci-Fi kick since then. Ender’s Game, which is cool military Sci-Fi. Much of it is about strategy, leadership and self loathing. Told through the perspective of a messiah type child being groomed to be a soldier. Speaker for the Dead, Ender’s Game’s sequel, but very different. It centers more on the philosophical conflicts that come with influencing the development of primitive alien species. I would recommend both.
World War Z, which is about the near collapse of a Zombie uprising. It’s told entirely through interviews of people recalling past events. It’s decent, I’ve never been a huge zombie fan but I’ve been on Walking Dead withdraw since the season ended.

I just started Gunslinger, the first book in Stephen King’s Dark Tower series. It’s pretty strange so far. It takes place in an Old West netherworld but with weird contemporary references, more fantasy than Sci-Fi. I don’t know what to think of it yet. The only other Stephen King book I’ve read is IT, and that was a crazy trip.

I’ve got a long commute so I’ve been devouring these in audiobook form. It’s become an expensive habit.

My local library has lots of ebook and audiobook titles for free. You might check that out.

The library has ebooks? How does that work?

Finished the “Sirens of Titan” … Starting “Hunger Games” … :wink:

Yo: The library here in Montreal has ebooks too. From what I understand, it’s like the ebook appears in a proprietary library Kindle type program and is automatically erased after the loan time limit has been reached. Also, just like a library book there are only a limited amount of licenses available at any one time.

I want to use the service, but my library card lapsed a few months ago and I haven’t gotten back there to renew it. :confused:

Yeah, it’s pretty sweet. Some of them show up in iBooks, some of them show up in a 3rd party reader, or you can get the Kindle version, too. 21 day check out. But, the wait can be pretty long as, for what ever reason, only 1 copy is available for check out at a time. But I suppose like all books, they cost money to buy.

I really enjoyed this, especially how the military tactics and weapon design had to change. Also the submarine stuff and people trying to swim to ships gave me shivers.

Author Max Brooks is Mel Brooks’ son, and it’s being filmed with Brad Pitt.

That was definitely cool. I also liked how working class immigrants became instructors to professionals to teach them useful skills to help rebuild society. I would like to think that my skills would be of service in a post apocalyptic world.

I would like to think that my skills would be of service in a post apocalyptic world.

depends … can you actually make things? :wink:

Recently finished the Hunger Game trilogy. I’m not going to lie, I liked, though clearly written at about a 5th grade level… They are young adult books…

Just finished re-reading “I Miss My Pencil.” One of my favorite design books. Shows a great understanding and love for the design process. Very inspiring.

Just finished Super Freakanomics. Great read.

http://www.amazon.ca/Superfreakonomics-Steven-D-Levitt/dp/1554686091/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1339761672&sr=8-1-spell

70% through Gladwell’s Outliers. Why didn’t I read this years ago, I don’t know. Should be required reading in design & business:

http://www.amazon.ca/Outliers-Story-Success-Malcolm-Gladwell/dp/0316017930/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339761731&sr=1-1

Yes. Outliers is so interesting.

I got through about half of it, and my ebook expired from the library. Probably going to have to buy that one anyway.

Recently read ‘Design is a Job’ by Mike Montiero (he’s the guy who published that web lecture ‘F*ck You, Pay Me’)

Its a good overview of working as an independent or as a small design business, and he has an entertaining style


also bought and on the to-read list:

Thomas Heatherwick: Making
Les Trois Mousquetaires ( to work on my French )
Eliot Noyes by Gordon Bruce

I recently finished reading “Count of Monte Cristo” for the second time. The length is deceiving, it flies by.

“Ready Player One”
Good but a bit repetetive, especially in how the protaganist has to basically pass the same trial 3 times with only superficial differences.

“Mr. Gatlings Terrible Marvel”
History of the Gatling Gun, especially good in describing the history of patents and how it affected product development.

“No Country for Old Men”
I wanted to read “The Road” but this was at the library instead. Superb, but I just watched the film and that’s better.

The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt. Totally funny and brutal!

H.G.Wells “The World Set Free”

I got “Raiders!” for Christmas:

http://www%20inbookdepository.co.uk/Raiders-Alan-Eisenstock/9781250001474

More detail, but I felt the original Vanity Fair article is a better read:
http://www.theraider.net/films/raiders_adaptation/downloads/vanityfair_article.pdf

I’ve seen the movie, and it’s interesting in context of the three kids story, but it is essentially a vhs home remake.

The Right Hand by Derek Haas. I am a major covert op fangirl and having just seen The Bourne Legacy I am now going through Bourne withdrawal so this is just what the doctor ordered. It’s written by a Hollywood screenwriter so it reads like a movie. :smiley:

I recently finished The Game of Thrones series through book 5. Love, love, love, LOVE that series. A fan of the TV series as well, but as with all book adaptations, the books are better.

I recently read World War Z (mentioned in this thread) and found it entertaining at best. Was hoping for more from it, though.

A fun read from Neal Stephenson (of cyberpunk fame) is one called “Reamde”. It is a modern espionage-type thriller that partly takes place in a MMORPG…a smart, pop culture ride.

I’m now diving into “Blood Meridian” by Cormack McCarthy. I’m a huge fan of his book, “The Road”…and this one usually comes up in conversation with any McCarthy fan once you get past the shock and awe of “The Road”.

I’m on GoodReads.com if anyone cares to link up there: Sign Up