What are you reading?

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

The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail-but Some Don’t by Nate Silver. Very Gladwellesque. Great read. I think a lot of what design does is prediction, although in a much more qualitative way compared to Silver’s quantitative methods.

1Q84 by: Haruki Murakami and Design For the Real World By: Victor Papanek

WW2, fascists, nazis, jews, bike racing and a biography that wasn’t written in Italian. A good read.

Just started this one; a light read.

A Jew Among Romans: The Life and Legacy of Flavius Josephus
Frederich Raphael
Pantheon Books, 2013
ISBN 978-0-307-37816-3

The history of Josephus (37–c. 100CE), the Jewish general turned Roman historian/traitor (?)

The Stand - by Stephen King…

Keeping me plenty awake at night…

Just finished “Out of Poverty” by Paul Polak

Essential reading for every designer. Filled with very thought provoking ideas. However, written in a sophomoric manner. The guy needs an editor.

Just started reading “Wool” by Hugh Howey

“Batavia” by Peter Fitzsimons
http://www.randomhouse.com.au/books/peter-fitzsimons/batavia-9781864711349.aspx

The flagship of the Dutch East India company hits a reef off the coast of West Australia in 1629, everything then turns to shit.

Here’s the author telling the story in a 30 min podcast, which got me onto the book:

Going through my fourth time of reading “Lord of the Rings”. It’s been about a decade since I last read it, figured it was time to give it another go.

Once that is done, I think it’ll be time for “Devil in the White City”

I’m still reading The last Juror. Hopefully, it will finish soon so I can start another one.