What are you reading? April 28, 2018

Here's what I am reading.  Feel free to comment with what you are reading.

• Started this week
• A re-re-read of Crypotomicon by Neal Stephenson. One of my favorite novels. My review shows why.  I am on p. 316
• Significant Figures by Ian Stewart. Brief biographies of famous mathematicians. I am on p. 43.
• In progress this week
• The Machiavellian Moment by J. G. A. Pocock. I am on p. 5. Multidisciplinary social science/history.  This is going to be a slow read. 
• Medieval Europe by Chris Wickham.  1000 years in 250 pages.  Seems like a very good introduction to the period. I am on page 43.
• This Idea is Brilliant edited by John Brockman.  Short essays on a wide range of ideas by experts. I am on p. 98.
• The Mathematical Theory of Bridge by Emile Borel and Cheron Andre. Probability and bridge. Lots of math. I am on page 121.
• Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker. Why the Enlightenment is still important, why life is still good.  I am on p. 55.
• A New History of Western Philosophy by Anthony Kenny. This is a very good history of the subject, well written and clear.  Kenny follows an unusual strategy in that he takes two approaches: He first covers each era in a more-or-less chronological order, then he looks at the big topics of that era in a systematic way.  I am on p. 595, in the Enlightenment.
• Scrivener for Dummies. I am on p. 186.  Scrivener is a tool for writers. 
• The Drawing of Trump and its Postponement by Fred L. Karpin.  I am on p. 43. A classic on the play of the hand in bridge. 
• Finished this week

• Dark Lanterns by Aaron Solomon. A mystery set in 16th century France.  Quite good! My review.

What should I blog about?

Hi readers:

Which would you prefer that I blog about:

1. Just book reviews?
2. Book reviews and quotations
3. Book reviews and words
4. All three things

Book Review: Dark Lanterns by Aaron Solomon

Dark Lanterns is a first novel by Aaron Solomon.  (Disclosure: Aaron is my nephew).

I really liked this book. It's got an unusual setting and a very interesting protagonist.  The setting is 16/17th century France (the era of Cardinal Richelieu and also the Three Musketeers). I found this interesting because it is an era I didn't know that much about - and one that is very different in all sorts of ways from the modern world.

The protagonist is a young woman named Sacha.   She was orphaned as a child and made her way to Paris where she became a sort of employee of Richelieu - but her jobs are unusual, often dangerous and usually illegal. And she has to pretend to be a man to do them. She's utterly devoted to the Cardinal because without him she probably would have starved on the streets of Paris. She's devoutly religious but conflicted because her jobs (although done in the service of a cardinal) often involve violating the law or one of the ten commandments.  She breaks into buildings, she steals, she fights. But she's also very clever.

I hope this is the start of a series!

What are you reading?

Here's what I am reading.  Feel free to comment with what you are reading.

• Started this week
• Into the Black by Evan Currie. I am on p. 43.  Science fiction.
• The Machiavellian Moment by J. G. A. Pocock. I am on p. 5. Multidisciplinary social science/history.
• In progress this week
• Dark Lanterns by Aaron Solomon. A mystery set in 16th century France.  Quite good!  I am on p. 278.
• Medieval Europe by Chris Wickham.  1000 years in 250 pages.  Seems like a very good introduction to the period. I am on page 41.
• This Idea is Brilliant edited by John Brockman.  Short essays on a wide range of ideas by experts. I am on p. 85.
• The Mathematical Theory of Bridge by Emile Borel and Cheron Andre. Probability and bridge. Lots of math. I am on page 121.
• Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker. Why the Enlightenment is still important, why life is still good.  I am on p. 55.
• A New History of Western Philosophy by Anthony Kenny. This is a very good history of the subject, well written and clear.  Kenny follows an unusual strategy in that he takes two approaches: He first covers each era in a more-or-less chronological order, then he looks at the big topics of that era in a systematic way.  I am on p. 579, in the Enlightenment.
• Scrivener for Dummies. I am on p. 186.  Scrivener is a tool for writers. 
• The Drawing of Trump and its Postponement by Fred L. Karpin.  I am on p. 43. A classic on the play of the hand in bridge. 
• Finished this week

• The Cutting Edge by Jeffery Deaver.  My review

Book review: The Cutting Edge by Jeffery Deaver

The Cutting Edge is the latest novel in the Lincoln Rhyme series, which is one of my favorite series.  For those who don't know, Lincoln Rhyme is a criminalist who is also a quadriplegic. He's one of the best in the world at analyzing crime scenes but, since he became disabled, he relies on others to be do the physical examination of the scenes.  This novel can be read without reading any of the earlier ones (although I think reading the series in at least rough order would be more enjoyable).

As in all of the books in the series, Rhyme is called in to help on a serial murder case. Relatively early on, we learn that the villain, who is crazy, is killing engaged couples because of their diamond rings - he thinks making diamonds is horrible.

Also as in all the books, there are twists and twists until the final page. Deaver is a master of fitting together all the pieces of his plots so that they make sense. However, I think he takes it one step too far in this book, so it's not my favorite of the series.  But it's still very good and will keep you turning the pages.

NOTE: There are scenes of extreme violence in this book. If that turns you off, you shouldn't read it.

What are you reading? April 14, 2018

Here's what I am reading.  Feel free to comment with what you are reading.

• Started this week
• Dark Lanterns by Aaron Solomon. A mystery set in 16th century France.  Quite good!  I am on p. 265.
• The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley. The first of the Flavia de Luce mysteries, featuring the 11 year old genius.  I am on p. 41.
• In progress this week
• Medieval Europe by Chris Wickham.  1000 years in 250 pages.  Seems like a very good introduction to the period. I am on page 41.
• This Idea is Brilliant edited by John Brockman.  Short essays on a wide range of ideas by experts. I am on p. 65.
• The Mathematical Theory of Bridge by Emile Borel and Cheron Andre. Probability and bridge. Lots of math. I am on page 121.
• Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker. Why the Enlightenment is still important, why life is still good.  I am on p. 55.
• Sunvault: Stories of Solarpunk and eco-speculation  by Daniel Jose Older.  Solarpunk is a new and optimistic sub-genre of science fiction.  I am on p. 9
• A New History of Western Philosophy by Anthony Kenny. This is a very good history of the subject, well written and clear.  Kenny follows an unusual strategy in that he takes two approaches: He first covers each era in a more-or-less chronological order, then he looks at the big topics of that era in a systematic way.  I am on p. 539, in the Enlightenment.
• Scrivener for Dummies. I am on p. 186.  Scrivener is a tool for writers. 
• The Drawing of Trump and its Postponement by Fred L. Karpin.  I am on p. 43. A classic on the play of the hand in bridge. 
• Finished this week

• Command Decision by Elizabeth Moon.  My review.

Book review: Command Decision by Elizabeth Moon

Command Decision is the fourth book in the Vatta's War series.  Kylara Vatta continues her long term strategy of rebuilding the Vatta business and hunting down her and their enemies.  In this one, she allies with people including Ransome's Rangers - led by the irrepressible and rich Teddy Ransome - and makes use of new technology devised by her genius relative Toby.  Meanwhile, her friend Rafe takes over from his father as head of ISC.

Like the earlier books in the series, this is good fun and well-done with no need for any big points about anything.

What are you reading? April 7, 2018

Here's what I am reading.  Feel free to comment with what you are reading.

• Started this week
• Medieval Europe by Chris Wickham.  1000 years in 250 pages.  Seems like a very good introduction to the period. I am on page 33.
• This Idea is Brilliant edited by John Brockman.  Short essays on a wide range of ideas by experts. I am on p. 24.
• In progress this week
• The Mathematical Theory of Bridge by Emile Borel and Cheron Andre. Probability and bridge. Lots of math. I am on page 113.
• Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker. Why the Enlightenment is still important, why life is still good.  I am on p. 55.
• Sunvault: Stories of Solarpunk and eco-speculation  by Daniel Jose Older.  Solarpunk is a new and optimistic sub-genre of science fiction.  I am on p. 9
• A New History of Western Philosophy by Anthony Kenny. This is a very good history of the subject, well written and clear.  Kenny follows an unusual strategy in that he takes two approaches: He first covers each era in a more-or-less chronological order, then he looks at the big topics of that era in a systematic way.  I am on p. 525, in the Enlightenment.
• Scrivener for Dummies. I am on p. 186.  Scrivener is a tool for writers. 
• The Drawing of Trump and its Postponement by Fred L. Karpin.  I am on p. 43. A classic on the play of the hand in bridge. 
• Finished this week

• Expert Hand Evaluation by August Boehm. On evaluating your hand at bridge. My review.

Book Review: Expert Hand Evaluation by Augie Boehm

Expert Hand Evaluation is a good short (141 pages) book on evaluating the worth of your hand in contract bridge. Beginners learn to count high card points (ace = 4, king = 3, queen = 2, jack = 1) and may learn about adding points for length or shortness of suits. But how does the value of your hand change as the auction progresses?

Expert Hand Evaluation is composed of 29 short chapters. There's some repetition across chapters and it reads a bit like a collection of columns.  That's fine and doesn't detract from the book's usefulness, but the book would have been even better with some more general principles propounded.

Recommended for a wide range of intermediate players who want to bid better. 

August (Augie) Boehm is a bridge player and teacher in New York City. He has decades of experience and has written numerous bridge columns and books. 

Great quotations:Knowledge and ignorance

The Quote: 

The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.

Who said it: It is attributed to Stephen Hawking, but Hawking may never have said it.  Variations on this theme have been said by Daniel Boorstin. A homier version is:

It's not what you don't know that kills you, it's what you think you know that ain't so.

which appears to be from Mark Twain. 

There is an ancient variation from Epictetus:

It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows.

Some thoughts: The problem that both these quotes identify is one that is remarkably easy to fall into: We think we know something, but we don't.  That not only stops us from learning the truth about what we "know" it can also stop us from learning many other things and can influence our action in ways that can harm us.

What I read in February and March

Here is a list of books I finished in February and March; links go to my reviews.

The Infidel and the Professor: David Hume, Adam Smith and the Friendship that Shaped Modern Thought by Dennis C. Rasmussen.

Double Negative by David Carkeet

The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon

 Trading in Danger by Elizabeth Moon

Marque and Reprisal by Elizabeth Moon