Category Archives: Book Reviews

A few book notes, before the memory fades. I notice that my books seem to cluster, i.e. there is overlap and synergy among them. No doubt some comes from my own interest and choices, but I think some of this … Continue reading →

One of the collateral joys of my time in São Paulo was walking around the city.   It was a long walk from my hotel to the consulate, around an hour and fifteen minutes each way.  It had “segments” and I … Continue reading →

The great thing about ancient history is that we learn more every year. History is not just out there to be discovered. It is the creation of historians, who fit a narrative to events that are otherwise just one darn … Continue reading →

Just finished “The Third Wave” on The Great Courses. Lots of interesting ideas. I like the concept of “impact investing”, where you try to do something useful while making money. My tree farming is like that. I need to make … Continue reading →

Just finished “Enlightenment Now.” I have been reading Pinker’s work since “Blank Slate,” and went to lectures a few times. He is the quintessential reasonable man and a true liberal in the real sense. The Economist does a better job … Continue reading →

 5.0 out of 5 stars A New Introduction to a Couple of Guys I Should Have Known Better ByJohn Matelon January 14, 2018 Format: Hardcover|Verified Purchase David Hume and Adam Smith seem like a couple of decent guys. It would … Continue reading →

David Hume and Adam Smith seem like a couple of decent guys. It would be interesting to talk with them, both for the profoundness of their ideas and for their easy-going personalities. Ben Franklin was part of their intellectual set, … Continue reading →

I finished her book “Grit” today. She refers to “Peak,” which I finished last month. They go together in many ways. I have been reading this sort of stuff since I was young. I worry sometimes that my ideas on … Continue reading →

Chaos Monkeys: Obscene Fortune and Random Failure in Silicon Valley Hardcover – June 28, 2016 by Antonio Garcia Martinez   The author describes himself as a disenchanted idealist who turned cynical. I suggest that it takes a smart person to … Continue reading →