Books

[mclaincausey]

@SKT you’re gonna wanna read The Crossing and Cities of the Plain to complete the Border Trilogy.

[SKT]

@mclaincausey in the queue!

[mclaincausey]

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Behave by Robert Sapolsky (Determined is in queue)

And The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

Are great books to understand how our brains are structured and our minds work. Our minds are really good at deceiving us about our level of self-knowledge and control.

I’m currently reading What’s Our Problem? by Tim Urban, who writes the fantastic long-form blog “Waitbutwhy?” this book seems like it is going to address these topics at a societal level. We will see how it goes, but I have the most respect in terms of subject matter expertise for Kahneman and Sapolsky of all these writers.

[mclaincausey]

I finally got around to reading the Three Body Problem because I want to watch the TV series (book first being my preference) and it’s one of the best sci fi books I’ve ever had the pleasure to read. Tour de force of imagination and endlessly creative, and plenty of legit science for any nerds out there.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three-Body_Problem_(novel)

[T4920]

I was recommended this book recently as a lapsed reader of fantasy fiction. Just haven't got the time to commit to epic multiple part series' nowadays, and was looking for a standalone novel that can be read in a handful of sessions...

Got through the first 100 pages with my morning coffee(s) earlier, and am totally enraptured by it.

I was told to go into it completely blind (including avoiding the blurb) so I won't drop any details here, but if anyone is looking for an easy read with an incredible sense of mystery and philosophical poignancy, grab a copy!

[mclaincausey]

@mclaincausey said in Books:

I finally got around to reading the Three Body Problem because I want to watch the TV series (book first being my preference) and it’s one of the best sci fi books I’ve ever had the pleasure to read. Tour de force of imagination and endlessly creative, and plenty of legit science for any nerds out there.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three-Body_Problem_(novel)

Completed the trilogy and now I am having doubts about watching the series. There’s no way they can do it justice.

[sabergirl]

@T4920 if that one whets your appetite to get back into a fantasy/sci fi mindset, this is a new contender for my favorite book of all time. It’s the first of a duology, and the second is equally delightful.

[T4920]

@sabergirl thanks for the recommendation, I'll order a copy for when I'm done with Piranesi

[mclaincausey]

@sabergirl …***non-***dystopian sci-fi, you say?

First I’ve heard of “solarpunk.” Color me interested.

[sabergirl]

It’s just such a beautiful book, @mclaincausey. Becky Chambers wrote another series of books loosely related by overlapping characters called the “Wayfarer’s”, which is also wonderful. I love her writing because it imagines a universe in which the majority of beings are trying to understand one another and coexist and find love. Such a contrast to our own world!

[pechelman]

@sabergirl said in Books:

imagines a universe in which the majority of beings are trying to understand one another and coexist and find love

so it's about the iron heart forum?

[sabergirl]

Awwww well our little corner of the internet does strive for this, yes. 🥰

[mclaincausey]

@sabergirl my rebuttal to misanthropy and the presumed inevitability of humanity‘s state today is that it doesn’t have to be this way, and it became this way IMO by historical accident. Humans are not inherently flawed, we are just trapped in a civilization that is premised on some fundamentally flawed assumptions. And this flawed civilization was never an inevitability. There is some good archaeological and anthropological support for this summarized in books like “The Dawn of Everything” by Graeber/Wengrow, and philosophical support in books like “Ishmael” and “The Story of B” by Daniel Quinn, to name but a few.

So even though I am misanthropic within the context of our civilization, I believe we are more than capable of peacefully exploring and colonizing at least the solar system if not the galaxy instead of dying out in silence on a rock as our current course is headed.

As much as I enjoy things like dystopian sci-fi and cosmic horror, I’m excited to read something a bit more hopeful and positive. Thanks for the recommendation!

[mclaincausey]

This oughta be illuminating ()

[Giles]

[tody]

@Giles said in Books:

The first one sounds interesting, I'll put that on my 'to read' list!

[tody]

I read this one over the weekend. Out of all her books, that one was the best.

[Giles]

@tody said in Books:

@Giles said in Books:

The first one sounds interesting, I'll put that on my 'to read' list!

Yes it does, but my friend who recommended Simon Winchester says that he thinks I will find Pacific the most interesting.....

[ARNC]

I might add them to my list too. I enjoyed these two a while back then forgot all about Simon Winchester.

[tody]

i really enjoyed this one. written by a maniac, in the best possible meaning of the term.