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Old 11-19-2006, 04:19 PM
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Default What are you reading ?
Always looking for suggestions and with the holidays approaching it's time to fill out my "wish list"!

So let's share what we're reading-- PD-related or not, for work, for pleasure...

I just finished The Tipping Point.

I'm re-reading Investigations by Stuart Kauffman (A theoretical physicist who studies complex biological networks and origins of life. )

And for pure relaxation, The Golden Ocean-- an early book by Patrick O'Brian. It's historical fiction about the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. He is best known for the 20 volume Aubrey-Maturin series, the basis for the film Master and Commander. Though the books are far, far superior! Superb character development and command of the English language.
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Old 11-19-2006, 04:45 PM
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If you enjoy books about the Royal Navy, have you read the Hornblower series by C.S. Forester? They are among the best historical fiction books about that era.
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Old 11-19-2006, 05:51 PM
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I've got 25 books out from the libary right now (and another 100 in my room from a used book sale last year). Almost all the books i have are non-fiction.

I just finished reading Influence (see sig). Just brilliant book.

Now I'm reading The 80/20 Individual by Richard Koch and a book by Napolean Hill the name of which is not in my mind at the moment. I tend to read multiple books at one time because I'll read one book for 20 minutes-half an hour and then switch to the other book. A short break every once in a while and I can keep reading all day without getting bored.
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Old 11-19-2006, 06:52 PM
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Right now I am reading 'This is your Brain on Music'. It is a book on how we experience music, and the effects that it has on us. I have had a few ideas for creative musical projects, and am hoping that this book will help me flesh them out.

I read 'The Tipping Point' about a year ago, and thought it was very interesting. It gave me a few ideas on how to make a positive change in society, which I might impliment some day. I also read 'Bl!nk' by the same author, which was an attempt to explain how instinct and intuition can sometimes be right. There was another book that I came across, Th!nk, which was a (poorly done, IMHO) attempt to refute 'Bl!nk'. The author was attempting to explain critical thinking, yet he couldn't let go of his (rightist) ideology, so for the most part, it sounded like a right-wing political diatribe.
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Old 11-21-2006, 08:01 AM
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Im hoping to get Absolute Sandman by Neil Gaiman for christmas. If youve never heard of him hes an amazing fantasy writer, and this is a compilation comics from the Sandman series, which he wrote.

Currently, Im reading textbooks as november is the month that all the profs decide to assign an essay at once. I just finished with The Retreat of the State, which is about interconnecting markets with politics. Im just starting some selected readings from Life in the Wires, which is "an interdisciplinary anthology on the future of technoculture and the revolutionary impact of the Internet on media, technology, culture and politics." Its very interesting stuff, and anyone interested should pick it up and / or visit CTheory.net, which is the journal that published it.
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Old 11-21-2006, 08:39 PM
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Amazon.com: The 80/20 Principle: The Secret to Success by Achieving More with Less: Books: Richard Koch
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Old 11-21-2006, 10:56 PM
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^ Read that, actually, I've read two of his books, the 80/20 Individual and the 80/20 Way. The Way was fluff, Individual was more interesting and I'm hoping to find the Principle even more interesting.
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Old 11-21-2006, 11:01 PM
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I haven't read the other ones, but the Principle one does not sound like fluff at all. I can clearly see the numbers, and they do in fact align with my experiences. I am not actively applying the principles yet, but I do think and wonder about the consequences when making decisions.
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Old 11-22-2006, 01:58 AM
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I just finished "Many Lives, Many Masters" by Dr.Brian Weiss. Amazing book. I haven't digested all the information yet, it'll need at least one more reading. Planning to read the rest of his books too.

For those who are interested in reading it (its a true story):

Dr.Brain is a Psychiatrist. He treats a patient called catherine for anxiety, fear etc. When she doesn't respond very well to normal treatments, he uses hypnosis; then begins the amazing journey of the doctor and the patient, into past lives (catherine has taken 86 births before the current one). Amazingly, under hypnosis catherine brings him (Dr.Brian) messages from the masters.

Amazing book, i'd recommend it highly.
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Old 11-22-2006, 04:24 AM
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I'm currently reading The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. I haven't finished it yet, but so far it has been very interesting and quite inspiring to read this man's story.
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Old 11-22-2006, 12:30 PM
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^ I really wanna read that.

Reading Mean Genes now. very interesting book which takes an evoluntionary perspective to explain some human conditions, such as why we can't save, why men are pigs, etc.

Very interesting read. I dunno if I agree with it 100% but it's definitely a great theory.
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Old 11-22-2006, 03:36 PM
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Read alot of fantasy books

Currently reading a series by Hugh Cook, called chronicles of an age of darkness, nothing special, i hope to start reading more factual books one day
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Old 11-22-2006, 05:20 PM
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I've been having fun with Magic Eye: Beyond 3D - it would make a great gift idea for anyone, as well!
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Old 11-22-2006, 05:36 PM
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Jay Abaraham's Getting everything you can out of all you've got, Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way, re-reading the Tao Te Ching, and also reading the second draft of my first novel, which is looking Actually Okay.
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Old 11-22-2006, 06:11 PM
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I'm currently reading 'Fast Food Nation' by Eric Schlosser... A friend mentioned it to me some time ago, and I just recently started reading it.. I find it amusing that there's a movie out in the theaters currently based on the same book.. I did not realize this when I started reading..

Neverthless, it's a well researched book about the fast food industry and how the power is in the hands of a few when it comes to the whole meatpacking industry. His description of the industry will definitely raise your eyebrows...

I would highly recommend it for those who haven't read it yet..
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Old 11-23-2006, 09:49 AM
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Wink The Mission of Art and The Writerīs Journey
I am reading right now two excelent books:

The Mission of Art, Alex Grey - is an inspiritional text for artists and for anyone who has ever glimpsed artīs spiritual power. Foreword by Ken Wilber.

The Writerīs Journey, Christopher Vogler - is a classical book about mitical structures for writers.
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Old 11-24-2006, 06:27 PM
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Just finished reading Mean Genes. Good book.

Reading "The Little Book of Value Investing" right now and a few others.
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Old 11-26-2006, 10:48 PM
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I'm currently flipping through the pages of American Gods by Neil Gaiman. Its inventiveness and originality is so very refreshing. It hooks you early on and drags you down with it. I'm not even finished and I love it.
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Old 11-26-2006, 10:52 PM
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The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins.
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Old 12-02-2006, 01:20 AM
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I'm addicted to books. Currently I'm reading Freakonomics and it will surely end up in my best books ever top 20 or even top 10.

An outstanding book that changes the way you see the world.
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Old 12-07-2006, 06:06 PM
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I am currently reading CREATIVITY: Psychology and Flow. Well I just started it because im in school right now and I dont have that much time to read it. Its interesting though because its everything about creativity.
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Old 12-07-2006, 09:29 PM
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At the moment I am reading buzzmarketing by Mark Hughes (not the ex-Man U player).

It is very good, but I am not learning anything too much that I didn't learn from Grapevine or purple cow.

But the thing is that these books are as much about a perception shift than really teaching you to go and do x, y and z so immersing yourself in the subject is always good.

To be fair, they are all an excellent and entertaining read regardelss of how much crossover there is.

If I had to pick one I would probably pick buzzmarketing.

Sorry, I went on a bit there!

Ross
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Old 12-08-2006, 01:20 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott B View Post
I'm currently flipping through the pages of American Gods by Neil Gaiman. Its inventiveness and originality is so very refreshing. It hooks you early on and drags you down with it. I'm not even finished and I love it.
The "sequel" to it is Anansi Boys, linked in my signature. Also great, but in a different way.

I'm currently in the middle of Harold Bloom's "Genius", which is a list of 100 literary geniuses and his examination of them. Amazing stuff. It makes me feel bad that I haven't read all of these people, but at the same time... at my age, I haven't had time to read all of them!
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Favorite Essays I Wrote: love, identity & growth, economics, education, equality, definitions.
Recent Books I liked: Anansi Boys, Fly By Night, Hyperion.
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Old 12-08-2006, 03:27 AM
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I like to keep a few books on rotation at a time--

Currently reading:
Uncommon Genius - Sherkerjian

Motivation and Personality - Maslow - LOVE IT!!

Transcending the Levels of Consciousness - Hawkins - pretty good, but Power v Force was a bit more to the point, I think


Just finished:
Flow - that one was great


==
Next on my list to read:
A Course in Miracles

and eventually I want to read some more Jung!! hurrah!
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Old 12-08-2006, 06:44 AM
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