What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
User avatar
VictoriaF
Posts: 20122
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:27 am
Location: Black Swan Lake

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by VictoriaF »

protagonist wrote:
VictoriaF wrote:Even if the quality of food does not improve, when people face fewer options they are more likely to get engaged. This is quintessential behavioral economics, in contrast with standard economics where having more choices is always better. One of the most important related findings is that when a 401(k) plan offers too many investment options, fewer people contribute to 401(k). Regardless of the fund choices, it's usually advantageous to contribute to 401(k) up to the company match, and people forgo this benefit simply because there are too many options.
Couldn't that simply be because they don't UNDERSTAND what they are choosing between because they don't understand enough about investing and are thus intimidated by more CONFUSING choices? Restaurant choices are simple. I doubt you would find people walking out of restaurants because they have to choose between orange, grapefruit, peach, strawberry or pineapple juice rather than just having orange juice on the menu.
There was a famous experiment by Sheena Iyengar where supermarket customers were offered to try jams--e.g., orange, grapefruit, peach, strawberry, pineapple, etc.--and then to buy them at discounted prices. In one set of stores they were offered a relatively small number of types of jams, I think it was eight. In the other set of stores, they were offered 25 different jams. The stores offering eight types of jams had much higher sales.
protagonist wrote:
VictoriaF wrote:More generally, increased choices reduce happiness. See, for example, Eric Barker's recent blog post How To Find Happiness In Today’s Hectic World.
I'll have to check that link out when I have time. I can't believe that more options per se make us less happy. There are so many potential confounding variables.
Skepticism is good, but it should be applied not only to what the others state but also to your own intuition. I am fascinated with behavioral economics, because it turns a lot of common logic on its head and demonstrates it with creative experiments and statistically significant, academically acceptable results.

Barry Schwartz's book The Paradox of Choice is monumental. The research he cites, including that by Sheena Iyengar, is solid. Eric Barker's linked blog post is a quick way to grasp these ideas about choice: it's far shorter than the book or academic papers but more comprehensive than a message I could compose in this Forum.

Barker covers many topics I find interesting. His posts are well structured, concise but comprehensive, provide links to the source materials (books, academic papers, TED and YouTube videos), and include summaries of the key concepts. Do check him out.

Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake | Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. | Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
User avatar
ruralavalon
Posts: 26351
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:29 am
Location: Illinois

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by ruralavalon »

Bone Deep, by Randy Wayne White. Ford teams up with a Crow fugitive seeking to recover two magical Indian artifacts, while having to deal with thieves out to collect prehistoric ivory and bone.
"Everything should be as simple as it is, but not simpler." - Albert Einstein | Wiki article link: Bogleheads® investment philosophy
User avatar
bertilak
Posts: 10725
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 5:23 pm
Location: East of the Pecos, West of the Mississippi

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by bertilak »

protagonist wrote:
VictoriaF wrote:Even if the quality of food does not improve, when people face fewer options they are more likely to get engaged. This is quintessential behavioral economics, in contrast with standard economics where having more choices is always better. One of the most important related findings is that when a 401(k) plan offers too many investment options, fewer people contribute to 401(k). Regardless of the fund choices, it's usually advantageous to contribute to 401(k) up to the company match, and people forgo this benefit simply because there are too many options.
Couldn't that simply be because they don't UNDERSTAND what they are choosing between because they don't understand enough about investing and are thus intimidated by more CONFUSING choices? Restaurant choices are simple. I doubt you would find people walking out of restaurants because they have to choose between orange, grapefruit, peach, strawberry or pineapple juice rather than just having orange juice on the menu.
VictoriaF wrote:More generally, increased choices reduce happiness. See, for example, Eric Barker's recent blog post How To Find Happiness In Today’s Hectic World.

I'll have to check that link out when I have time. I can't believe that more options per se make us less happy. There are so many potential confounding variables.
There are a couple of shows I like to watch that relate to this... Restaurant Impossible and Bar Rescue. I have heard mention in each of these shows that simplifying menu choices contributes to success.

Reasons given include:
  • Best to do fewer things very well than lots of things so-so.
  • Stick to a theme.
  • Reduce inventory and spoilage.
  • and, germane to this topic, customers prefer fewer choices. They came to eat/drink, not to study nor marvel at the size of a huge, complex, menu. They want to relax and enjoy without working at it. As the restaurant/bar owner you should do all that work for them and offer your best.
To get variety, throw in daily specials. If one sells particularly well, consider rolling it into the main menu replacing the poorest performer.

"Keep it simple" works in lots of areas!
May neither drought nor rain nor blizzard disturb the joy juice in your gizzard. -- Squire Omar Barker (aka S.O.B.), the Cowboy Poet
gkaplan
Posts: 7034
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2007 7:34 pm
Location: Portland, Oregon

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by gkaplan »

I am reading Montana by Gwen Florio. This is a crime novel about a woman journalist embedded in Afghanistan. She returns home to find out her newspaper is eliminating its foreign bureau and will rely on wire services for its foreign coverage. More or less out of a job, she travels to Montana to reunite with an old colleague, only to discover her colleague has been murdered.

I had never heard of Gwen Florio until I read a nice review in the Pre-Pub newsletter of Library Journal, or maybe I read the review in Library Journal, itself. Just reading the jacket notes to the book, however, she seems to have some credentials as a journalist: covered Columbine and Timothy McVeigh, reported from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia, nominated three times for a Pulitzer.

My library has this book only in streaming audiobook format, so I had to request it through Inter-library loan. Her follow-up book, Dakota, likewise only is available in audiobook format. I hope this is not a sign of things to come where libraries will be limiting book formats in their collections.
Gordon
Ricola
Posts: 966
Joined: Sat Apr 26, 2008 10:38 am

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Ricola »

Here is my current list of upcoming reads:
1. The Field: The Quest for the Secret Force of the Universe Paperback – January 2, 2008 by Lynne McTaggart
2. Severe Clear (Stone Barrington) Paperback – April 2, 2013 by Stuart Woods
3. Children of the Revolution: An Inspector Banks Novel (Inspector Banks Novels) – March 25, 2014 by Peter Robinson
4. The Tourist (Milo Weaver) – August 28, 2012 byby Olen Steinhauer
5. The Nearest Exit (Milo Weaver Book 2) byOlen Steinhauer
6. The Global Minotaur: America, the True Origins of the Financial Crisis and the Future of the World Economy (Economic Controversies) – February 1, 2013
by Yanis Varoufakis
bhead33
Posts: 139
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2011 3:13 pm

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by bhead33 »

Just finished "Station Eleven" by Emily St. John Mandel. Set in a post apocalyptic world yet not gruesome and more whimsical and historic. A good fun read.
User avatar
seeshells
Posts: 179
Joined: Sun Feb 23, 2014 11:43 am

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by seeshells »

~ Zero Marginal Cost Society~ by Rifkin
User avatar
VictoriaF
Posts: 20122
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:27 am
Location: Black Swan Lake

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by VictoriaF »

seeshells wrote:~ Zero Marginal Cost Society~ by Rifkin
My first thought was that the IoT, distributed renewable energy, 3D printing, and social networks will eventually lead to a completely different type of an economy, and of particular relevance to this Forum profits, capital gains, and capital markets will be substantially different from the historical precedent thus voiding any market trends and related analysis. Zero-marginal-cost is a true game changer, if it happens.

Then I've seen some criticism of the model from the computer security point of view. It's hard enough to keep private, well-funded systems secure; it's impossible to assure the integrity of a free network that touches everyone. Laws and policies are equally important. For example, Google must provide versions of its services in the U.S. and Europe due to the differences in privacy-related requirements. Repressive regimes limit the Internet penetration and access to web services.

I am curious what you think about it.

Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake | Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. | Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
gkaplan
Posts: 7034
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2007 7:34 pm
Location: Portland, Oregon

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by gkaplan »

I am reading Under His Very Windows: the Vatican and the Holocaust in Italy by Susan Zuccotti. I had previously read the author's The Holocaust, the French, and the Jews, which she wrote several years prior to this one. Neither of these two books is very readable. The minutiae tend to bog down the narrative. The book has bibliographic notes but, unfortunately, no bibliography. The back-of-the-book index is mediocre at best.

(Edited to correct punctuation.)
Last edited by gkaplan on Mon Mar 02, 2015 4:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Gordon
mhalley
Posts: 10432
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2007 5:02 am

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by mhalley »

Currently reading Saint Odd by Dean Koontz. Last of 7 novels dealing with Odd Thomas, a fry cook that is able to see dead people. Wry humor mixed with horror. Due to his psychic abilities, he is forced to become a reluctant hero to save many people from various bad guys. Excellent series, highly recommended.
Mike
User avatar
black jack
Posts: 806
Joined: Fri Oct 10, 2008 10:13 pm

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by black jack »

gkaplan wrote:I am reading Montana by Gwen Florio. This is a crime novel about a woman journalist embedded in Afghanistan. She returns home to find out her newspaper is eliminating its foreign bureau and will rely on wire services for its foreign coverage. More or less out of a job, she travels to Montana to reunite with an old colleague, only to discover her colleague has been murdered.

I had never heard of Gwen Florio until I read a nice review in the Pre-Pub newsletter of Library Journal, or maybe I read the review in Library Journal, itself. Just reading the jacket notes to the book, however, she seems to have some credentials as a journalist: covered Columbine and Timothy McVeigh, reported from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia, nominated three times for a Pulitzer.

My library has this book only in streaming audiobook format, so I had to request it through Inter-library loan. Her follow-up book, Dakota, likewise only is available in audiobook format. I hope this is not a sign of things to come where libraries will be limiting book formats in their collections.
Was the book good?
We cannot absolutely prove [that they are wrong who say] that we have seen our best days. But so said all who came before us, and with just as much apparent reason. | -T. B. Macaulay (1800-1859)
gkaplan
Posts: 7034
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2007 7:34 pm
Location: Portland, Oregon

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by gkaplan »

black jack wrote:
gkaplan wrote:I am reading Montana by Gwen Florio. This is a crime novel about a woman journalist embedded in Afghanistan. She returns home to find out her newspaper is eliminating its foreign bureau and will rely on wire services for its foreign coverage. More or less out of a job, she travels to Montana to reunite with an old colleague, only to discover her colleague has been murdered.

I had never heard of Gwen Florio until I read a nice review in the Pre-Pub newsletter of Library Journal, or maybe I read the review in Library Journal, itself. Just reading the jacket notes to the book, however, she seems to have some credentials as a journalist: covered Columbine and Timothy McVeigh, reported from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia, nominated three times for a Pulitzer.

My library has this book only in streaming audiobook format, so I had to request it through Inter-library loan. Her follow-up book, Dakota, likewise only is available in audiobook format. I hope this is not a sign of things to come where libraries will be limiting book formats in their collections.
Was the book good?
It was. I plan on submitting an inter-library loan request on Dakota
Gordon
Ricola
Posts: 966
Joined: Sat Apr 26, 2008 10:38 am

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Ricola »

This was my first time reading Stuart Wood and I know there are some fans on this board. Unfortunately I had to stop reading Severe Clear (Stone Barrington). It was just too unrealistic and over-the-top to me. Reminded me of those old television mini-series, I couldn't take one more word.
Angst
Posts: 2968
Joined: Sat Jun 09, 2007 11:31 am

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Angst »

Just finished Deep, Down, Dark by Hector Tobar, a retelling of the 2010 story of 33 Chilean (1 Bolivian, actually) miners who were trapped for more than 2 months, 2,000 feet down inside a mountain. Highly recommend; fascinating and exciting story and examination of human nature. It should make a great movie too, I imagine.
DFrank
Posts: 474
Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2014 10:44 pm
Location: North Idaho

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by DFrank »

Just about done with Real Dissent: A Libertarian Sets Fire to the Index Cards of Allowable Opinion by Tom Woods. I think this is a collection of his writings that have appeared elsewhere. It's my first exposure to this author, and I'm enjoying his writing and his perspective.

Dave
Dave
User avatar
seeshells
Posts: 179
Joined: Sun Feb 23, 2014 11:43 am

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by seeshells »

All you want to know about ETFs, by frequent BHs.org contributor Rick Ferri, great read!
Last edited by seeshells on Sat Mar 07, 2015 9:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
bertilak
Posts: 10725
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 5:23 pm
Location: East of the Pecos, West of the Mississippi

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by bertilak »

Image
Rereading this and the whole series. This one is the first. No real need to read them in order; each is completely stand-alone.

From the publisher:
  • Janwillem van de Wetering (1931–2008) was born and raised in Rotterdam, but lived most recently in Surry, Maine. He served as a member of the Amsterdam Special Constabulary and was once a Zen Buddhist monk. He is renowned for his detective fiction, including Outsider in Amsterdam, The Corpse on the Dike, The Japanese Corpse, and eleven other books in the Grijpstra and de Gier series.
Detective-Adjutant Grijpstra and Sergeant de Gier of the Amsterdam police investigate murders that occur in Amsterdam. Like all good murder mysteries, there really is a mystery with associated plot twists but the heart of the novel is in the characterizations of and the dialog between our protagonists. You can feel the above influences in the books. Great to read in a warm cozy chair on a cold day!
May neither drought nor rain nor blizzard disturb the joy juice in your gizzard. -- Squire Omar Barker (aka S.O.B.), the Cowboy Poet
User avatar
Bustoff
Posts: 2033
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2012 5:45 pm

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Bustoff »

The Misbehavior of Markets: A Fractal View of Financial Turbulence, by Benoit Mandelbrot and Richard L. Hudson.
I have only finished the first chapter. Mandelbrot's basic thesis is we have been mis-measuring risk -- that the markets are much riskier than what is proposed by standard financial theories.
User avatar
Petrocelli
Posts: 2966
Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2007 5:29 pm
Location: Fenway Park, between 2nd and 3rd base

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Petrocelli »

I just finished The Boys in the Boat, which is about th3 University of Washinton crew team that won the gold medal at the 1936 Olympics. Highly recommended.

I just started, All the Light We Cannot See. A real page turner so far.
Petrocelli (not the real Rico, but just a fan)
Valuethinker
Posts: 49023
Joined: Fri May 11, 2007 11:07 am

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Valuethinker »

Bustoff wrote:The Misbehavior of Markets: A Fractal View of Financial Turbulence, by Benoit Mandelbrot and Richard L. Hudson.
I have only finished the first chapter. Mandelbrot's basic thesis is we have been mis-measuring risk -- that the markets are much riskier than what is proposed by standard financial theories.
This is a much discussed favourite on this board.

I found it to be absolutely profound. One of very few books that changed my view about something (as opposed to giving me that view, which lots of books have done, being the first thing I read on a subject).
User avatar
fetch5482
Posts: 1722
Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2014 4:55 pm

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by fetch5482 »

Currently reading the book "The Millionaire real estate investor". Still in part-1 of the book and seems very interesting. Any one read it? Any other suggested reading from the real estate investors on this forum?
(AGE minus 23%) Bonds | 5% REITs | Balance 80% US (75/25 TSM/SCV) + 20% International (80/20 Developed/Emerging)
Valuethinker
Posts: 49023
Joined: Fri May 11, 2007 11:07 am

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Valuethinker »

walletless wrote:Currently reading the book "The Millionaire real estate investor". Still in part-1 of the book and seems very interesting. Any one read it? Any other suggested reading from the real estate investors on this forum?
John Reed is a frequently cited RE investor on this forum. Although some of his other stuff seems to have gone off the deep end.
User avatar
abuss368
Posts: 27850
Joined: Mon Aug 03, 2009 2:33 pm
Location: Where the water is warm, the drinks are cold, and I don't know the names of the players!
Contact:

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by abuss368 »

Has anyone ever read "Where are the Customers Yachts"? If so, would you recommend the book?
John C. Bogle: “Simplicity is the master key to financial success."
gkaplan
Posts: 7034
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2007 7:34 pm
Location: Portland, Oregon

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by gkaplan »

I am reading A Nearly Perfect Season: the Inside Story of the 1984 San Francisco 49ers by Chris Willis.

(Guess which NFL team I root for.)
Gordon
Fallible
Posts: 8798
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2009 3:44 pm

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Fallible »

abuss368 wrote:Has anyone ever read "Where are the Customers Yachts"? If so, would you recommend the book?
It's a classic. You are in for a huge treat.
"Yes, investing is simple. But it is not easy, for it requires discipline, patience, steadfastness, and that most uncommon of all gifts, common sense." ~Jack Bogle
jdb
Posts: 1759
Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2012 7:21 pm

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by jdb »

Currently reading "The Beekeeper's Handbook". Guess my new hobby.
User avatar
ruralavalon
Posts: 26351
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:29 am
Location: Illinois

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by ruralavalon »

abuss368 wrote:Has anyone ever read "Where are the Customers Yachts"? If so, would you recommend the book?
I read it and enjoyed the book.
"Everything should be as simple as it is, but not simpler." - Albert Einstein | Wiki article link: Bogleheads® investment philosophy
User avatar
ruralavalon
Posts: 26351
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:29 am
Location: Illinois

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by ruralavalon »

Triumph and Tragedy, by Winston Churchill. The sixth and final volume of his history of World War II. D-day, battles in France, Yalta, battles in Italy, civil strife in Greece, battle of Leyte Gulf, Battle of the Bulge, Poland, invasion and occupation of Germany, campaign in Burma, the atomic bomb and Potsdam.
"Everything should be as simple as it is, but not simpler." - Albert Einstein | Wiki article link: Bogleheads® investment philosophy
Lynette
Posts: 2407
Joined: Sun Jul 27, 2014 9:47 am

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Lynette »

The Other Side of Paradise: Life in the New Cuba by Julia Cooke - not recommended - can't decide if its accurate. As I'm back from Cuba, I can stop reading books on it. I guess next I'll have to concentrate on photography of animals as that my next vacation.
User avatar
nisiprius
Advisory Board
Posts: 52211
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 9:33 am
Location: The terrestrial, globular, planetary hunk of matter, flattened at the poles, is my abode.--O. Henry

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by nisiprius »

Finished American Cornball: A Laff-O-Pedic Guide to the Formerly Funny, by Christopher Miller. Better than its title. Very interesting, very readable, and quite funny.

Finished Featuring the Saint, by Leslie Charteris, three of his 1930 novels. Very strange. Not unlike reading 1930s pulp fiction "space opera," Doc Smith and the like. I vaguely remember The Saint from the comic strip but didn't follow it. In fights, he is every bit as superhuman as your average superhero. It's not actually good.

Working on The Stars My Destination, by Alfred Bester, and I see why it has its reputation. It's very good--in its way. I could use a little bit more of somewhat more plausible double-talk in terms of explanation of what's happening.
Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness; Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.
User avatar
ruralavalon
Posts: 26351
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:29 am
Location: Illinois

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by ruralavalon »

nisiprius wrote:Just finished The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain. I think it has been ate least fifty years since I last read it. Reading it now, boy, does it raise hundreds of questions about the times. Some I was able to figure out, like what "a big Milum apple" was. Mark Twain's boyhood would have been around 1850 or so, . . .
You inspired me to start re-reading The Adventures 0f Huckleberry Finn. I read both when a youth.

When I retired four years ago and had time to start reading for pleasure again, these two books were the first I read.
nisiprius wrote: . . . I am never quite sure of the age of Twain's characters, sometimes they seem to be 9 or 10 and sometimes they seem to be 15...)
My guess is around 10 - 12 years of age, about as young as you could expect to handle a hunting rifle as Huckleberry does in his adventures.

EDIT: My new guess is about 13-14 years old. Huckleberry describes a boy he had just met "Buck looked about as old as me -- thirteen or fourteen or along there . . ."
Last edited by ruralavalon on Thu Mar 19, 2015 11:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
"Everything should be as simple as it is, but not simpler." - Albert Einstein | Wiki article link: Bogleheads® investment philosophy
User avatar
NaOH
Posts: 118
Joined: Fri Jan 24, 2014 8:05 pm
Location: The Garden Where Solutions Are Found

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by NaOH »

To mark the passing of Terry Pratchett, I've decided to start working my way through his DIscworld series again.
If you have any interest in 1) fantasy, 2) satire, or 3) British humor, you owe it to yourself to check his works out.

RIP, Sir Terry. :(
"Are you flying? Or are you simply floating?"
User avatar
VictoriaF
Posts: 20122
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:27 am
Location: Black Swan Lake

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by VictoriaF »

NaOH wrote:To mark the passing of Terry Pratchett, I've decided to start working my way through his DIscworld series again.
If you have any interest in 1) fantasy, 2) satire, or 3) British humor, you owe it to yourself to check his works out.

RIP, Sir Terry. :(
Sad news. I am sorry to hear it,

Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake | Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. | Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
Five Scoop
Posts: 179
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2012 3:21 pm

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Five Scoop »

Finished reading The Giant Jam Sandwhich, by John Vernon Lord. It's a children's book with colorful illustrations and verses that rhyme, but being able to read one of my childhood favorites to my daughter was so much fun!
DFrank
Posts: 474
Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2014 10:44 pm
Location: North Idaho

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by DFrank »

I'm reading The Problem of Political Authority: An Examination of the Right to Coerce and the Duty to Obey by Michael Huemer.
Dave
TimDex
Posts: 962
Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2007 4:27 pm

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by TimDex »

Currently reading "A Great and Terrible king" by Marc Morris, about Edward I and the "Forging of England."

An excellent read...wonderful historian. I got it because of "The Norman Conquest" by the same author which I highly recommend. I could call the latter a game of thrones for grown ups, but it is really a superbly written history which I would recommend reading first.

Tim
"All man's miseries derive from not being able to sit quietly in a room alone. " -- Pascal
User avatar
Earl Lemongrab
Posts: 7270
Joined: Tue Jun 10, 2014 1:14 am

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Earl Lemongrab »

NaOH wrote:RIP, Sir Terry. :(
His daughter had a fitting farewell message on Twitter:
AT LAST, SIR TERRY, WE MUST WALK TOGETHER. (fans will understand the significance of the capitals)

Terry took Death’s arm and followed him through the doors and on to the black desert under the endless night.

The End.
https://twitter.com/rhipratchett
User avatar
Hexdump
Posts: 1626
Joined: Fri Oct 10, 2008 7:28 am
Location: Houston, Texas

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Hexdump »

I got notice of this author through my Goodreads account, which I discovered based upon a recommendation here.

The book is a Kindle version, free from Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Gauguin-Connectio ... eve+lenard

The main character is a fascinating person with autism. Here is part of the blurb
Genevieve Lenard is suffering from a special strain of autism and virtually lives with daily influxes of the disease. The author paints a sympathetic portrait of a highly intelligent yet beautiful young woman's predicament and the way she works on herself to rise above her social demeanor.
I highly recommend the series and since discovering Genevieve, all other criminal profilers pale in comparison, not only in her skill set but in her personality. Some of her stuff had me laughing out loud.

No connection other than a happy reader.
User avatar
VictoriaF
Posts: 20122
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:27 am
Location: Black Swan Lake

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by VictoriaF »

I am about half way into the audiobook Casual Vacancy by J. K. Rowling. I am listening to it while practice-backpacking and it works out well. I don't want my walks to end. I searched for previous Bogleheads mentions of the book and saw that Nisiprius has already reviewed it in What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part V. I would've liked to add to his comments but that thread is locked.

Initially Nisi judged the story mean-spirited but later he revised his opinion. I find the story fascinating, because it provides excellent descriptions of the psyche of people from a wide range of social backgrounds, across all ages. It gets to the essence of what makes people tick.

Gossip plays an important role in the story. Generally, people give "gossip" a negative connotation, and that could be a reason for nisiprius's comments about mean-spiritedness. I have changed my attitude to gossip from neutral to positive after I listened to Daniel Kahneman's podcasts where on several occasions he said that he was interested in gossip from an early age and that this interest has led to his career in psychology (and a Nobel in economics). Gossip is a glue of social groups; it binds people with shared secrets, helps to gauge trustworthiness of others, and builds alliances. Gossip is a spice of conversations. Without it, people resort to platitudes about weather, food and TV shows.

In a few days, I will find out who will fill the casual vacancy. Right now, I am in the midst of suspense, making my guesses. I am assuming it will not be one of the obvious candidates.

Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake | Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. | Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
User avatar
NaOH
Posts: 118
Joined: Fri Jan 24, 2014 8:05 pm
Location: The Garden Where Solutions Are Found

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by NaOH »

TimDex wrote:Currently reading "A Great and Terrible king" by Marc Morris, about Edward I and the "Forging of England."

An excellent read...wonderful historian. I got it because of "The Norman Conquest" by the same author which I highly recommend. I could call the latter a game of thrones for grown ups, but it is really a superbly written history which I would recommend reading first.

Tim
Great recommendations. I took History of England in undergrad (but don't ask how I did in it), and enjoyed reading about this period.
"Are you flying? Or are you simply floating?"
a
Posts: 360
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2007 12:00 pm

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by a »

Jessica Livingston, Founders at Work

This is a series of interviews of technology startup
founders by Jessica Livingston. I'm about 1/4 through.

This books reminds me of a U.S. civil rights movement
history book called My Soul Is Rested by Howell Raines.
It also is a series of interviews such that there is not
a single original word written by the author.

I think this type of book provides a short cut to
history. I think the human brain can read 1000 pages
of history at a rate of 600+ words a minute when those
words are the transcription of a human's actual
relating of history / personal experiences. Whereas
at least for me, when I read a history book where
the same events have been condensed into 1/100th the
length of text, told in story teller fashion, I find it arduous
and in the end get less knowledge per hour spent.

It is also easier to WRITE a series of interviews.
One just has to interview the people and it's more
of an automatic process to edit and transcribe the
interviews than to consult many sources and synthesize
the shortest possible exposition of the event.

In short, I am enjoying this book very much and
pleased that the author spent the minimum amount
of time to produce the product I enjoy as well as
taking up of other people's time. In other words this
book is a creation where no energy input to create it
was frivolous.
User avatar
Hawkeye5
Posts: 190
Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2010 2:59 pm
Location: Hendersonville, TN

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Hawkeye5 »

Just finished "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson. Historical fiction about the Columbian Exposition held in Chicago in 1893 (the White City) and the counter-point story of serial killer Dr. Holmes. Extensive research and foot notes. Most interesting.

I've also read Isaac's Storm by the same author about the Galveston hurricane. Also historical fiction.

At this point I would recommend any historical novel by Larson and plan to read more.
User avatar
ruralavalon
Posts: 26351
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:29 am
Location: Illinois

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by ruralavalon »

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain.

The best American novel ever.
"Everything should be as simple as it is, but not simpler." - Albert Einstein | Wiki article link: Bogleheads® investment philosophy
joebh
Posts: 1708
Joined: Mon Mar 02, 2015 2:45 pm

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by joebh »

I'm reading Think Like a Freak: The Authors of Freakonomics Offer to Retrain Your Brain on my Kindle.
User avatar
avenger
Posts: 963
Joined: Mon Dec 02, 2013 11:11 am

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by avenger »

ghostwritten by David Mitchell.

Great series of linked narratives. About halfway through.
cheers ... -Mark | "Our life is frittered away with detail. Simplify. Simplify." -Henry David Thoreau | [VTI, VXUS, BND, VTEB, SV fund]
User avatar
bertilak
Posts: 10725
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 5:23 pm
Location: East of the Pecos, West of the Mississippi

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by bertilak »

Hawkeye5 wrote:Just finished "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson. Historical fiction about the Columbian Exposition held in Chicago in 1893 (the White City) and the counter-point story of serial killer Dr. Holmes. Extensive research and foot notes. Most interesting.

I've also read Isaac's Storm by the same author about the Galveston hurricane. Also historical fiction.

At this point I would recommend any historical novel by Larson and plan to read more.
Agree on Devil in the White City. I read it in paperback, much of it on an airplane. I liked it enough to give away the paperback and buy the hardcover for my "permanent" collection.

Many Amazon reviews complain that there was too much about the 1893 Exposition (architecture, construction, exhibits and attractions, culture, politics, etc.) but I found that just as interesting as the Dr. Holmes parts. Also the two aspects do serve as good background "atmosphere" for each other.

I expect to get to his other books, but I have a lot of books waiting to be read.
May neither drought nor rain nor blizzard disturb the joy juice in your gizzard. -- Squire Omar Barker (aka S.O.B.), the Cowboy Poet
User avatar
Hawkeye5
Posts: 190
Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2010 2:59 pm
Location: Hendersonville, TN

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Hawkeye5 »

Yes, I also find the details most interesting. While some may be trivia I do now know when Juicy Fruit, shredded wheat and the Farris Wheel were introduced and the story behind the Farris Wheel.
likegarden
Posts: 3181
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2007 4:33 pm

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by likegarden »

I usually do not read books, but internet forums, magazine for my gardening hobby and newspapers. Reading here about 'The Millionaire next Door', after also reading about it over the years I finally bought it on Amazon. I find it very interesting. With the last rise in stock market I am nearly one of them. I did not know that there is so much 'hats and no cattle' around, though suspected something like it with all those BMWs zooming around.

I just got yesterday 'NOLO Neighbor Law', started reading it immediately. There it is written that via common law I do alright by pruning neighbor's arborvitae back to my property line. Then there is one neighbor adding soil which then started to slide into my fence, plus his gutters in the past flooded a small part of my garden. This is a very useful book!
ShiftF5
Posts: 751
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2012 7:59 pm

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by ShiftF5 »

I'm reading "Get a Life -- You Don't Need a Million to Retire Well" by Ralph Warner , Nolo Press, 1996.

I understand the book is 19 years old and most of us would agree today (2015) you likely DO need $1MM+ to retire well, but I'm interested in the thought process.
User avatar
Petrocelli
Posts: 2966
Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2007 5:29 pm
Location: Fenway Park, between 2nd and 3rd base

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Petrocelli »

I just finished All the Light We Cannot See, which is the best fiction book I have read in years. It was some awards and was a #1 NYT bestseller. I highly recommend it.

http://www.anthonydoerr.com/books/all-t ... annot-see/
Petrocelli (not the real Rico, but just a fan)
Post Reply