Category: words words words

One quarter of 2021 has passed and it’s time to review my reading habits. In December I set the following goals for the first half of the year:

In the first half of 2021, I’d like to read more books on theory and history of thought. Specifically, I’d like to read about the founding of different Protestant denominations, a history (or histories) of mathematical thinking (generally or in specific veins), and philosophy of technology.

Overall, I’d rate myself an B+ on my overall reading habits for the quarter. Although I am not on track to satisfy my goals within specific topic areas, I read diligently and covered a variety of genres.

Here is my, non-exhaustive list, of what I read in the first quarter of this year with a one or two sentence review:

• Book of Feet: A history of boots and shoes – Joseph Sparkes Hall. Highlights both the inadequacy of English craftsmanship and the state of history writing in 1848. Interesting from a history of history perspective.
• The Data Detective – Tim Harford. Consistently good. Some rules are obvious, but the totality of the framework for considering data is helpful for a world where we must interpret data on a daily basis. Recommended for those who mistrust statistics.
• Yes Chef – Marcus Samuelsson. Interesting throughout. Highlights the incredible, often unforced, sacrifices Samuelsson made to become one of the best-known chefs in the world.
• Taste, Memory: Forgotten Foods, Lost Flavors, and Why They Matter – David Buchanan. The quest for the perfect cider apple. Reads as two separate books, and only one is interesting throughout.
• A Perry Mason Novel – Erle Stanley Gardner. Read to compare with the corresponding HBO series. The novels compare favorably, although I am not sure which one I read last quarter. I read and reread Gardner’s novels frequently.
• The Bombay Boomerang – Franklin W. Dixon. The Grosset & Dunlap Hardy Boys novels hold up well. Although the book isn’t especially sensitive to how it addresses other cultures, an effort was made to introduce readers to the broader world.
• How Carrots Won the Civil War – Rebecca Rupp. Cute. Do not read for any depth of knowledge, but a fun trivia book.
• Mark Twain’s Letters From Hawaii. Dull, racist throughout, and fails to serve as a travel guide or a cultural study.
• Selected Prose of T.S. Eliot (selections). Beautifully written, extreme at points, and uninspiring throughout.
• Foundation- Issac Asimov. It deserves its reputation as one of the best science fiction novels. The lack of plot action serves as an incredible literary device.

I’ve attempted various readings in mathematics; however, none has captured my attention. Instead, I am taking an online course on geometry (and plan to work through calculus) to satisfy my desire to learn more about the history and underpinnings of mathematics.

In the second quarter, I plan to forward my goals set in December by reading more about Church history, one or two books about food, and something that is philosophically challenging.

2020 is over and it’s time to review my reading habits from the second half of the year. In July, I set the following goals:

I plan to re-read more books directed toward adolescents, finish a culinary book, read two or three light novels, and work through a French or coding book.

Overall, I rate myself a B. I read a lot of young adult, finished a culinary book, and read from a book almost every day. I did not read anything in French, although I’m not sure that I would be able to if I tried. I practiced some coding exercises.

Here is my, non-exhaustive list, of what I read in the second half of this year with a one or two sentence review:

• Red Mars (Trilogy) – Great world building and exploration of the science of terraforming. Not a ton of emphasis on creating dynamic characters.
• Being Mortal – Will reread frequently. Being Mortal is the best medical book I’ve read and will help me understand when loved ones should transition toward palliative care in advanced age.
• Animal, Vegetable, Miracle – Kingsolver’s tone is nearly unbearable, and some “facts” are dubious and did not hold up to verification. However, if I ever own turkeys or rabbit, this book will be the cause.
• The Mystic Seaport Cookbook – Wouldn’t recommend a single recipe.
• The Dresden Files (9 books of the series) – Fun books. Sophomoric and a ton of r/menwritingwomen material, but scratched my itch for young adult novels.
• What is the Bible?: How an Ancient Library of Poems, Letters and Stories Can Change the Way You Think and Feel About Everything. – A nice read with interesting perspective throughout. Bell overstates the good and minimizes the unpleasant in the Bible. Why do denominations exist?
• Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance – Read Richard Bach if you are looking for pop psychology. Zen’s philosophy holds up worse than Ayn Rand, and writing is more lengthy.
• The Dirty Dozen: How Twelve Supreme Court Cases Radically Expanded Government and Eroded Freedom – A Cato piece that boasts an equally extreme worldview as A People’s History of the Supreme Court from the conservative side. Full of historical strawmen and pseudohistory.
• How Life Imitates Chess – One of the better business strategy books I’ve read. Recommended.
• A King in Hiding: How a child refugee became a world chess champion – Well narrated story to follow the Queen’s Gambit.
• On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen (Excerpts) – It will take me three years to read this book cover to cover and understand the techniques. Reading this book requires an alert mind and access to a kitchen (not a nighttime read).

Of the books I read this year, I am sure to reread three in the next few years, Shogun, Being Mortal, and In Defense of Food. I’ve recommended all three frequently and each helped clarify my views or change positions I’ve previously held.

In the first half of 2021, I’d like to read more books on theory and history of thought. Specifically, I’d like to read about the founding of different Protestant denominations, a history (or histories) of mathematical thinking (generally or in specific veins), and philosophy of technology.