The Undoing Project by Michael Lewis

Lewis again picks an interesting subject and does not disappoint. The book is about Tversky and Kahneman and their unique relationship. Both Israeli, their life stories, their opposite personalities, and their breakout papers make a good story. The dynamics between them and the trajectory of their careers are the main story, though their actual discoveries will live on, I think. We are not as rational as we might like to think, or at least the road to "rationality" is a rocky one, fraught with potholes. I feel that most medical administrators and administrative doctors are blissfully unaware of Tversky's and Kahneman's warnings.

John MacArthur by Iain H. Murray

Hagiography, but in my humble opinion, well-deserved. A man who committed himself to pastor a church by verse-by-verse, in-depth teaching, and who has not wavered or been distracted from that in any way.

The Perfect Pass by S. C. Gwynne

Much like Moneyball, this is the story of an innovative coach who, according to the author, has revolutionized football by going all in with the pass. I have no idea if he is correct but the story was enjoyable.

The Naturalist by Andrew Mayne

A girl is killed in the woods by a bear - or was it really a bear? Our protagonist, a botanist, is caught in a thriller. Curiosity almost kills the cat - rescued by DNA sequencing, you might say. The book was almost good.

Dream with Me by John M. Perkins

Written by a true civil rights leader and dedicated Christian who has modeled and guided many toward racial justice, concern, and understanding. The book reflects his life and what he has learned. It is humble, yet at the same time, confident. He says he has learned that the most important thing is love. Because he himself has been tortured and jailed and assaulted, his command to love is especially dear. The Lord has comforted him in his suffering and refined him. This book is profound yet quite simple and accessible. Sadly, it caused me to see how far I have to go to really love.

Crossing the Heart of Africa: An Odyssey of Love and Adventure by Julian Smith

This book is about a journey across Africa by nineteenth-century explorer Ewart Grogan, an unbelievable achievement by Grogan, who escaped death numerous times from disease and hostile tribes. The story is told in parallel with a recapitulation of the journey using "modern" transportation - boats, trains, motorcycles, etc. The writing is good. The historical parts concerning Grogan are very well done. The present day story is sometimes boring and occasionally quite strikingly analogous to Grogan's day.

The New Testament and the People of God by N. T. Wright

I read this to find out about the Pharisees. The book deals with this but I still have questions about them. This book is not aimed at the reader like me, who is not a scholar. It is very deep. Wright's style, however, is very clear, and with work and attention it is understandable. He covers all the bases and points of view but when he gets to his own view it is very rewarding, as I have come to expect. Reading this was hard work.

The section on Story with examples from Luke and Matthew was extraordinarily instructive, insightful, and new to me.

I had planned on reading the entire three or four volumes but think now they are above my level.

Bruno: Chief of Police by Martin Walker

(read aloud)

We read this because it was set in the area we are planning to hike in October 2017, the Dordogne valley of France. This is a murder mystery in St Denis, a fictional small town in the area. Bruno, the chief of police, is a winsome character who is part of the community and when the first murder, ever, occurs in this small town, he acts with wisdom and insight, courage and even compassion. A good plot with history and lots of good food.

The Alchemy of Air by Thomas Hager

How interesting can a book about nitrogen be? Based on this book I would say "very interesting." Starting in the lab and proceeding to Big German industrial chemistry with worldwide effects, this author states that without industrial fixed nitrogen Earth could not support its population. Also, explosives and bombs would be much limited. Starting with guano to produce Chilean nitrates, the world almost ran out of fixed nitrogen. This is the story of Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch, both geniuses and leading fascinating, difficult lives in a Germany that needed them but hated or used them.

Camino Island by John Grisham

(read aloud)

Very enjoyable. Not a legal thriller like his others, but a crime and coverup and investigation. Very good characters and excellent plot with suspense and enjoyable asides about writers and publishing. One of his best, which is saying something. I think his writing is very good and full of meaning and emotion without pretension.

The Invention of Air by Steven Johnson

A well-written book about Priestly, who "discovered" oxygen, founded the Unitarian church, and who was politically so radical he was driven out of England and almost prosecuted in America though he was close to both Adams and Jefferson. I myself was only interested in the oxygen, though some parts of his relationship to Franklin showed how much of a scientist Franklin was. I was also interested in his influence on Adams and Jefferson and their famous correspondence, which seems to have revolved around a rehashing of the Alien and Sedition Act and Priestly's views.

Numero Zero by Umberto Eco

An interesting premise of a newspaper "startup" tasked with making up twelve issues, hence the 0-1, 0-2, ... numbering. Eco wanders as usual and has a long plot of Mussolini really living many years in Argentina, the badly mangled body in the news actually being someone else. I didn't enjoy this nearly as much as his other books (see above).

The Third Man by Graham Greene

Another complicated plot, characters not that engaging. However, the writing is, of course, very good and ideas bubble up from the prose in layers. I wonder if anyone has analyzed alcohol in his works. Knowing people and not knowing them is another theme. This is a famous work and a famous film.

The Tenth Man by Graham Greene

(read aloud)

An intricate story about death, survival, and cowardice from a German prison camp to a small French village. The plot is engaging but it is the writing that is remarkable, deep with meaning and understanding of life, of human weakness and failure and loss. Even the slightest detail, like the mention of "the ugly church," is full of meaning. All of the characters have a depth about them. The climax is at the period of the last sentence and rings true.

The Raven in the Foregate by Ellis Peters

(read aloud)

Another warm, engaging morality tale ringing with authenticity and good graces: morality without moralism, that is, law with mercy. Cadfael is an engaging presence without pretense. The plot is good and satisfying. We enjoyed this a great deal. The slow-developing plot was "a feature, not a bug."

The Bed of Procrustes by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

This is a small book of aphorisms. Some are brilliant, many are hyperbolic but interesting just the same. Some are even useful. Many beg for his unique explanation. What fun it would be to be asked to pick some to discuss with Taleb at a tapas bar.

Peacekeeping by Mischa Berlinski

This book is about a senatorial election in rural Haiti from the point of view of an American. A Haitian who has been a lawyer in the U.S. returns to his hometown intent on building a road to Jérémie in western Haiti, perhaps the single most broadly beneficial economic need there. The book is very well written and shows solid knowledge of Haitian culture and language. Somewhat explicit in places and revealing of the misbehavior of peacekeepers, it is true to life.

The narrator is involved in keeping peace among the characters, giving the title a double meaning, like all things Haitian. The ending is sad, like the mysterious trajectory and tragedy that besets this island nation.

The Kingdom of Speech by Tom Wolfe

The premise of this book is that speech is the fundamental fact that differentiates man from animals. The origin of speech is unknown and all explanations for it have failed. In his hyperbolic but well-researched history of evolution, Wolfe questions the entire Darwinian enterprise and takes no prisoners. He is kinder to Wallace but saves his ammunition for Darwin, Chomsky, and Pinker. He is skeptical and entertaining. It is a short book and I am sure the powers of biology have dismissed it, but as a skeptic myself I liked it.

Thoughts and Prayers: An Uncensored Journal by Scott McLay Forbes

This book is a journal and is written in a fluent stream of consciousness style. It is confessional in tone, not in terms of admitting misdeeds or faults but in its honesty and transparency. Being a journal it may seem to wander somewhat, but on reading the entire work it becomes very clear that certain themes emerge and the sometimes sudden transitions serve a purpose.

On the first page, the author shares that he has schizoaffective disorder. This is the third of a series of journals. I have not read the others but I have read a previously published book by the author that deals with the art and practice of design.

The author is an artist, particularly in the area of graphic novels. This shows in his writing as he is not afraid to explore the nitty-gritty of life and to expose his thoughts. He ponders the physical realm, his spiritual insights, and his relationships. He is interested in relations and eclectic in his religious influences. He can be critical of his family at times but is never mean. In fact, there is a deep kindness and humility that shows through in his writing.

One major thread is choosing a path for his art. This urge for recognition and searching for an audience is common among creative types. There is a tension between doing the art for art's sake and doing what will get attention.

The author is very well versed in computers and web applications. This is a blessing and a distraction, as it opens many options and makes it hard for him to have a sustained direction for his art. He is very interested in comics and graphic novels and definitely has abilities in that direction.

The author shares many of his dreams. These are quite vivid and usually involve people he knows or has studied. His smoking is another theme. He wants to stop smoking but finds it hard to get started.

I have great admiration for the author. Faced with a chronic illness, he has chosen to accept and write about it in a context of his whole life, which is a life full of art. Rather than withdraw, he has published his books on Amazon, put his paintings on the web for sale, and made his artistic and design musings public.

This book if full of thoughts, some lofty, some earthy, but it is also a prayer. A prayer for patience, for understanding, a prayer to be noticed for one's art.

The author is on a journey of expression. As his readers, we share his hope that he will get the recognition he deserves.

Murder in Mykonos by Jeffrey Siger

A good vacation read, a serial murder on an idyllic Greek island. Some interesting characters. Plot somewhat weak, writing completely satisfactory. Don't recommend this book much but the writer might be good; might consider a second book by him.

Metareligion: Religion and Power in World History by James W. Laine

This is a well written book which deals with religion and the state. He goes through history and religions and empires. The relation between "church" and state is always important. Religions are a threat to state power unless they can be used to stabilize and strengthen the state. Metareligion is those guiding principles that in a sense transcend particular religions and inform the group morality and ethos. The concluding chapter is a wonderful summary and I wish I had read it at the beginning as well as the end. 

The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt's New World by Andrea Wolf

(read aloud)

This is  good book about a great man. He was once extremely famous like an Einstein or Newton but has been somewhat forgotten. The book is very good at showing his influence. The first part of the book captures his life and era in wonderful detail. His travels and remarkable discoveries are explained. His friendships with Goethe and all the major scientists of his day are chronicled.

The last half of the book is a detailed exploration of his great influence in the thinking of Thoreau, Darwin and John Muir and others. The author makes a good case for all of these, though my interest flagged at times. The portrait of Muir was wonderful and engaging.

The major premise, that Humboldt brought together the idea of nature as a unified interacting whole, may be true to some extent but the author mentions this so often that it becomes boring. I feel the book would be much improved it it was edited a little more for conciseness, especially the second half.

Less than Meets the Eye by David Berlinski

As a fan of his mathematics and science writing, I wanted to read his fiction. This is a mystery and the writing style is good; the main character is a wise guy who is well written but fairly typical. I didn't like the plot. The vacuous university administration is the main concept and is embarrassingly accurate. Written a few years ago, its portrayal of university students and administration is even more true today.

A Father's Child by Shelley Houston

A sequel to Julia and a unique mixture of love story, mystery, and drama. The characters are well crafted and the ending is exciting. As a ham I liked the ending.

Antifragile: Things that Gain from Disorder (Incerto) by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

A follow-up to The Black Swan, this book is very interesting. It is a work that is thought-provoking and controversial. The author is bombastic, caustic, critical and rude. But if you can get past the frequent eruptions, which many readers cannot, there is an insight or pregnant thought on every page.

The topic is risk and how future events can't be predicted but if something is "fragile" you can "predict" it will probably fail. Systems or organizations that are robust or "antifragile" can avoid failure. Systems or organizations that are made up of small parts that can fail without killing the whole thing are organisms and are antifragile. Nature is organic and antifragile. The prototype of fragility is banks that are too big to fail. They are propped up and this makes things worse and more fragile.

Ethics stem from having "skin in the game" i.e. what you recommend, if it fails, you lose as well, unlike banking executives. The captain who goes down with the ship.

Though you cannot predict Black Swans you can, use a "via negativa" removing or avoiding fragility.

He also discusses how organic systems benefit from hormesis which is stress that a part of the organism suffers which makes the whole stronger.

I recommend this book and plan to reread it and discuss it with other people.

Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

Listened to this on a road trip to Tucson. Very enjoyable. Very interesting history of a brilliant man who came from a tragic Caribbean childhood and founded a nation and led it through its formation and had a plan for the nation but that plan was not followed but followed a more Jeffersonian path. He was a vital aide to Washington who in this book appears a little more neurotic than his typical description. Though the Broadway play is loosely based on this book it probably takes a very different view of Hamilton. Critics of the book quarrel with the authors presenting Hamilton as very abolitionist. The author is convincing but others say the facts are in dispute.

The Whistler by John Grisham

(read aloud)

Another lawyer story about corruption and Indian casinos. After becoming attached to the characters a tragedy happens and the suspense intensifies. We know who the bad guys are, but how to prove it, and who is The Whistler?

Gertrude Bell: Queen of the Desert, Shaper of Nations by Georgina Howell

An amazing account of a very extraordinary person. She was a brilliant gifted woman in an age of men. She spent much of her life in Mesopotamia, which was even more male-dominant, yet she by sheer competence enjoyed great influence despite no real elevated post or position.

Daughter of an extremely wealthy industrialist, she was equally at home with Churchill and his wife and with a desert sheik in his tents in remote Iraq.

Her ability in Arabic and her understanding of Arab culture was legendary. She had no fear. She in her younger days made horrifyingly dangerous Alpine ascents setting records amazing for the time.

It could be said that she was a founder of the nation of Iraq.

A very good book.

Dead Man's Ransom by Ellis Peters

(read aloud)

A Brother Cadfael mystery. Intriguing and very well written. A theme of justice and mercy is developed and interesting historical and cultural details of England and Wales are presented.

Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd

(read aloud)

Very sad, I'll say no more. Mr. Bradley, please hurry the next book!

Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis

A wandering plot with less than admirable characters and a writing style from the past. Nonetheless a work of substance and literary worth and a memorial of an America long gone. Mercilessly authentic, it casts a mirror on our cultural roots and foibles.

Something Fresh by P.G. Wodehouse

(read aloud)

Funny story about a stolen scarab, a farce really. Very enjoyable, the first Blandings novel.

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

(read aloud)

Familiar yet always new. Truly a work of genius, and one is sure there are layers of meaning and hidden gems being missed.

A House for Happy Mothers by Amulya Malladi

(read aloud)

This is a story about surrogate mothers in India. An Indian-American couple in California employs a surrogate in India. The view from the respective families is fascinating and illuminating, the writing is very good. The insights and characters are stirring. This is a book about life, messy, complex, inscrutable, but in the end magical.