The Amnesic Bookworm

We have all been there. Whether a home renovation project, or getting projects done at work. We plan and more often than not underestimate the time and effort needed, rationalize it later and move on to the next thing. What Bent does in this book, is shed light on how we discard the value in using data from past learnings. Using his experience in large infrastructure projects, data collection and analysis, Bent makes a good case that we maybe approaching planning wrong. We plan for the specific project ground-up with no regard to looking at comparable references, which from his analysis can do a much better job in getting you closer to reality than one may think. Combined with other suggestions that seem obvious at times ("you need a good team", "modular design"), overall one can walk away with a framework to apply better practices when they plan their next big thing !

This book goes straight up the genre "You read a book about what ?". Caitlin takes you on a journey in the daily life of a mortician. With witty and sometimes dark humor, Caitlin does a phenomenal job narrating what is an otherwise unsavory topic for most. We do not talk about what happens to the human body after it dies. In this book, Caitlin walks us through the process of cremation, embalming and the industry that does all of this for society. Covering societal evolution of how different cultures dealt with those that are no longer living, to the modern society's take which largely wants to avoid dealing with the realities of how nature reclaims what is theirs. This is an unconventional but enlightening read - as long as you can stomach the topic and bring an open mind to learn about this eventuality deemed easier to look past. If there is any book you want to read about this topic, look no further than this.

This is a fascinating tale of how the British Raj came to be in India. The redux version of history portrays the British as a imperial power that forced their ways upon India. While true in many ways, it does not tell how that came to be. Wiliam Dalrymple takes you on that journey. The East India trading company, a British private institution, over 100 years evolved from traders, to mercenaries to a war machine pitting adversaries against each other in their quest to get ever increasing control of India. Terms like "Corporate Greed", "Too Big to Fail" , "Government Lobbying" which we associate to the modern era, can all be observed in this story going back to the 1700s. Though at times the book goes into excruciating details about the fights, politics and treaties that the trading company would make to maximize their profits and secure their future, if you zoom out you are able to see how taking advantage of warring factions within the Indian society while bringing their modern warfare learnt from European Wars, The East India Company become a dominant military force. Combined with cunning politics, they succeeded in their quest to assert control. India is no stranger to rulers, the Mughals ruled India, but Mughals were settlers. They saw themselves living off the land with the people where as Britishers who came to India saw themselves as colonizers, there temporarily for financial gain. Learning from their loss of their American colonies where the settlers eventually pushed the Britishers out to seek their own independence, the British officials in India eliminated any possibility of racial mixing or allowing for a socially recognized settler class - they were branded outcasts. Eventually, they were too big too fail, their revenues too important for the British government to let some private traders govern India. Swiftly, the British govt. under the guise of nationalizing the East India company and sending govt. officials to regulate the company, morphed a private corporation into the British Raj. This is the story of that evolution. 

We inherently think of bacteria as bad. Anti-bacterial soaps, Anti-biotic medicines, frequent washing of our hands, a disdain for dirt or soil are all ingrained in our minds from a very young age. Ed Yong does a wonderful job illustrating that not only do we need bacteria for healthy living, we owe a lot of our evolutionary existence to bacteria. Further, microbes are not something we can categorize as good vs bad, sadly that reductionist view does to apply to the microbiome that makes us. It is all about symbiosis and that balance in the microbiome that dictates a good v/s bad outcome. Despite all our medical and technological advancements, we only so much about our microbiome. This is a fascinating journey which someday may revolutionize how we look at well being and medication. For now, there are no shortcuts or quick hacks to game this. This book is not for the casual reader looking to dabble into bioscience. This is a dense text which at times reads more like a reference book on biology than your average bedtime read. Many details that will probably not stay with most readers. But it makes a compelling case to shape our view of the microbes that makes us. 

About time an author took a deep look at how technology is shaping the young minds and generations of our time. Jonathan Haidt presents compelling data to back his social psychoanalysis of the effect of modern technology, social media, internet and devices are having on kids. It is no surprise that kids today spend way lesser time playing together outdoors than they do glued to devices that have a hypnotic effect on them. What is lesser evident is how over time society, parents and schools have overplayed their protective tendencies to deprive kids of situations where they can go back to being kids with each other. Jonathan makes a passionate appeal to parents and educators to attempt to turn the tide, but the barrier of collective common action is a large one to overcome. While there are times where there is a piling on to social media as the root of all evils, the central premise of why the current generation is inherently more anxious is irrefutable. While we maybe cynical on this changing anytime soon, I hope enough parents do their own bits in engaging with their kids, encouraging them to mingle with other kids and rely less on devices and technology in these early formative years.

The Crypto industry with its meteoric rise, glamours CEOS who embodied the get rich quick schemes and all the buzz that they generated in investing was begging for an insightful take of all that was wrong with it. Ben in this book does a good job of introducing foundational economics and investing and makes the case for how the obscurity of crypto created this aura of mystery which also led to a lot of people seduced with it to make a quick buck. The reality however was that it was a system with poor oversight, no regulation and a few players who touted themselves as the messiahs to free the people from traditional banking. They were all too caught up and entangled in their own beliefs. The greed led to corruption and while a few made it really rich, most others were loosing money hand over fist. This is an engaging tale into the rise and fall of an industry and also its stars. With investigations that started off as amateurish but over time touching upon journalistic levels of thoroughness, this is a book for anyone who wants to take a macro look at crypto and what a sham it really became in the name of investing.

Noam Chomsky is one of the best political thinkers out there and in this seminal work, he proves why. A scathing review of our government and political system, the book is a strong rebuke of how a small but loud minority have come to shape much of our systems that are intended to work for the masses. While there is no doubt which end of the political spectrum Noam leans towards, his criticism cuts across political boundaries. He questions the system that shapes politicians' views and their motivations. The cynicism in current politics is evident, but often relegated to a state of apathy of how different forces have shaped the system to be what it has become today. In this book however, Noam outlines a more intentional, methodical plan with deliberate actions to shape the system to what it is and where it is headed. The book does not leave one with much hope, and may steep misanthropic views of politics of government.

Through captivating story telling and brilliant prose, Cal Fyn brings the story of nature's resilience where humans have left their indelible mark. A collection of stories from all over the world, the book showcases how humans have pushed the limits of our environment and then or our own safety abandoned it. In that abandonment is where flora, fauna and geological transformations take over what was theirs - a microcosm of natural evolution. Nature's strong resilience is evident. As dismaying it is to observe the Anthropocene changing our world in undesirable ways, this story is also a story of hope. Learning from these islands of abandonment there is hope that we humans can perhaps strike a better balance in modern human life while containing its impact on nature. Giving the next few generations a taste of the world as we, or our previous generations have seen it, is a worthwhile motivation. Cal Flyn's work can educate us to take steps in that direction.

Ed Conway does a brilliant job of untangling the complex and intertwined aspects of the modern materialistic world as we know it. Proposing a foundational set of raw materials (salt, sand, steel, copper, oil, lithium) that our civilization has built upon over decades, this is an informative yet thought provoking journey to our current and a window into our future. We think globalization has made things accessible, democratized supply-chains and in so many ways it has. Yet if you dig deeper, you learn how a few critical pieces underpin this supposedly diversified world. Mining, excavation and material sciences are relegated to one of those lesser sought after, or if you are more cynical, perhaps obsolete schools of study. They take a back seat in the race towards flashy software apps or breakthroughs in medical research. Yet there is a case to be made for the future of this industry, the investment it deserves, as we continue to build upon our modern civilization on top of what are finite resources. A brilliant read to help you understand whats really makes all the "stuff" we use everyday. It presents a humbling realization that humans are still at the mercy of what mother nature and earth have to offer us. 

For anyone who has read The Power of Habit, you know Charles Duhigg is an author you can count on for some insightful views on human behaviors. Supercommunicators does not live up to the standards of his previous work (in substance and presentation), but it was always a high bar to meet. Nevertheless, in Supercommunicators, Charles demystifies having emotionally deep conversations on personal or charged topics. Combined with story telling and analysis, the book lays out a plan on how one can lean into conversations with empathy, cultivate trust and have deep meaningful conversations on sensitive topics. At times, the book beats around the topic taking multiple approaches to arrive at the focal point. The entire premise of the book could perhaps be packaged in much lesser text - but once you stick through the first few chapters of the book it becomes easier to plow through as the value of the content begins to come through. A good read with useful takeaways that anyone can apply to improve their communication skills at work or personal life.

There are books about nutrition, books about sleep, books about physical fitness and then there is Outlive. Peter Attia does a brilliant job capturing a holistic view of living life to the fullest while investing in all its aforementioned facets. Though the premise (and perhaps the title) may seem shallow to some at the start, what Peter is essentially advocating for is a path to have your last marginal decades of your life be fulfilling and punt the frailty and illnesses that have become synonymous with old age. Packed with evidence and research and at times dense into biology and bio-chemistry, Peter walks the fine line of being prescriptive yet admitting that "research" can be weaponized to make points on opposite ends of the spectrum for any topic. His recommendations package common-sense practices with scientific backing allowing them to be internalized better. The last chapter on emotional health is more of a personal reflection of Peter's own journey with emotional health, a stark contrast to the remaining book where he is an unbiased presenter of information. I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting that little bit of nudge and convincing to adopt wellness habits to live a better version of you.

Most people have some idea of what happens to their waste - Landfill, Recycle and maybe some composting. I am most of those people, perhaps with a heightened sense of curiosity - so this book piqued my interest. I have always been curious where does all this ever increasing waste go ? How are we not seeing it more often beyond the occasional scent on a summery day if you happen to be in a neighborhood where you know there is a landfill. Oliver does a phenomenal job of taking this topic head on. He first explains what really happens to trash and to recycle - the answer is much worse than your most optimistic take. He showcases this not just from a western lens of a few rich countries, but has covered this topic from a spectrum of countries belonging to different socio-economic strata. Further, Oliver takes a stab at industrial and hazardous waste - which is where things become really bleak. Even the most optimistic believer cannot but see the danger in how our society has squirreled away the conversation of waste we create. We are leaving behind an insurmountable problem for future generations. We need authors like Oliver to highlight this topic and educate the masses in the hopes that we make some improvements and perhaps buy us and our next generation some time. 

This book goes straight into the genre of "You read a book about WHAT ?". Who knew you can consume 300+ pages of engaging read on Fungi. Merlin is brilliant at prose and puts that skill to good use on a topic most would shy away from. Packed with details and mind blowing facts the book allows laypersons to connect with the biology and biochemistry of fungi and showcase its omnipresence in our lives. The chapters on psychedelics particularly presented some unbelievable feats of what evolution has created in fungi. It is hard to believe that we do not indeed categorize fungi in its own classification between fauna and flora, a point Merlin makes often and perhaps convinces you by means of this book. For most people fungi is that green thing they see in nature, or that thing which makes your food go "bad" or perhaps a manifestation in mushrooms that some of us love. This book is here to show you how it is so much more and how much we rely on it even without knowing so. 

For his next installment in this series, Tim Marshall looks literally at the sky. Having covered much of the geography on earth and presenting some of the most prescient take on geo politics, Tim has turned to what he calls the new frontier - Space. Make no mistake, Tim is an engaging author. He delves into the history of space exploration in depth. He shares what the different "space powers" have done so far in their quest to explore beyond the reach of Earth. However, where his previous books dissect geo politics with this sharp analysis and ability to show patterns leading to eerily  prophetic conjectures, on this occasion Tim is dabbling into pure hypotheticals and "what-if" scenarios. Tim is trying to look way too far, generations beyond perhaps, into the future. I kept on with the ride, mostly because I hold his works in high regard, but Tim may have peaked already and this particular work of his felt thin on substance and high on conjecturing. 

Michael starts off with an intriguing philosophical take on trying to do the "right thing" in any given situation. The initial exploration of philosophical concepts and the attempts to tie the topic are admirable - even enlightening at times. The initial part of the book is similar to most off the shelf adaptations of philosophical text that eases the reader into the topic. However, as the book carries on, Michael dives into a deeply interpretative take at the subject sharing more of this own experiences and interpretation over enabling the reader to draw meaning from the discussion.

This book goes straight into the category of, "You read a book about what again ?" This is not your average bedtime read, nor for the ones who get queasy. The book dives into the field of anthropological forensics - the branch of forensics when the body is not "fresh enough" (as the book quoted) for medical examiners and an autopsy. An astonishing amount of information can be learnt from human remains after the flesh has completed the cycle of nature and perished, leaving behind just the skeleton. Dr. Bass walks us into this journey, how it has brought many criminals to justice for some of the most heinous crimes committed. There are scientific discoveries, biological exploration and ethics to this complex subject. The mere scientific act of researching and building the foundation of this analysis is an intriguing journey in more than just one ways. Combining real life crimes, how anthropological forensics has been used to bring criminals to justice, how it is upheld in courts of law and how the science itself came to be - this book has it all.

Wars have been fought for oil. It has bestowed riches on those who have it and slowed progress for nations without it. And while this may be an accepted truism, The World for Sale captures another aspect of this thirst for oil, the one where traders step in where even the most unscrupulous nations do not go. Fascinating stories of the people behind commodity trading and the impact they have had on society makes this an engaging read. Commodity traders have operated largely in shadows without much notice for decades but had profound impact on geopolitics and world financial systems. The book narrates episodes on how this trade crossed moral, ethical and legal boundaries - with only a few who got caught but got away easy. In recent times commodity traders have linked their trading fare and financial markets in ways which entangles unaware pensioners and retirement savers in ways they never would have imagined. For all our sake, we need stronger regulation to this industry and we need it now. This is an eye opening read on a poorly understood industry which desperately needs regulations to tame its wild side.

If you love science and nature, this is the book for you. Humans may have asserted themselves as the dominant species on this planet, but we only experience the world in the way we know and unaware of the ways we cannot. Ed Young has authored a fascinating read combining engaging storytelling and captivating scientific exploration going into this beyond that we do not know exists when it comes to our senses. Humans might just be the "jack of all trades" when it comes to our sensory experiences but collectively the wildlife on our planet goes way beyond in how they see, hear, feel, taste and smell the world. And then there are electrical and magnetic fields which do not even make their way into human experiences but define life for some species. As the book digs into the details of senses across animals it can leave the reader not just in awe, but with philosophical questions like "What does experiencing something mean ?". Part National Geographic part Science Journal the book has something for all. Steeped in science it is a fascinating read. Ed Young deserves a tip of the hat for dealing with the complexities and breadth that he covers in this book while maintaining a crisp engaging narrative.

Jang Jin-Sung shares his story of life in North Korea, his escape into China and his path to freedom in South Korea. This is the story of a hermetic country seen from the lens of an insider. Combining personal experiences with his personal analysis on North Korean politics and culture, the book is a good read for anyone who has been curious about this isolated nation state. The stories do not necessarily uphold to journalistic standards of cross vetting, but this is North Korea we are talking about and it would be absurd to expect such a thing. You will get an insight and perspective of North Korea's inner workings and the adversities it inflicts on its subjects.

An engaging read spanning the evolution of technology, geopolitics, globalization and backstories of individuals behind it all. Chip War tells the story of how it all came to be, starting from students in universities followed by humble beginnings of firms in Silicon Valley. The book lays bare the paradox of free market and globalization. The principles that were to create the world an even playing field with no single center of gravity to an industry, counter intuitively led to TSMC and Taiwan having an iron grip hold on modern semiconductor technology as we know it. A single company with its flagship facilities located on an island caught in geopolitical dynamics between China and the World stands between technology as we use it today and possibly taking us back decades without it. The same market forces that led to its emergence have also fueled its immense growth and its position of power it holds today. Chris Miller does a good job interlacing technology and the stories of people behind it who have emerged from a close knit group of entrepreneurs tracing their roots back to Silicon Valley before it was even named so. This book is an engaging read packed with details starting from the birth of Silicon Valley to the current state of high end semiconductor technology. It is a crucial part of our daily lives today and yet it is underpinned by a surprisingly small critical infrastructure located on an island with one company in particular at its helm.

Tim Marshall does not disappoint in this sequel bringing his unique style of blending history, geography and politics in a gripping read. His expert analysis of nations makes the read enlightening in bite sized chapters. The analysis leads to almost prophetic projections of where the future is headed. At the time of reading, this was very true for the chapter on Turkey as they go into their 2023 Elections. This is a similar trait from his previous works where he projected the escalation of Ukraine Russia conflict and the collapse of Afghanistan. The chapters on Africa are especially relevant for our generation with the migrant crisis and growing political unrest in that continent. The colonization of Africa leaving behind artificially created nation state boundaries combined with unique geographical features, a multi-ethnic tribal populace and poverty have led to a despondent situation there. Hope rests on future generations of politicians to understand the complexities and rise to the occasion. For any such future leader, this is a must read. 

The world of Algorithms is equated by many to the fields of computer science and mathematics. In this book, the authors bridge it to our daily lives in thought provoking ways. There are many parallels to be drawn from the various algorithms covered in the book to real life problems we deal with. Interestingly, the genesis of these problems can be traced back to common problems of our times and the authors do a good job of walking that historical perspective. Once mathematicians and computer scientists took over, we largely wrote the learnings as hyper specialized solutions to very specific problems. But via this book, we can bring some of that perspective to the problems we face in our day to day lives. It also makes the case for going after solutions that do not necessarily chase an expected answer, rather an "efficient" outcome where the trade-offs are acceptable, even if the solution is far from perfect. When dealing with life's many problems, we often get caught up to get to a goal which seems like the canonical solution. But if we may borrow learnings from specialists who applied these solutions to objective problems in their fields, we can learn to focus on the path more than the goal and identify the various other possibilities to reach a favorable outcome.

Once you read this book, you are going to look closely at your next flight's make and model - something most fliers take for granted. The book is a scathing tale of the erosion of an iconic institution that Boeing once was. There is no single pivotal moment that set into action the disastrous consequences leading to the 737Max flight crashes and the terrible loss of life. What the author portrays is poor leadership, decaying corporate culture, compromised ethics and a singular focus to financial success over safety in engineering over years. Failure of government oversight only exacerbated to the caustic situation. This book is a case study of poor leadership filled with anti-patterns of what a good leader ought not to do. Every product in every company should hold a defining virtue that should not be compromised. Safety in airplanes is one example and the book shows the failures of the company in protecting that virtue.

A true murder story written like a novel. Truman Capote narrates this heinous crime with captivating prose and character development. The chapters delve into extensive lengths and backstories of the victims, the criminals and the investigators. The pace of narration oscillates between the slow and within a few pages can become a page turner - as if building into a crescendo. Truman is not building the crime as a mystery, instead constructs an interesting blend of social and psychological aspects of the crime and the justice that ensued. Having to confirm a few times mid-read that this indeed is a non-fiction book and a real life story goes to show how good a job Truman has done in his research to bring you, as the reader, a close observer of the crime and the criminals.

If you are looking for investment advice or a hack to make a quick buck - this is not for you. Morgan peels away our typical perspective on investment and how we all like to "make our money work" and digs deeper into a more foundational purpose money serves. Combined with some anecdotes the author makes the case that money after all is a human construct and how we can make choices to restore the power imbalance between people and their own money. A lot of the suggestions, while obvious, advocate for a lifestyle that makes logical sense. A lot of emphasis is to draw upon the emotional freedom and psychological power one can have over their own money. The investment advice, if one can call it that - is simple, conservative investing which keeps your savings growing (or shrinking) along with macro trends - insulating you from heartbreaking crashes but also sitting you out of fleeting trends that can rocket some people into riches. Some may find this book reaffirming of their conservative investment beliefs, a consolation if you feel having missed out on a trend, some may find it a valuable antidote to get-rich investment schemes. Irrespective, this short breeze of a read is worth the time.

If you have read Charles Duhigg's The Power of Habit - consider Atomic Habits a simplified, less scientific and a more practical suggestions laden accompaniment on the topic. After introducing the foundational principles of what makes a habit (no spoilers here) James Clear uses anecdotes to illustrate the various facets of the idea. Forming "good" habits and breaking "bad" habits are then the yin and yang of those principles. After a certain point, the book continues to rehash those principles in different ways complete with prescriptive suggestions for those who prefer to follow a guided approach. The vignettes make the read engaging and it helps that the book does not belabor the point any further. It is a good casual read and may even help you in your quest to build or break habits. 

Your inner erudite (if there is one) may pass on this book at first glance. A catchy title and an author appearing larger than life on the cover has the ingredients of a book trying to peddle a quick solution only if you follow their plan exactly as they say. But persevere through, and the book breaks those stereotypes. Yes the author installs himself centrally with "his plan", but barring the style of writing, the content is a no nonsense, back to basics health book focusing on diet and exercises. The simplicity of everything Michael describes, combined with his narrative and references to scientific principles backing the proposals are compelling and will make you want to adopt what he is suggesting for a better, healthier life. His diet plans avoid fads and stick to surprisingly flexible options. His workout proposal while requires gym access are composed of some of the most common exercises. The meal and exercise plans though simple, rest on rigor and discipline in quantity and quality and are accompanied with detailed templates. There is a section in the end about supplements, which to Michael's credit does not have any mention of his own supplement company and offers the reader some advice on the topic. Overall, this is a good read if you are looking for inspiration to eat healthier and exercise regularly to cultivate a better you.

In this read, Ezra Klein sheds light with insightful analysis on America's current political situation. Given Ezra leaves no guessing in where he stands in his political beliefs, I imagine only a certain partisan audience to dive into this book. That audience should not expect new information here, but a thoughtful analysis of America's unique (and odd) political system vulnerable to exploitation, waiting for certain individuals to do the damage, which they did, are doing and will continue to do. As Ezra describes it in the book, the unfortunate reality of politics in America is that a minoritarian path to power exists and continues to be exploited, whereas the majoritarian voice goes ignored. The few ways to reshape the political system and make it more even keeled is fraught with challenges, rooted in a philosophical debate about the vision of the founding fathers. There are no easy solutions here, nor does Ezra offer any. The book offers a rational explanation of how and perhaps why we got here with the hope it blunts the emotional outrage directed towards individuals and motivates constructive action to correct the system.

The book delves into the story of a unique family and their journey dealing with mental health, mainly schizophrenia, across a generation of children. There is not much science about mental health ailments in the book. The book touches upon that briefly in the later chapters. At times the story delves deep into the family history and reads more like a family biography. It describes some deeply traumatic events that some members of the family experienced. Between the era when the family grappled with mental illness amongst the kids and the healthcare industrial complex taking a medication centric approach towards mental health, there are many travesties at display. It must have taken immense courage for the surviving members of the family to open up so candidly about their family and share their powerful story. 

Oliver Burkeman does a good job presenting an antidote to today's hyper productivity focussed world. We are surrounded by people who are eager to share their hacks to get the most out of our times and the promise of extracting meaning from our lives. Four Thousand Weeks is a contrary view point. A perspective much needed, emphasizing on the finitude of life, to focus and enjoy on the present and to define success for future for yourself before going on a path suggested by others. The book does not give you any tricks or a prescription to change your lifestyle (short of an appendix in the end which does a good job succinctly summarizing the gist of the book). It offers you a thought provoking pause, a call to self-reflect and be deliberate about your present and future. It calls upon us to spend our finite time on earth living holistically while embracing imperfections.

Siddhartha Mukherjee brings the story of cancer, its history and its journey into the modern world in an engrossing story telling narrative. He juxtaposes beautiful prose for a morbid topic like cancer describing pain and suffering along with the small triumphs in attempts to cure it. The content written for a layperson does a commendable job diving into the details of the disease, its causes, the physiology, the therapeutics and possibly what the future has in store. It certainly makes the reader feel more informed and educated on the topic. The book describes the progress made over the years, revolving around key figures that made possible revolutionary moments in cancer study or treatment. It also showcases the impotence of modern science and the advancements yet to be made to find a unitary cure against this disease. For anyone wanting to understand cancer and appreciate its complexity, this is an enlightening read.

A delightful read for anyone who loves geography and/or history. The book blends geological features of regions with their historical and political background to explain how they came to be in today's modern world. The content is neatly segmented into chapters each delving into a specific region of the globe. The book is prescient at times and makes the author seem prophetic for how certain geopolitical situations played out since the time of writing. As a reader I had to flip back on a few occasions to verify the published date - a sign of how well researched the content is and how compelling the case author makes for certain outcomes to be inevitable. One can appreciate the lessons for future generations here, that perhaps certain geopolitical outcomes are predictable if looked back far enough putting history and culture in context. Perhaps there is hope that future generations can learn and help avoid such suffering and loss in conflicts. 

The book comprises of 3 loosely related sections. The first - and perhaps the more informational one is Jeff's overview of the Thousand Brain theory and a theoretical model about human intelligence and the inner workings of the brain. It does not delve into deep neurobiological content, I would question any ~300 page book which could claim to do so, but rather describes the theoretical model with analogies to the extent that a lay person can attempt to follow. It is enlightening, scientific and helps one reflect upon the subject of human brain and intelligence. Thereupon the book moves to AI and meanders into thought provoking, open ended reflections by the author. Jeff raises questions and tries to answer some that our society faces in the light of technology and AI. While one may not agree with everything Jeff says, the questions he raises and the opinions he shares are thought provoking and can make one pause and reflect. The book further continues this path into the more ambiguous areas of humanity, spirituality and the meaning of life. Where you end the book is pretty far from where you started, but the author made an attempt to keep it crisp.

Stephen Kinzer walks you through a pivotal moment in Iran's political history and lays the case for what led to Iran as we know it today. At times it is a blow by blow account of the coup and demonstrates the blindsided worldview western powers like the US and England had post World War II. The tone deaf attitude and beliefs western governments held over these relatively weaker countries is astounding and in the process of their relentless pursuit of what they thought is theirs, they (re)wrote the history of that region in significant ways. At times the book romanticizes of what could have been, had the events not happened as such. One may or may not believe in that opinion, but the injustice carried out is irrefutable and perhaps inadmissible in today's modern world - atleast in its blatant form.

If you have read "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell then consider this a good compliment read. In Range, David Epstein makes a case for generalists and why diversity in thought, activities and skill is needed in our modern world. At times the book uses selective examples to illustrate its point - "availability heuristics" - but to the author's credit they acknowledge this and they make a sincere attempt to tie these specific examples to larger studies. Irrespective, the central thesis here is not to abandon your quest to specialize in a field, rather make you pause and value the counter perspective, on what you may miss out. We can all agree our world is increasingly hyper-specialized, whether you like it or not, and like in everything else, we need balance.  Range makes a good case for us to strive for that balance. 

This is an intriguing read into the imperialistic ventures of the US. The book walks you through a wide patch of US history - from the creation of the country, to the US Civil War, World War II and the modern society today as it exists today. The central thesis of the book puts in perspective the global influence of the US and how it came to be - what is perhaps in plain sight if we look back at history. It draws upon causations and co-relations and while one can question if these actions over generations of politicians and governance attitudes deliberately shaped US as being a dominant force in the world - the end state is unarguable. From how the seeds of racism were sowed, to emancipation from slavery, economic benefits veiled as global security to projecting worldwide dominance without force - the book packs interesting details on a variety of subjects. Filled with fascinating tidbits that are incredulous and thought provoking, Daniel has presented very well researched content in a fluid read.

If you have read Elizabeth Kolbert's The Sixth Extinction, you will not be disappointed with this either. The book is a collection of eclectic and detailed stories of how us humans have changed the environment and how we continue to devise complex ways in an effort to undo some of those undesirable changes. With its well researched stories, the book lays bare an inconvenient truth that it is much harder to disrupt the environment around us than to restore it back. The book is a rude awakening of how humans are driving earth to the brink of instability and how our options to course correct are all imperfect in their own ways. There is no happy ending or a panacea, only an appeal to all of humanity to rise up to this challenge and solve the problem we have created over decades. 

Philipp has done a commendable job dealing with a highly complex subject for the average non-immunologist reader. The book at times reads like a textbook, complete with end of the chapter reviews - which given the breadth of content covered is useful. Peppered throughout the book are metaphors to help grasp this complex topic without signing up for a degree in immunology. Initially, the metaphors seemed as if the author was trying to water down the subject matter, but to be fair the author clarified it upfront. Over time, you start to look forward to the metaphors as perhaps the only way you can make sense of this topic. By the end, one cannot imagine comprehending it without them. The writing is fluid, detailed, and at times irreverent and funny. One can certainly walk away with a new found respect for the immune system and the biochemistry that powers it.

John Green demonstrates beautiful prose is in his collection of short essays covering an eclectic set of topics. It is evident he is himself a voracious reader from all the quotes he references throughout the book. The essays brilliantly capture certain topics which most of us can find relatable. They are simultaneously informative, educational, enlightening for what one may consider to be a well understood topic. Then there are times where you are witness to something that is dear to the author. Here, the author's beautiful writing is at its strongest display as they make their emotions and passion perceptible through their words and even if the topic may not have much in common with the reader, you have the sheer pleasure of reading it nonetheless. I give this book 5 stars (a certain pun here which you will get you if you read the book).