Idoru
William Gibson
I’m giving Gibson another chance because Neuromancer was good. I just started this one. It’ll probably go quickly once I have a block of time.
Fire Flight
John J. Nance
This is a pretty good book about fire bombers and smoke
jumpers fighting forest fires in the
The Golden Ratio
Mario Livio
This is a really fun book on numbers, specifically (1 + sqrt(5))/2. Sounds like a real page-turner, huh? Well, actually it was for me. This is a good book to read immediately before Kaku’s Hyperspace.
Hyperspace
Michio Kaku
Hyperspace is a good introduction to some of the leading edge ideas in physics and cosmology (not cosmetology). Excellent.
Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid
Douglas R. Hofstadter
This is probably my favorite book of all time. It will raise your IQ by ten points.
The Code Book
Simon Singh
Why am I into this kind of book so much lately? This one is terrific and explains the basics of cryptography in a fun to read format.
Digital Fortress, Angels and Demons, The
Da Vinci Code
Dan Brown
Angels and Demons was my favorite of these. I really like how Brown bases his books in history and fact (?) but tells a great story as well.
Iron John
Robert Bly
This is a classic men’s book. It really strikes a chord with me and almost certainly every other man.
Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the
Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time
Dava Sobel
This book about John Harrison and his quest for an accurate clock was really interesting and a very easy read considering the subject matter.
The Difference Engine
William Gibson and Bruce Sterling
The book has a very interesting premise, clackers hacking 19th century steam-powered computers. You expect arty disjointed writing with Gibson, and this book meets the expectation.
Neuromancer
William Gibson
Blade Runner meets the Matrix. I think Gibson is the person who inspired the Cyberspace fiction genre. This book is arty but entertaining.
The Gunslinger, The Drawing of
the Three, The
Stephen King
I don’t see what all the hype is about, but these books were enjoyable nonetheless.
Deception Point
Dan Brown
Not Brown’s best, but still better than many on this list.
City of
Michael Connelly
Solid murder mysteries.
Nelson DeMille
This is a murder mystery for men. Women will be turned off by DeMille’s 50’s-era sensibilities.
The Stone Monkey
Jeffery Deaver
Deaver is a great suspense writer. This is a good book.
The Four Agreements
Don Miguel Ruiz
This book probably sells well because it claims to be able to help people a lot. I think it stunk. Sorry Don Miguel Ruiz.
The Gift – Poems by Hafiz, the Great Sufi Master
Daniel Ladinsky, Translator
This book looked good but turned out to not be that good.
Metamagical Themas
Douglas R. Hofstadter
This is a compilation of articles from Scientific American column with some additional commentary. I was spoiled by Gödel Escher Bach and this pales by comparison.
The Society of Mind
Marvin Minski
Minski tells you unequivocally how everyone’s mind works. If that sounds a little ambitious, it is.