Books finished
The Philosopher Kings , by Jo Walton.
A sequel to The Just City , in which Jo Walton explores a society dedicated to enacting Plato's
Republic. Very good read, and it explores a few interesting varients of the Republic idea, but
it spends a bit more time than I'd like following the adventures of specific characters.
(This is not normally a complaint I'd have for a novel, but I feel like this series is more about
the ideas than the characters.)
On the whole not as interesting or good as the first book, but still recommended.
Pride and Prejudice , by Jane Austen.
I actually avoided being forced to read any Austen in grade school, but I was recently
recommended Mary Robinette Kowal's Shades of Milk and Honey , and reading at least one
Austen book first was suggested. I have yet to read the Kowal, but I'm glad I waited until
now to read Austen.
I would not have appreciated this book in the least as a teenage boy, reading it now
was extremely enjoyable. It helps a lot that Leigh is a huge Austen fan, and was able to
help me understand some of the cultural context that informs the story. I was also surprised to
find the book to be much funnier, and more absurd, than most of the media adaptations.
The Checklist Manifesto ,
by Atul Gawande.
This was an excellent read for a book with such a simple message: checklists (or other simple, task-oriented memory aids) make it easier to deal with complexity. Their use appears to improve outcomes across the board. The book covers a variety of fields, citing both peer-reviewed research and anecdotes to make its case, and the author tells the story of introducing checklists into regular practice in surgery.
Star Wars: Scoundrels , by Timothy Zahn.
Yes, it's a Star Wars book; sometimes you just need something light and silly to read.
However, despite normally being a fan of Zahn's work, I found this one fairly disappointing.
A heist novel starring Han Solo and Lando Calrissian should be breezy and fun, but this
honestly dragged on a bit. It was still fun, but I had to work at it.
In progress
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