Author Topic: What books are you reading? (Read 737566 times)

MilesAhead · « **Reply #700 on:** June 29, 2016, 09:32 AM »

I am approaching the climax of yet another Jack Vance SciFi novel:

This one is a lot of fun. The protagonist is from an elite family. But the dominant elites in the culture look down on those from his country or province or whatever it is, no matter how elite the individual. The same person paradoxically alternately insists on the privileges due his caste and complains about the lack of egalitarianism in the society.

At the same time he has an obstinate personality that is somehow ingratiating. A fun read to pass the time. I wish I was set up to be able to look up words in the dictionary as I come upon them in the Vance books. I thought William F. Buckley had vocabulary. Perhaps Buckley has greater command of terms that express philosophical abstractions. But Vance has mastery when it comes to describing particular things that may be common place or unique to a region or planet.

I already have my next Vance novel on hold request. I guess I like to reserve Jack Vance in adVance.

rjbull · « **Reply #701 on:** June 29, 2016, 10:20 AM »

Two books by the least-prolific and least-known of the Scandi-noir pack. I read The Butterfly Effect years ago, not long after it first appeared in English. I promptly forgot author and title - I often do - but the book itself stuck in my mind. I wanted to read it again, and eventually tracked it down through Wikipedia's Scandinavian noir page.

For the harder of seeing, here's the text OCR'd from the back of the book.

It is a cold, dark, windy night in Oslo, and Igi Heitmann pores over
the debris in her dead fathers office, trying to piece together the
last days of his life as a failed private eye. She discovers a curious
butterfly medallion in his desk - which in turn leads to the discovery
of a young woman, Siv Underland, in a snow-drift, two bullets in her
head and a gun in her hand. Igi learns that her father and the young
woman died within hours of each other. Who killed Siv Underland, and
did the same person kill Andreas Heitmann? Igi is an under-employed
research psychologist, with more than enough problems of her own: her
husband is a transvestite who often wakes up next to very attractive
men instead of next to her. But she soon finds herself in the role of
detective, on a trail that leads not only to the final days of her
father and Siv Underland, but to the city's underworld of corruption,
sadism and child abuse. Igi is caught amongst the shards of a dozen
shattered lives. She must tread carefully if she is to reconstruct the
violent and tragic truth of those lives, and not be killed herself in
the process.

That lead me to look for Rygg's other work, of which there appears to be only one:

Igi Heitmann is being stalked In the suburb of Oslo where she lives
with her cross-dressing husband and their daughter, someone is spray-
painting the walls of the houses. HEITMANN = CHILD KILLER, the
graffiti says. Who would think this, and how do they know where she
lives? On a bitter winter's evening, Igi attends the opening of the
exhibition of an avant-garde artist whose use of violent sexual
imagery has caused great controversy. Moving between the world of
pornographic art and the happy life she shares with her husband and
daughter, Igi must follow a dangerous and shocking path to the truth.

Rygg excels in a calm, detached portrayal of bizarre behaviour and horrific evil.

Renegade · « **Reply #702 on:** June 30, 2016, 09:44 PM »

Attronarch · « **Reply #703 on:** July 13, 2016, 11:37 AM »

phitsc · « **Reply #704 on:** July 15, 2016, 08:21 AM »

Looks interesting. Which one of these is the first saga?

rjbull · « **Reply #705 on:** July 15, 2016, 05:09 PM »

Looks interesting. Which one of these is the first saga?
-phitsc (July 15, 2016, 08:21 AM)

Who are you addressing?

If it's me for the two books by Pernille Rygg, then original publication dates (don't know whether these are original Norwegian, or more likely English translation) are:

The Butterfly Effect (1997)
The Golden Section (2003)

Josh · « **Reply #706 on:** July 16, 2016, 03:04 PM »

I recently got into audiobooks and I am now hooked. I listen to them on the way to work, while on the treadmill, while ruck marching, whenever I can. So far, I have completed 5 books and am on a short story right now.

My first book was one recommended by a co-worker and it is related to the IT/DevOPS culture in any organization. If you've ever worked in an IT or DEV business, check out The Phoenix Project. Almost every character in the story is one I can point out at work. Bottom line, make sure you protect Brent.

The next book was Dark Territory which is a deep history on the start of cyber warfare, ending with the Snowden revelations. This is a great introduction into cyber war and gives some insight into the underground threat market.

The next book was "Countdown to Zero Day". This was a very in-depth history of the Stuxnet worm and I recommend it to anyone who has any interest in cyber war being used for physical destruction.

The next book on my list was an in-depth history of ID Software (Creators of Doom) and the troubles that plagued them (and continue to do so to this day after being purchased by Bethesda and previously with the split-up of the two Johns). Masters of Doom told that tale and showed a couple of developers whose A-Type personalities got the best of both of them (I imagine Jesse being similar to Carmack).

The last book I listened to was "The Martian" by Andy Weir. I listened to this one after watching the movie at least 30 times (it is now my favorite scientific/space movie) and still find new things to like about it each time I watch it. The book was far better than the movie and I recommend it to anyone who watched the film.

Finally, I am listening to what I view as the single most novel idea for a short story. This is an interesting take on the concept of hell and tells one man's journey through this temporary plane of existence. "A short stay in hell", even 30 minutes into it, is well worth it just for the opening chapters.

rjbull · « **Reply #707 on:** July 16, 2016, 04:22 PM »

This is an interesting take on the concept of hell and tells one man's journey through this temporary plane of existence.
-Josh (July 16, 2016, 03:04 PM)

If you like weird stuff, you might like Flann O'Brien's The Third Policeman.

kunkel321 · « **Reply #708 on:** July 16, 2016, 05:47 PM »

Just got done reading the uncut version of The Stand (Stephen King). That's a whole lotta' book--especially for a slow reader like me.

phitsc · « **Reply #709 on:** July 18, 2016, 07:36 AM »

Looks interesting. Which one of these is the first saga?
-phitsc (July 15, 2016, 08:21 AM)
Who are you addressing?

If it's me for the two books by Pernille Rygg, then original publication dates (don't know whether these are original Norwegian, or more likely English translation) are:

The Butterfly Effect (1997)
The Golden Section (2003)
-rjbull (July 15, 2016, 05:09 PM)

It was related to a book series for which I can't see the post anymore. Either I was addressing a post which has been removed, or I had a digital hallucination.

MilesAhead · « **Reply #710 on:** July 18, 2016, 08:52 AM »

Looks interesting. Which one of these is the first saga?
-phitsc (July 15, 2016, 08:21 AM)
Who are you addressing?

If it's me for the two books by Pernille Rygg, then original publication dates (don't know whether these are original Norwegian, or more likely English translation) are:

The Butterfly Effect (1997)
The Golden Section (2003)
-rjbull (July 15, 2016, 05:09 PM)
It was related to a book series for which I can't see the post anymore. Either I was addressing a post which has been removed, or I had a digital hallucination.
-phitsc (July 18, 2016, 07:36 AM)

I prefer my hallucinations analog. At least then there is some correspondence to reality.

mouser · « **Reply #711 on:** July 22, 2016, 07:37 PM »

Effective Modern C++: 42 Specific Ways to Improve Your Use of C++11 and C++14, by Scott Meyers
https://www.amazon.c...mprove/dp/1491903996

As a long time C++ coder, I'm still skeptical of the benefits to releasing new versions of C++, but it's a good book, and one of those books where you learn interesting things about language design. Note: Not suitable for learning C++ only for those with lots of C++ coding experience.

Josh · « **Reply #712 on:** July 22, 2016, 08:42 PM »

So, fresh off of my "The Martian" kick, I decided to learn more about the Mars Rover, Curiosity. As such, the next book in my line-up is "Mars Rover Curiosity: An Inside Account from Curiosity's Chief Engineer". This book details the challenges facing the team who built the most complex spacecraft ever designed. I am about half way through and the project was just extended from a 2009 launch date to 2011.

It really amazes me just how many topics covered in "The Martian" by Andy Weir are actually mentioned by the engineers who built Curiosity. Great read so far!

panzer · « **Reply #713 on:** July 23, 2016, 05:11 AM »

MilesAhead · « **Reply #714 on:** July 23, 2016, 07:27 AM »

I just started the novel that was the basis of the movie Limitless.

The Dark Fields by Alan Glynn

I am still only about six chapters in. The writing style is fine. I just wish the font was a bit darker.

Edit: I have about 20 pages left to read. If you liked the move Limitless definitely read this book. Several things that drove me crazy in the movie were handled much more logically and made much more sense in the novel.

exjoburger · « **Reply #715 on:** July 24, 2016, 04:42 PM »

Two books which I've been reading for a while now (although I have finished a handful in-between):

Columbine by Dave Cullen - heavy, in depth look without sensationalism.
and
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson - IMO the Jobs biography by which others are measured.

Josh · « **Reply #716 on:** July 24, 2016, 07:44 PM »

Has anyone read any Christopher Moore or Tom Holt novels? Looking for a good place to start. I am thinking "A Dirty Job" by Christopher Moore.

f0dder · « **Reply #717 on:** July 25, 2016, 02:48 PM »

As a long time C++ coder, I'm still skeptical of the benefits to releasing new versions of C++, but it's a good book, and one of those books where you learn interesting things about language design. Note: Not suitable for learning C++ only for those with lots of C++ coding experience.
-mouser (July 22, 2016, 07:37 PM)

There's been a lot of important development in C++, especially C++11 - threading and memory model, auto, lambdas.

But there were several times while reading EMC++ where I twitched or frowned. "With all these years of expertise, how could they make this part of the library so convoluted?" and such. Can't remember the specifics, but iirc I frowned at stuff related to time, async/tasks, as well as some of the details about move semantics.

I kinda wish for a "Modern C++" language - something that does away with all the undefined behaviour, bad historic decisions (e.g. most of the standard library), but still retains the good things (super performance, multiparadigm programming, deterministic constructors/destructors)...

mouser · « **Reply #718 on:** July 25, 2016, 02:59 PM »

I kinda wish for

Exactly. The coders that have been working to create the new versions of C++ are doing some extremely cool work in an area of language design that is mostly ignored in these days of interpreted code -- given the coder the ability to have true control over creating high performance compiled code. But they are operating under the excruciating burden of having to be backwards compatible with a lot of gunk, and the need to work around the syntax/keywords of a very old language. The result is often ugly and unpleasant.

What we need is a new language, inspired by C++ and taking the lessons learned from these new C++ versions, but free from the historical burdens.

MilesAhead · « **Reply #719 on:** July 25, 2016, 03:47 PM »

What we need is a new language, inspired by C++ and taking the lessons learned from these new C++ versions, but free from the historical burdens.

-mouser (July 25, 2016, 02:59 PM)

Hmmm, awkward to type but it sounds like ++C--. New C++ with the obsolete stuff amputated.

mouser · « **Reply #720 on:** July 25, 2016, 03:49 PM »

Well, the D programming language was done in this spirit. There is a good book or two on it. I never thought it would survive but it has. Still didn't feel "perfect" to me.

MilesAhead · « **Reply #721 on:** July 25, 2016, 04:47 PM »

Well, the D programming language was done in this spirit. There is a good book or two on it. I never thought it would survive but it has. Still didn't feel "perfect" to me.
-mouser (July 25, 2016, 03:49 PM)

That reminds me of the good old days when Al Stevens of Dr. Dobb's Journal came out with D-flat as a retort to C#.

It's hard to believe there are no programming magazines anymore. Just "blogs" that disappear or lie fallow, and programming forums. At least Code Project seems to be hanging in there.

There was something nice about holding up a hard copy magazine to show someone though. It made it seem real.

Deozaan · « **Reply #722 on:** July 25, 2016, 05:09 PM »

What we need is a new language, inspired by C++ and taking the lessons learned from these new C++ versions, but free from the historical burdens.
-mouser (July 25, 2016, 02:59 PM)

Isn't this what Go was designed for?

f0dder · « **Reply #723 on:** July 25, 2016, 05:50 PM »

Well, the D programming language was done in this spirit. There is a good book or two on it. I never thought it would survive but it has. Still didn't feel "perfect" to me.
-mouser (July 25, 2016, 03:49 PM)

Last time I tried D was several years ago. The languaged felt kinda nice, but iirc it fell into the "meh, garbage collection and no deterministic destructors" language bin, and felt like it wouldn't be suitable for the kind of systems-level programming you can use C++ for. Also, tooling was bad. My impression was "decent enough language, but I might as well use C#".

Isn't this what Go was designed for?
-Deozaan (July 25, 2016, 05:09 PM)

Go was designed by people who haven't heard about languages newer than C.

I'm currently working my way through "The Go Programming Language", and there's a lot of things that seem really ill-conceived for a language designed in modern times. I tries to be systems-level, but has garbage collection (loss of determinism), but still has pointer/non-pointer types - which affects class (or, well, not classes, because Go) design. Also, while having GC, it doesn't have exceptions, so you're back to C-style "let's check for and propagate errors alle the time!". It doesn't have generics, leading to really awful code involving interface{} (aka Java/C# Object), and eschews modern language constructs because "We hire kiddos straight out of college and they don't grok advanced features" - come on, even Java has moved beyond manually iterating data types in favor of modern collections framework.

Go seems like a decent enough language if you need to write small trivial console applications, utilities that Unix-style orchestrate other utilities, etc... but I don't really like it. It also has bad tooling, and a totally insane excuse for library management. As I understand it, you kinda either pull in libraries from a GitHub master branch, or you copy out the source code for a specific version in the source tree of each and every of your projects that use that library.

---

I like the tidbits I've had time to read about Rust, but haven't had time to look properly at it.

MilesAhead · « **Reply #724 on:** July 27, 2016, 01:56 PM »

I just picked it up at the library. This is the same author who wrote The Dark Fields, which was the impetus for the Limitless movie. After finishing that novel I saw why the word "dark" was in the title.

If this one holds my attention in similar fashion then I'm likely to read all the fiction available from Glynn. I'll find out later this afternoon.