Do You Read?

again, in memory of Dupek….

just finished this
<img src="http://www.prendas.co.uk/images/full/Book_Rendell_Pantani.jpg" alt=" - " />

just starting this
<img src="http://www.newwest.net/images/thumbnails_feature/1491_cover.jpg" alt=" - " />

today's mind-numbing reading:
<img src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/1594602263.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" alt=" - " />
<img src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/158778176X.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" alt=" - " />

<img src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/1599410826.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" alt=" - " />

Just finished:

<img src="http://www.neilgaiman.com/works/books/neverwhere/hb/photo_large" alt=" - " />

Starting:

<img src="http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/1400083028.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" alt=" - " />

<img src="http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/1400095565.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" alt=" - " />

Honestly, a little disappointed. I'm still looking forward to reading "What Is The What."

<img src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0316017442.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" alt=" - " />

it's a fictionalized account of the franklin expedition that disappeared while trying to find the northwest passage in the 1840's….despite its length (700 plus pages) its very engrossing

Says Hoya:

Selected Sections of the Federal Income Tax CodeOne of my all time favorites….

I have no idea where I left off, so I'll just do a fresh recount….

<img src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0316346624.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_OU01_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" alt=" - " />

Should be required reading for any marketing class. It's reads like a college lecture, which is surprisingly better than most sociologist writing these days. Simple premise - little changes can have big effects; when small numbers of people start behaving differently, that behavior can ripple outward until a critical mass or "tipping point" is reached, changing the world - with good examples.

<img src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0316172324.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_OU01_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" alt=" - " />

I don't know that I liked it as much as I liked Tipping Point, but I bet I'll find it much more useful in my life. Another book that reads like a lecture, with a simple premise - It's about the first 2 seconds - we make better instant judgments by training our mind and senses to focus on the most relevant factsâ??and that less input (as long as it's the right input) is better than more - with great examples. I'm actually doing the Pepsi challenge as he describes as part 2 of my traditional super bowl beer tasting contest.

<img src="http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/0195300416.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_OU01_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" alt=" - " />

An interesting twist on my road of International development and foreign policy studies. After focusing on Jared Diamond (geographic/environmental and societal decisions), Thomas Friedman (economic and tecnological policy decisions) and a myriad of political commentary, I stumbled onto Lawrence Harrison's thesis that Culture Matters just as much as the other factors, if not more. US Foreign policy has tended to rely on political change for economic development in 3rd world countries, but the idea presented here is that culture matters more than anything else. Most leaders we have empowered have gotten away from democratic values because the culture surrounding them hasn't changed. He looks at 25 different cultural factors and has some pretty interesting findings. I think he puts too much credence in Protestant work ethic and values, but he definitely makes a strong case about the effect Catholicism and Islam have had on developing countries. Very dense, but a good read.

Now I'm reading my one fiction, albeit partly fiction, book of the year:

<img src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/1932416641.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" alt=" - " />

About 100 pages in and I can't put it down….

4 books of plays by Tom Murphy. Yum.

<img src="http://www.prancyhorse.com/estuff/booklist/images/1484f.gif" alt=" - " />

Yes, that Hugh Laurie. He has apparently been typecast, as the protagonist of this 1996 book is exactly like House.

<img src="http://www.mountaineersbooks.org/client/products/prodimagelg/5069.jpg" alt=" - " />

A little summer excursion planning.

<img src="http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/0385510128.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" alt=" - " />

The best of several bios of the Fabs I've read:

<img src="http://home.att.net/~chuckayoub/The-Beatles-Myth.jpg" alt=" - " />

In the world of Beatles books, I think only this is better:

<img src="http://www2.uol.com.br/garagem/colunas/barcinski/revolution.jpg" alt=" - " />

this interesting piece…

<img src="http://www.wisdom-books.com/Covers/13969.jpg" alt=" - " />

and one of my favorite books ever. this is the english version. i couldnt find the cover of the french version that i am actually reading.

<img src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0802150268.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" alt=" - " />

grotty: have you read neverwhere before? my favorite book.

about to start <img src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0413774279.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" alt=" - " />

<img src="http://www.erowid.org/library/books/images/meetings.jpg" alt=" - " />

Just finished this:
<img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/030726419X.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" alt=" - " />
It was alright. Kind of an interesting story, but got old during the end.

and this:
<img src="http://www.orangemagazine.com/articles/little_children_book_medium.jpg" alt=" - " />
One of the best books I've read in a long time. I haven't seen the movie yet, but I've heard it's amazing.

Currently Reading:

<img src="http://www.workman.com/pressroom/images/candyfreak300dpi.jpg" alt=" - " />
Looking forward to reading about what it's like inside a bunch of candy factories!

Holy crap that picture was huge. Sorry about that!

<img src="http://enloehs.wcpss.net/projects/west02/achebe/things%20fall%20apart.jpg" alt=" - " />

We had to read that in school!

<img src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0815631278.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" alt=" - " />

I'm not actually reading this right now, I just came across it at work. Would you believe that Ian doesn't get mentioned until page 3?

My dad sent me the latest Bill O'Reilley book "Culture Warrior." I'm giving it a chance. So far it's rather poorly written and contains several areas of BS, but its also surprisingly engaging in other areas. We'll see…I'm starting the chapter on the rather laughable 2005 'War on Christmas' now.

I saw a guy wearing a Culture Warrior hat a few weeks ago. He was scary looking.