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31st out of 129 books
—
94 voters
Geek Wisdom: The Sacred Teachings of Nerd Culture
by
Stephen Segal ,
N.K. Jemisin (Goodreads Author), Eric San Juan, Genevieve Valentine, Zaki Hasan
THE GEEKS HAVE INHERITED THE EARTH.
Computer nerds are our titans of industry; comic-book superheroes are our Hollywood idols; the Internet is our night on the town. Clearly, geeks know something about life in the 21st century that other folks don’t—something we all can learn from. Geek Wisdom takes as gospel some 200 of the most powerful and oft-cited quotes from movies (“...more
Computer nerds are our titans of industry; comic-book superheroes are our Hollywood idols; the Internet is our night on the town. Clearly, geeks know something about life in the 21st century that other folks don’t—something we all can learn from. Geek Wisdom takes as gospel some 200 of the most powerful and oft-cited quotes from movies (“...more
Hardcover, 224 pages
Published
August 2nd 2011
by Quirk Books
(first published January 1st 2011)
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I'll admit, I was intrigued when I saw the title and description of this book on ThinkGeek.com. I'm very much a geek, and anything including the pop culture references with which I am intimately familiar must be worth investigating.
Yes, it was worth investigating, but it wasn't what I expected. To tell truth, I'm not sure what exactly I DID expect - perhaps a collection of quotes, where they came from, some humorous anecdote - but what I got was a very in-depth, sometimes stretched, application...more
Yes, it was worth investigating, but it wasn't what I expected. To tell truth, I'm not sure what exactly I DID expect - perhaps a collection of quotes, where they came from, some humorous anecdote - but what I got was a very in-depth, sometimes stretched, application...more
One line in Geek Wisdom sums up my childhood, my teens and my twenties: "Sometimes it's hard to accept one's inner weirdo."
Geek Wisdom brought back memories of forgotten moments in my life; I didn't expect the trip down memory lane but was grateful for it. It reminded me of books and movies I want to revisit. The book also introduced me to some bits of geek culture that I missed somehow.
It's impossible for a book like this to cover all available material out there. I'm hoping for another volume...more
Geek Wisdom brought back memories of forgotten moments in my life; I didn't expect the trip down memory lane but was grateful for it. It reminded me of books and movies I want to revisit. The book also introduced me to some bits of geek culture that I missed somehow.
It's impossible for a book like this to cover all available material out there. I'm hoping for another volume...more
This is a great read to have on your bedside or bathroom or in your work bag. It is not one of those books where you sit down on page 1 and just read straight through. I found myself bouncing around finding a quote that struck a chord with me and then reading the short essay.
This book will be in my collection and will be read over the course of a long time. Not because it is bad, but because I will read at moments when I just need some good old geek talk. I really liked reading the various quote...more
This book will be in my collection and will be read over the course of a long time. Not because it is bad, but because I will read at moments when I just need some good old geek talk. I really liked reading the various quote...more
This is one of those books where I often found myself thinking "I wish I had written that." It is a collection of quotes mostly from popular cultures, science fiction,and fantasy books, movies, and video games that most fans of the genre know. With each quote is an explanation of what those quotes mean in a larger context. This book is likely to do a number of things: provoke many arguments among fans of each of the entries, lead to late night dorm room discussions, and make a lot of people thin...more
“Computer nerds are our titans of industry; comic-book superheros are our Hollywood idols; the Internet is our night on the town…Yes, this collection of min-essays is by, for, and about geeks—but it’s just so surprisingly profound, the rest of us would have to be dorks not to read it. So say we all.”
Finally, a book of witticisms and wisdom for those of us who grew up entrenched in science fiction, computers, robotics, and so much more. “Geeks are passionate fans of stuff, and particularly of stu...more
Finally, a book of witticisms and wisdom for those of us who grew up entrenched in science fiction, computers, robotics, and so much more. “Geeks are passionate fans of stuff, and particularly of stu...more
The best thing about this little slice of nerddom is its inclusion of sooooo many geeky quotes and references. And so is the worst thing. Editor Stephen H. Segal packed a grand total of 185 separate and related quotes ranging from the usual nerd suspects like Star Trek and Conan the Barbarian to unexpected and diverse sources such as A League of Their Own, Clue, and Goldfinger, and paired them with brief essays outlining the core geek concept contained within each. It's quick entertaining bathro...more
I got a copy of this book to review through Librarything's Early Reviewer program. It was a super fun read especially for those who are fans of all things geeky.
The book is split into four or five parts each encompassing life lessons: wisdom about the self (My name is Inigo Montoya), wisdom about the universe (Billions and Billions), wisdom about the future, etc. Within these sections each page has a quote on top of it and then the quote is discussed in greater (and often humorous) length below....more
The book is split into four or five parts each encompassing life lessons: wisdom about the self (My name is Inigo Montoya), wisdom about the universe (Billions and Billions), wisdom about the future, etc. Within these sections each page has a quote on top of it and then the quote is discussed in greater (and often humorous) length below....more
I liked it. I was all set to rip the author a new one for insulting geeks, but this is a respectful explanation of many quotations we nerds use a lot.
There's a lot in here. Almost too much to hurry through, take some time and enjoy. Keep it in your car to read while waiting. Read it at lunch at work. If my gastroenterologist hadn't told me reading on the can was bad I'd say read some on the can.
The book really could use a quiz, how else to prove geekery?
The essay on Captain Picard being tortu...more
There's a lot in here. Almost too much to hurry through, take some time and enjoy. Keep it in your car to read while waiting. Read it at lunch at work. If my gastroenterologist hadn't told me reading on the can was bad I'd say read some on the can.
The book really could use a quiz, how else to prove geekery?
The essay on Captain Picard being tortu...more
meh . . more of a 2.5 really .. a supercool idea, but esp. by the end, the author seemed to get away from the more interesting references he was doing earlier and started to get too . . serious, i guess? . . the writing was never particularly good, or as funny as a book like this would seem to call for, but esp. later, there were too many literary/historical/high-brow references for the project, imho . . i agree, "geek" can be defined lots of ways, so in a sense, shakespeare, ovid, etc. are lite...more
This book is basically 200 pages of quotes from geek movies/books/t-shirts, etc., and how they apply to real life. It's pretty much hysterical, though obviously it helps if you know the reference directly. It includes quotes from such things/people as Star Trek, Star Wars, Battestar Galactica, The Princess Bride, Dune, Indiana Jones, Labyrinth (<3333), Carl Sagon, Nikola Tesla and even Think Geek t-shirts! A lot of it shows how geeks tend to have different mindsets from "normal" people, and h...more
I'm not going to finish this. I'm not actually sure where I put it. I didn't particularly like or dislike it. It was enjoyable for a few minutes, but didn't have much substance. Segal's tone was a little wary, which I thought gave the book a tinge of defensiveness and a little too much detachment, but who can blame him? No geek wants to discuss Geekdom with normal people within earshot, not really. And if this book fails to give an accurate depiction of the sincere and deeply held ethical belief...more
Technology may not--unaided--be able to save the world, but it certainly can salve your sanity. We got home (late) from a weekend trip and had to spend the night confined to the one room in our house we could reach without stepping on the recently-redone floors. The Internet was out, and I couldn't reach my library books. Thanks to the mobile hotspot technology of my iphone, my Goodreads app, DC Public Library's ebook lending service, and my Kindle's Whispernet, I was able to remember I wanted t...more
Aug 02, 2012
Dan Cowden
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
thought-provoking
This is a cute book. It manages to avoid being too pithy or too kitschy. It is, hah, in the goldilocks zone. The "teachings" attempt to explain why some movies, books, et cetera are meaningful to "nerds" (defining that group broadly). I generally didn't disagree with any of their conclusions, and found a number of them to be quite thoughtful.
The collection is not developed sufficiently to be of much value in explaining nerds to non-nerds; it's no replacement for, say, the film "Revenge of the N...more
The collection is not developed sufficiently to be of much value in explaining nerds to non-nerds; it's no replacement for, say, the film "Revenge of the N...more
I love this book and plan to buy it after reading an interlibrary loan copy once through. Most of the references were familiar, but Geek Wisdom provided an excellent road map leading me to some movies and books that had previously lain buried in the towering heap of popular culture. Stephen Segal is being generous to connect some dots for us, so I agree with the Amazon.com description stating that, "[we]would have to be dorks not to read it." http://www.amazon.com/Geek-Wisdom-N-K...
I'm also hap...more
I'm also hap...more
Copy received through the Goodreads First Reads program.
If you're a geek, you probably enjoy quotes. If you're an especially nerdy kind of geek, you might like your quotes annotated. If you're beyond that (like me), you will certainly enjoy that many of the quotes in Geek Wisdom also have footnotes.
This handy, pocket-size volume claims to explore the wisdom to be found in the holy texts of geekdom. Never fear--said explorations are bite-sized, keeping to a single page. Inside, you'll find a bit...more
If you're a geek, you probably enjoy quotes. If you're an especially nerdy kind of geek, you might like your quotes annotated. If you're beyond that (like me), you will certainly enjoy that many of the quotes in Geek Wisdom also have footnotes.
This handy, pocket-size volume claims to explore the wisdom to be found in the holy texts of geekdom. Never fear--said explorations are bite-sized, keeping to a single page. Inside, you'll find a bit...more
I picked this book up in the humor section of my local Barnes & Noble. But, in reading it, I found it grossly misfiled. This collection of various pop culture quotes from everything from movies to books to historical figures is not just a collection of cool quotes (which it is). It is an exploration of what exactly these quotes actually mean, exploring the meta-meanings very profoundly, revealing the deeper meanings of statements which everyone, geek or not, has heard in their lives. I often...more
I would highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the aforementioned “nerd culture” – it was interesting, funny, and made me want to go out and discuss some of the entries with my own nerd friends. Geek Wisdom manages to make some excellent points about the message behind some famous catchphrases while (accurately) poking fun at some of the more ridiculous aspects of geekdom.
Admittedly, some of the lessons to be learned in this book perhaps stretch things a little far (Is Optimus...more
Admittedly, some of the lessons to be learned in this book perhaps stretch things a little far (Is Optimus...more
Geek Wisdom is a collection of mini-essays that expand on, interpret, comment upon, and philosophise about, some of the most well-known quotes from movies, television shows, literature, games, science, the internet etc. Some essays are humorous, most are profound, and as a collection, I’m sure that they all speak to our inner nerd.
The fact that most of these quotations are now a part of everyday pop-culture says it all - maybe "the geek shall inherit the Earth". So get your geek on and read thi...more
The fact that most of these quotations are now a part of everyday pop-culture says it all - maybe "the geek shall inherit the Earth". So get your geek on and read thi...more
Geek Wisdom is full of some of the greatest geek quotes of all time, add the quick philosophical blurbs and this book is certainly more than meets the eye. Truth be told I only requested this book with a train wreck mindset, so I was a bit hesitant when I actually won it. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this book, it's funny, often witty, insightful, and never seems to take itself too seriously. Quite the accomplishment considering all the directions that this book could have gone. Like a...more
The premise of Geek Wisdom is nothing short of brilliant. After all, who hasn’t tried to apply the lessons of The Princess Bride/The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy/Portal to situations at work or home; “As You Wish”ing your spouse, “Don’t Panic”ing during crises, or recognizing that sometimes(okay, often) at work “The Cake is a Lie”? Editor Stephen H. Segal sets everything up beautifully with his introductory essay on how science fiction resembles nothing so much as a religion, “a framework of...more
Not much to say on this one. It was partly amusing, partly a bit pretentious, but I'm still leaning on 'amusing' as the final verdict. Gotta love the little details and comments in the footnotes, and I'm just that kind of a nerd that gets a huge kick out of someone mentioning something I recognize. This is why my personal favourite had to be the page where Sephiroth is mentioned. Because, really, that's where it all went right (or wrong, depends really) for me, finally. Even though I'd been mad...more
A life manual based on nerdy quotes that is surprisingly profound. I felt in-the-know when I knew the quotes, and educated when I didn't. Geeks are definitely my people, and those who love them should read this, too, for insight into the geek personality. The footnotes, index, and up-to-the-minute trivia are amazing. If nothing else, I am convinced that I need to get acquainted with Dr. Who, which is mentioned about 627 times.
Favorite bits:
"What is religion?...It's a framework of ideas -- a bod...more
Favorite bits:
"What is religion?...It's a framework of ideas -- a bod...more
I only got 23 pages into the book + a full-book-skimming before giving up. I couldn't figure out who the intended audience was (it's not me, though) - was this written for people who are confused by geeks and nerds and want to know why they quote the things they quote? Was it written as a geek reflection, opening the door to a more thorough understanding of why geeks and nerds are the way they are? Whatever it was, I didn't feel the title matched the content; this was not a collection of sacred...more
I won this in one of the Firstreads Giveaways on Goodreads.
I debated between giving this 2 stars and 3, and had the little sketches not been included, it would have been a 2. The little sketches are mildly entertaining and included in about 1 in 5 of the quote summaries.
I thought this was going to be an interesting read, however it fell a bit flat. The books consists of some quotes from various different movies and books, and a couple of video games, some of these quotes are very obscure, and...more
I debated between giving this 2 stars and 3, and had the little sketches not been included, it would have been a 2. The little sketches are mildly entertaining and included in about 1 in 5 of the quote summaries.
I thought this was going to be an interesting read, however it fell a bit flat. The books consists of some quotes from various different movies and books, and a couple of video games, some of these quotes are very obscure, and...more
This was a cute little book to flip through while I was at work. I'm not so much a geek--I'm not into a lot of the science fiction movies that are quoted in here. But, some of them, like Star Wars, The Princess Bride, Back to the Future, and Ghostbusters did make me smile. The book consists of the quote and then a short little paragraph about the context and why it's important to geeks. This would be a cute gift for the geeks in your life.
It's alright for a quick skim when one is bored but ultimately it feels too self-congratulatory to be enjoyable.
I'm starting to hate how being a 'geek' is something people call themselves to seem hip or trendy and I feel this books target demographic is such edgy 'geek' teenagers.
However, if you want to impress some cute geek chick, try quoting some of these and her presto! Instant qt geek gf!
I'm starting to hate how being a 'geek' is something people call themselves to seem hip or trendy and I feel this books target demographic is such edgy 'geek' teenagers.
However, if you want to impress some cute geek chick, try quoting some of these and her presto! Instant qt geek gf!
*Goodreads Giveaway*
This is a great book that anyone who considers themselves a "geek" will love. The quotes are pulled together, in an enjoyable way, from all sorts of sources (cartoons, sci-fi, movies, comicbooks, etc.) The writing is witty and humorous. Where else can you find quotes from The Kids in the Hall, Firefly, Simpsons, Star Wars, and Clue? The insight that is shed on every quote is wonderful. I recommend Geek Wisdom to anyone (self-proclaimed geek or not) and would make a perfect gi...more
This is a great book that anyone who considers themselves a "geek" will love. The quotes are pulled together, in an enjoyable way, from all sorts of sources (cartoons, sci-fi, movies, comicbooks, etc.) The writing is witty and humorous. Where else can you find quotes from The Kids in the Hall, Firefly, Simpsons, Star Wars, and Clue? The insight that is shed on every quote is wonderful. I recommend Geek Wisdom to anyone (self-proclaimed geek or not) and would make a perfect gi...more
This is a really neat little book. It takes quotes and concepts from movies and popular culture (all very nerdy obviously) and philosophizes a deeper meaning and how you can learn something for living your life to the fullest. It made me laugh a lot, and surprised me even more at how deep some of the most obscure references really could be. Worth reading, and it's quick.
Like a fun party game of identifying movie and TV quotes, this compilation of some famous lines from sci-fi, fantasy, cult classics and even a real-life "geek" or two (Albert Einstein, Carl Sagan) offers lots of laughs, and the occasional thought worth pondering for a while. High schoolers and up because of occasional strong language, but a quick read and highly entertaining.
Another book that reads like a blog - a collection of quotes from various geeky sources, with short essays on how the quotes pertain to life. This is the sort of book that's good to read with your breakfast cereal - it lends itself well to short little bursts of reading.
I do have to say, I have Quirk's poster for this book in my office, and I LOVE it.
I do have to say, I have Quirk's poster for this book in my office, and I LOVE it.
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“Luckily, growing up "unfinished" can make geeks the very best people to guide and nurture the next generation of outsiders: We know you don't have to be finished to be awesome.”
—
10 people liked it
“Why do women love The Princess Bride so much? Here's a thought: because its hero, Westley, is able to simultaneously fill the roles of dashing romantic adventurer and seriously devoted (maybe even borderline henpecked) fiance.”
—
10 people liked it
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Apr 30, 2011 12:19pm