Abundance is a book of two parts, with a sprinkling of Singularity University and XPRIZE promotion and some nice little autobiographical tidbits. The...moreAbundance is a book of two parts, with a sprinkling of Singularity University and XPRIZE promotion and some nice little autobiographical tidbits. The first part introduces the arguments against abundance (Thomas Malthus, Club of Rome, etc.) and attempts to brute force them with tons of data. From this section I can tell Diamandis and Kotler are well-educated technology optimists, and that they read many of the same books as me. You may recognize the arguments of Kevin Kelly and Chris Anderson among others. The second part of the book is a whirlwind tour of exciting and inspiring advancements, some of which I knew about and others which I intend to investigate further.
Beautifully written, you can see Bradbury stretching his skill here. It is pretty amazing to think that this was written more than 60 years ago. It is...moreBeautifully written, you can see Bradbury stretching his skill here. It is pretty amazing to think that this was written more than 60 years ago. It is definitely a product of its time with all the pipe smoking and "Golly, gee" dialogue. Still, as a characterization of the post-war attitudes of progress and destruction, it is a pretty good window into the American psyche of its time.(less)
Very engaging. The audio version has good narrators. It is a book out of time though. Would've been more profound had it been written in the middle of...moreVery engaging. The audio version has good narrators. It is a book out of time though. Would've been more profound had it been written in the middle of the last century. Profound may not be the right word because it does have quite an effect on people familiar with the history and of course oppressive government is a concern for all ages. Yet since we are not facing a fascist regime as the Brits were back then, I don't think this book will have the popular appeal that it deserves.(less)
These two speak as the establishment, and some of their proposals will scare proponents of the open Web. Many of their other proposals are basically b...moreThese two speak as the establishment, and some of their proposals will scare proponents of the open Web. Many of their other proposals are basically blue sky solutioneering. I think this book will appeal to those already in power, which is disappointing because I find their view is far to statist and establishment to reflect the true disruptive power and decentralized nature that Web connectivity gives us. But policy writers will point to this book as a mandate from the "tech elite" which makes it an important read. Study it closely and highlight as much as you can. There are many layers here. Think of who the messages are intended for, and be very critical in your assessment.(less)
I once had a history professor who when giving a lecture would simply stand in front of the class, head down, and read his notes. Patrick's Allitt's d...moreI once had a history professor who when giving a lecture would simply stand in front of the class, head down, and read his notes. Patrick's Allitt's delivery was about as wooden. Furthermore, he lectured as if the audience could only hold 15 minutes of information in their head, often repeating parts of the same lecture. A sharp editor and a different narrator, and this could've been quite a good audiobook.
Although this series was not what I was expecting it to be (an analysis of conservative thought) it was still quite informative, giving an historical tour of conservatism, focusing on England and the USA. The more modern era, especially the Cold War and the rise of neoconservatism from its Democratic roots, was especially interesting. Allitt's categorization of the conservatisms of modern America provide a useful framework for thinking about the confusion of Republican politics. I think he overlooked the power of technology in splintering conservatism since the 1990s, but he cut off his analysis at the year 2000, so fair enough.
Entertaining and informative, if overly repetitive and a bit shallow, this is still an easy listen on your journey to understanding the conservative mind.(less)
5 stars for the concept. This book is pretty serviceable, though some of the major stuff is kind of skimmed over. It is pretty difficult to get everyt...more5 stars for the concept. This book is pretty serviceable, though some of the major stuff is kind of skimmed over. It is pretty difficult to get everything from Eric's book in there.(less)
Wow, that was pretty intense. The classic Russian authors were very dialogue heavy, and through translation that makes the writing a bit awkward I fee...moreWow, that was pretty intense. The classic Russian authors were very dialogue heavy, and through translation that makes the writing a bit awkward I feel. Of course, I was reading an older translation in which everything was "Capital! I daresay!". Furthermore, I do not speak Russian and so the common phrases that are used throughout the book are very foreign to me. Despite the sometimes distracting translation, the plot and insight into human anxiety is starkly apparent. An amazing book.
Note for audiobook readers: this is the first book I have ever listened to at double speed. George Guidall's performance is very slow and overly dramatic I think. So don't let the 25 hour length frighten you. It is more like 12.5.(less)
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