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July 03
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Foster
is currently reading:
Gulliver's Travels (Penguin Classics)
by Jonathan Swift
bookshelves:
currently-reading
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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Foster
gave
to:
The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law (Paperback)
by Mark Herrmann
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my rating:
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read in June, 2008
Foster said:
"The curmudgeon provides good information for all of us, not just lawyers. These include good advice on how to write, how to argue, and how to set up your voicemail message. Recommended for general "how to do good work" advice.
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Foster
gave
to:
Global Financial Warriors: The Untold Story of International Finance in the Post-9/11 World (Hardcover)
by John B. Taylor
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my rating:
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read in July, 2008
Foster said:
"This was a quick read, and even though it wasn't the best book I've read - there were still some nuggets of good information.
Taylor was an undersecretary at the Treasury in the first Bush term. As such, he played a large role in dealing with the...more
This was a quick read, and even though it wasn't the best book I've read - there were still some nuggets of good information.
Taylor was an undersecretary at the Treasury in the first Bush term. As such, he played a large role in dealing with the post 9/11 financial crises, as well as setting up institutions in Afghanistan and Iraq. He was also very active in achieving African debt forgiveness.
For Taylor, conducting such activities in the post-9/11 world made one a "Global Financial Warrior." I was expecting something a bit more glamorous, but most of what he describes is generally the usual diplomatic work of an undersecretary.
Overall, the book reads like it was written for an undergraduate classroom - and maybe it was. Taylor has returned to teaching at Stanford. This style makes it pretty boring in parts, as Taylor seems to be cutting-and-pasting his diary into the book. However, there are the aforementioned nuggets where he does a nice job explaining the nuances of various international financial institutions. I definitely learned something from these. There are also some memorable anecdotes, such as the story of the school in Kenya. Now I will always remember that "what gets measured, gets done."...less
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June 29
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Foster
gave
to:
Who's Your City? (Hardcover)
by Richard Florida
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my rating:
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read in June, 2008
Foster said:
"Florida's book is backed with a lot of very interesting statistics and rankings. However, it is limited in scope to the United States, so if you are looking for a book that tells you which world city to live in, you'll be disappointed.
However, i...more
Florida's book is backed with a lot of very interesting statistics and rankings. However, it is limited in scope to the United States, so if you are looking for a book that tells you which world city to live in, you'll be disappointed.
However, it is still a fast and worthwhile read. Some of what he discusses is interesting, such as the sorting of certain service industries into certain locations (rather than a general spreading across the country). He also makes a convincing argument against the "American Dream" scenario of home-ownership in this age of hyper-mobility....less
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June 21
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Foster
gave
to:
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail (Mass Market Paperback)
by Bill Bryson
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my rating:
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recommended to Foster by:
Mick
read in June, 2008
Foster said:
"Thanks to Mick for recommending this one - it had me in tears of laughter while waiting in the airport! Having completed some New Hampshire segments of the AT, I was interested to read Bryson's take on the trail. I have to say that, as well as his ...more
Thanks to Mick for recommending this one - it had me in tears of laughter while waiting in the airport! Having completed some New Hampshire segments of the AT, I was interested to read Bryson's take on the trail. I have to say that, as well as his usual amazing wit and humor, he showed some commendable honesty in assessing what the trail is and what it means. Of course I agree with him that the trail is an amazing resource and a testament to our value of the ability to take "a walk in the woods." However, he also correctly notes how some folks have a tendency to dictate what the AT experience should be (extreme hikers if you will) - and points out how they dissuade the rest of the population from approaching the outdoors with confidence.
By coincidence, on the same trip I happened to see the trail where it crossed the Susquehanna River in PA, and it put the book into great perspective for me. A local guide in Harrisburg told me how she saw a lot of hikers on the trail after September 11th, most of them firemen and police who needed to get out to nature for a retreat. I liked that story, because it showed that the AT is a lot of things to a lot of people. Bill Bryson had his own experience, and everyone's is different. That should be respected, and in a way, expected of any experience on the trail....less
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June 03
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Foster
gave
to:
Africa: A Biography of the Continent (Paperback)
by John Reader
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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read in June, 2008
Foster said:
"I only got through half of this one, because the library hardcopy was just too bulky to bring on my commute, but what I read was fantastic. A true labor of love by author John Reader, this is no quick history. He starts with the actual geologic cre...more
I only got through half of this one, because the library hardcopy was just too bulky to bring on my commute, but what I read was fantastic. A true labor of love by author John Reader, this is no quick history. He starts with the actual geologic creation of Africa, and then works from there. By the time I stopped, he had taken us to the establishment and dissolving of the Great Zimbabwe civilization in the 15th century. So, there is surely much left to read about.
Even so, I thoroughly enjoyed what I read. Reader presents some amazingly diverse facts and theories, including:
- The size of the human neocortex (a portion of the brain) predicts mathematically (in relation to other primates) that the optimal group size for humans is 148. The book outlines examples which prove this to be the case.
- The "glorification of hunters" is a result of the relative difficulty of finding and killing animals during lean times and droughts, when compared to gathering fruits and carrion. The latter simply maintains the community, while the former (if successful) ensures their survival.
- "The Orthodox faith adopted by the Aksumites is followed throughout Ethiopia to this day, unchanged by either the religious disputes of classical and medieval times, or the political upheavals of the twentieth century."
And a great quote on our prospects as a species:
"Overall, the capacity to adapt to different and changing circumstances is the fundamental characteristic of humanity. Aided and abetted by the brain, it has enabled people to identify and solve problems, to recognize and exploit opportunities, and to diverge and find new ways of doing things. The climatic crunch with which the long period of generally benign conditions was brought to an end sometime after 30,000 years ago was a founding test of humanity’s capacity for adaptation; indeed, it was in its aftermath that the modern patterns of human economy, society, and culture were established-with agriculture and the concomitants of ownership and territorial competition sharpening the human capacity for death-dealing conflict."
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May 02
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Foster
gave
to:
Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson (Paperback)
by Mitch Albom
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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read in April, 2008
Foster said:
"I just read this on a business trip to DC, and by weird coincidence my Nana passed away in the same week. It was especially poignant to be reading about how we deal with death in the same week as I needed that advice. I really enjoyed the messages ...more
I just read this on a business trip to DC, and by weird coincidence my Nana passed away in the same week. It was especially poignant to be reading about how we deal with death in the same week as I needed that advice. I really enjoyed the messages that Morrie communicated to us through the author, in particular the general advice that the best things in life aren't things. Also true, yet difficult for many of us to adopt, is the policy that life is short and there is no point holding grudges.
What makes Morrie's advice so valuable is that during his life he committed many of the errors which he warns us against, adding validity to his statements. My next task is to send this copy to my Mom, hopefully it will help her get through this difficult time....less
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Foster
gave
to:
Supercrunchers (Paperback)
by Ian Ayres
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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recommended for: Jen B.
read in April, 2008
Foster said:
"SuperCrunchers, is a good overview of how statistical analysis is being used on a much larger scale, and faster timeline, to influence marketing, policy, and health. Kind of like a Freakonomics for statistics.
I like the author's story about how ...more
SuperCrunchers, is a good overview of how statistical analysis is being used on a much larger scale, and faster timeline, to influence marketing, policy, and health. Kind of like a Freakonomics for statistics.
I like the author's story about how his daughter used statistical jargon in everyday conversation; definitely a professor's kid, but hopefully we can get more kids to think that way. We definitely need the next generation to have smarts, because they (and we!) are going to need all the help we can get!...less
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March 30
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Foster
is currently reading:
An Unsung Hero (Paperback)
by Michael Smith
bookshelves:
currently-reading
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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Foster
gave
to:
Red Dust: A Path Through China (Paperback)
by Ma Jian
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my rating:
Added to my books!
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read in March, 2008
Foster said:
"Even though this book is set in the mid-1980s, it still gives a stark picture of the struggles and realities facing China's population. This is an epic journey that only a native Chinese person could take. Ma has since left China, so I suspect that...more
Even though this book is set in the mid-1980s, it still gives a stark picture of the struggles and realities facing China's population. This is an epic journey that only a native Chinese person could take. Ma has since left China, so I suspect that some of what he wrote needs to be taken with a grain of salt, but it is certainly a terrific effort and was an enjoyable read....less
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