Reading List 2018

I've enjoyed other Doctorow books like Little Brother and Homeland, but Walkaway was disappointing. The book is filled with long explanatory dialogues that derail the story - simple questions turn into 10-page lectures on social theory. The awkward character names (like 'Hubert, Etc') and confusing pronoun usage make it hard to follow conversations. While the premise seemed interesting, I abandoned it 30% in due to the difficult writing and lack of plot.

Quite enjoyable, the story is a bit dark, reminds me of Pan's Labyrinth. Though I think it could have been developed a bit further to blur the lines of reality for the reader.

A good history of San Francisco from 1960's to 1980's told through a series of chapters each focusing on a person or event. The book was amazingly researched and contains first hand accounts and amazing details. It felt more like a series of long blog posts than a single cohesive book, but worth reading to learn about Bill Graham, Patty Hearst, George Moscone, Harvey Milk, and many others who helped shape San Francisco to what it is today.

A practical guide for running effective business meetings and workshops by framing them as games with clear rules and objectives. The structured approach helps get everyone aligned while keeping things engaging. Get the physical copy rather than Kindle - it works better as a reference book to flip through when planning meetings.

The book is visually appealing with its vibrant graphics and high-quality printing. However, the design concepts presented are mostly familiar and based on common knowledge, offering little new insight. The book is well-organized and flows so may be beneficial for those less with less experience. Personally, I was expecting a deeper exploration of the topics.

I enjoy Eric Clapton's music but wouldn't consider myself a fan. I found his life surprisingly fascinating. Known for his mellow Unplugged era, his earlier years were wild with drugs, alcohol, and recovery. The book details his rock star life and numerous connections. While it sometimes delves too deeply into recording and production details, it serves as a historical record.

A really good book covering the biases in technology, algorithms, and problems with Silicon Valley. The first half seemed more practical and applicable around forms biases and design you might not think about. The second half of the book was good, but around news stories of tech firms behaving badly; most of which were already familiar and a bit less actionable.

A great intro book to Linocut. It covers all the materials, tools, and techniques for creating linocut prints. A nice touch is including a few spotlights on other linocut artists who talk about their background, technique, and process. A good amount of photos and step-by-step examples.

A good look at the lives of the Ohlone people who lived in the Bay Area before the Spaniards arrived. The book looks at all the aspects of life from gathering food, to marriage, and medicine.