Anyone read any good books?

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megarain
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I thought it was v well written, and had some angles etc.

Never got round to implementing - but, wouldnt blame the book.
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gazuty
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Recently read "The Brothers Karamazov" by Dostoevsky. Probably the greatest novel I have ever read. Ivan's rationale for posing there is no god is conclusive - what possible reason is there for children to suffer. His follow on discussion of the return and trial of Jesus in the Spanish Inquisition is so brilliant I couldn't sleep after I read it and thought about little else for days. Finally Ivan's fever dream meeting with the devil sealed the deal for me that this is the greatest novel I have read.

I've also read the Age of Genius by A C Grayling on the birth of the modern mind in the 17th century. Once you get past the chapters on the 30 years war it's not a bad book.

Finally I'm most of the way through F A Hayek's The Road to Serfdom. Sensational book. More important than ever, with Corbyn running around proposing a reversion to old style socialism. News flash to every budding young socialist- the experiment was done, the findings are in. Go and watch any documentary on the fall of the Berlin Wall. Turn the sound down. East Berlin had the Trabi, small apartments, bans on freedom of movement and a secret police getting your wife and kids to report on your activities. You couldn't choose your job. The State came first and the individual was irrelevant. West Germans drove BMWs, could holiday abroad, choose their own profession and the individual was paramount. Then turn the television off, read this book and then read Orwell's animal farm. Individual rights must always come first, capitalism guarantees freedom. Socialism guarantees totalitarianism, no freedom and a frog march to the hangman. All versions of socialism, Marxist/Leninist and National Socialsim. The Nazis were socialists too. Please don't let us repeat history and impoverish the nation. Equal society - doesn't exist. Endeavour to create equal opportunity, but minimise the role of the state and recognise even if we all get to go to school not everyone has the same skills, intelligence, endeavour, grit. If you aim for an equal society you enslave the many for benefit of the few. Commissar Jeremy wants your society. Don't let him have it.
Last edited by gazuty on Wed Sep 27, 2017 4:04 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Euler
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I finally finished the audio reading of Predictably irrational from Dan Ariely. Recommended.
henbet22
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Sounds interesting. Have you tried The Marshmallow Test by Walter Mischel?
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gazuty
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I recently read The Year of the Hare by by Arto Paasilinna, published in 1975.

A tremendous novel of escapism. Thoroughly enjoyable.
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ShaunWhite
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I haven't read this but I loved the title. The date of first publication should be noted by those that think crowd research is a relatively new thing.

1841. Charles McKay - Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds.

In it he talks about the South Sea & Tulip bubbles and other assorted manias.
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marksmeets302
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Just saw a (new?) book by Michael Lewis, "The undoing project". From the back cover: In 1969 two men met on a university campus. Their names were Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky. They were different in every way. But both were obsessed with the human mind - and both happened to be geniuses. This is the incredible story of how their friendship would change the way we see the world.

Picked it up, but it will have to wait until I finish Ray Dalio's book. That one requires quite a bit of focus :-)
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bennyboy351
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Blimey, these are some heavy reads..........

Now then, where did I put my 'Biggles' anthology/............ :oops:
mobius
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Peter has written just the book for a cold, wet, miserable day such as this
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Erotic-Arts-Pe ... peter+webb
Very reasonably priced. He was much younger then (1975) but I'm sure he's ready to pen a sequel, with all of those extra years of experience. He's definitely a chap with hidden depths of talent. Oh and you can be the first to review this item (it says so on amazon). How to lighten up an otherwise dull day.
A definite investment - new only £10.80 - used £22.90
A 100% ROI.
:lol: :lol:
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Euler
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I note it's only available in Hardcover.
mobius
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All the classics are!.
Oh and you can't review your own book. ;)
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gutuami
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reading at the moment: Ray Dalio Principles

https://www.amazon.com/Principles-Life- ... +ray+dalio
PeterLe
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Looks like Matthew Syed has a new book due out soon - You are Awesome, targeted at the younger reader.
Might be worth a look if you have children.
Regards
Peter

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1526361159? ... eature_div
andyfuller
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I got this in last months kindle monthly deals and it is a really good read if you have any interest in the Silk Road (the online version):

American Kingpin: Catching the Billion-Dollar Baron of the Dark Web

By Nick Bilton

It is an interesting writing style as it reads like a fiction.

I have really enjoyed reading it and would recommend it.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/American-Kingp ... 753546671/
andyfuller
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Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2009 12:23 pm

gazuty wrote:
Sat Feb 18, 2017 12:10 pm
I'm halfway through https://www.amazon.com/Undoing-Project- ... 0393254593

So far it's ok without being brilliant. 7/10 thus fa. I like the Michael Lewis style of writing. (I've read Kahnamen's book and thought this might be interesting).
For anyone that is interested in this book it is today's Amazon Kindle Daily deal and is only 99p.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=s9_acsd_ ... 5400977031
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