Montaigne by Stefan Zweig
There are many interesting layers to this book. First the subject who during the late 1500’s wrote a book of essays which is a unique glimpse of his life during the time. Second is this book was written by an interesting person, Stefan Zweig who found a common spirit in Montaigne. Third, the book was written during the height of WWII, and the interesting grounding of the uncertainty and dread of the mid 1900’s with the uncertainty and dread of the late 1500’s (constant war and plague).
Gold by Rumi
Poetry is not my thing, but sometimes you have to get out of your comfort zone. Poetry is meant to speak to you, not to have me speak about it to you.
Listers: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching
AI Ethics by Mark Coeckelbergh
This was a quick read hitting some of the main areas of concern around the use of AI, presuming it gets much better and more integrated in human life. Like Future Ethics by Cennydd Bowles, it would have been great if it was written even a few years later. There are interesting ethical concerns around AI as a technology, and then there are ethical concerns in the use of these tools in the hands of our ever-optimistic technocrat leaders who keep telling us they have our best interests in mind.
Goodbye Buddy
Titan, you were a great dog. You came to us with a bad rap sheet, but you proved to be a gentle and loyal member of the pack. You could not be around other dogs, but we all have our flaws and we made it work. We were honored to have you for the last two years of your life and hope you enjoyed them as much as we did.
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
This book was on a lot of best-of-lists in the past several years. I initially avoided it due to it being about gamers/gaming. I have no interest in games, but the idea of friendship and love far surpasses the theme of gaming. It is early in the year, but I am already going to say this was one of the best books I’ll be reading this year.
My Effin' Life by Geddy Lee
Teenage me was very excited to read Geddy Lee’s accounting of Rush, well really his entire life. I was a big Rush fan and if really pressed, I’d admit I am still a fan. It was very enlightening learning about the history of Geddy’s immigrant parents, even if rooted in the horrors of the holocaust. The best part of the book was rediscovering each of the album as we worked our way through history.
Why Movies Just Don't Feel "Real" Anymore
The War on Privacy
Fresh Pasta
Made some fresh pasta for dinner and decided to hand cut it so it brings rustic flair to the meal.