Total 4 books.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
Fiction, Read in December 2024
It’s hard to find a fiction book that I like to work on. Once mentioned by a friend (Dr.Fai), the title of this book draw me in because of my slight interests in space travels. It has been advanced so much and it has never been closer to the reality as it’s today. However, this fiction written in 80’s is still hold valid and exciting even in the context of the year that we are in.
While reading, I got to learn about ‘Galaxy songs’ from Monty Python. Listening it along goes very well with the theme of this book. Then I started to listen more and more songs from Monty Python and I like them all.
Masters of Doom, Davic Kushner
History, Read in August 2024
Summer this year, I met Stephan in Paris. It’s been almost 10 years since the last time we met. I am happy to learn that he has been in 3d printing hobby lately which would have been unthinkable 12 years ago when we studied together in Tokyo. During the dinner, he mentioned this book which immediately trigger my interests so I ordered the book to be delivered to my apartment in The Netherland while the dinner was going on.
Since I joined this company, I have been working mostly on 3D visualization client. Hearing about how DOOM was the very first games that crack 3D rendering could not intrigue me more. On top of that, IDDQD is probably the only few cheat code (aside from Family 101 Contra — up/up/down/down/…) that I can never forget and it’s for DOOM! It’s very fun to read about the history that is probably as important to the game industry as Windows. I’d really like to recommend this book for anyone who works in Computer Graphic of my generation.
One night I played DOOM again. The graphic was really charming and I think it is much more fun to play now than when I was 12 years old (or something like that).
Four thousand weeks, Oliver Burkeman
Personal development?, Read in May 2024
Reading the title, I would expect the book to tell you a trick to do much more (quantity) in your limited life time (lifehack-ish) but I was totally wrong. I know time is invariant to how we spend but why? and what’s the quality of time? Thanks to the wife who recommend me this book.
Based on the definition giving by the book, I would call myself a productivity geek — I care about how time is being spent — but at the same time I own the care-free character —I only care that I care (growing up I notice I have less-and-less of such quality). In fact, these two universe merges and well described by the author.
It took me very long to read this book (1 year possibly) because there’s so much to digest on top of some difficult vocabularies. Worth reading!
A short history of nearly everything, Bill Bryson
Science, Read in April 2024
I like Science, especially Physics which I think it’s the ultimate subject among other since subjects. Today’s technology is impossible without other sciences - biology, physiology, geology, and many more. I was wrong at overvaluing the Physics over other matters. This book give me a tour to the comprehensive history of sciences. How a discover on one matter subject, helps development in other fields.
I know we are small compared to solar system. I know we are big compared to atoms. But I wouldn’t say I truly understand the relative size of the matters. This book explains them well and very easy to comprehend the beauty of mother nature.