SummerReading2006

What's on your reading list for this summer? What would suggest for others' lists?

I'm reading "The Polaris System Development: Bureaucratic and Programmatic Success in Government", Sapolsky, Harvard University Press, 1972 (obtained via inter-library loan). It's a case study of the Polaris Missle project, which was a very big, and, arguably, quite successful project. It's also source material for some "modern" management techniques. I'm just now getting to the chapter "PERT and the Myth of Managerial Effectiveness", which promises to be entertaining.

--DaveSmith 2006.07.08

Alan Shalloway (who was at last year's AYE Conference) mentioned this book at one of his (Net Objectives) recent free seminars in the Seattle area. I looked up this book on Amazon. There's one used copy available and the price is $229.67. Holy Cow. I'll be interested to hear how you liked the book.

--RonPihlgren 2006.07.08

Try your local library. Reference librarians live for helping people find obscure books.

I am now reading

Swan's Way by Proust
War and Peace by Tolstoy
Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs by Abelson, Sussman & Sussman (aka SICP or the wizard book)
House Atreides by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

It has been many years since I have read Proust and Tolstoy. I am interested to compare my reaction as a young sprout and my reaction today.

I am finding SICP is a more formal recapitulation of what my scattered experience of software has been.

House Atreides I wasn't going to read, but I am finding it is fun read and provides some backplot for Dune --CharlesAdams 2006.07.10

I've raised the white flag. My summer reading list got seriously out of control. The last order to Amazon pushed it well over the edge, where it became a "Rest of 2006" list. (Note to self: Never visit Amazon in the evening after a glass of wine without first hiding the credit cards.)

The sad part is that the list is almost entirely technical, and is top-heavy with stuff that's liable to have an exciting but short half-life. Time to reload the list with some fiction.

I need good fiction, or perhaps something good in the history vein. Any recommendations?

--DaveSmith 2006.08.06

Dave, I just read 1421: The Year China Discovered America by Gavin Menzies. It is fascinating how much China has done and how much of their historical record has been destroyed (to break contact with all of us barbarians in the west?). A bit of a slog ( in that the writing style is that of a historian rather than a natural writer) but worth the read. - BeckyWinant 2006.08.08

My reading plan this summer is to read all the best mysteries and thrillers that Dani picks for me, in order to improve my mystery and thriller writing. Also, I'm taking various readers' advice about the best science fiction, in order to improve that. Other than that, I plan to read a few books that just seem to fall into my lap, as I always do. - JerryWeinberg 2006.08.13

Dave - I recommend setting up 1-click shopping at Amazon. Saves time, but not money. ;{)>

I read "The Country of the Blind and Other Stories" by H.G. Wells while flying and waiting to fly on my last road trip. The books currently in process (more than a chapter read):

- Tools of Critical Thinking, Metathoughts for Psychology
- Systems Thinking, Managing Chaos and Complexity
- The Sixteen Personality Types (MBTI stuff)
- Figuring Out People (NLP meta programs)

And there's a box full of books to replace these as I complete them. DonGray 2006.08.14

Updated: Monday, August 14, 2006