The trinity of science - Feynman, Sagan and Dawkins (or, CJ tries magnet links)

There are many good books out there, and generally prefer the non-fiction ones. When it comes to cool science books, many of you will have enjoyed Hawking, Bryson, Sacks and Hofstadter, but a while back I discovered these old heroes of science, like Richard Feynman, Carl Sagan and still alive, but relevant anyway, Richard Dawkins.

Amazing, amusing, fascinating, you mustn't miss these books, and they're all available as audio books for your lazy leisure!:

• "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" (magnet) by Richard Feynman
• "The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark" (magnet) by Carl Sagan
• "The God Delusion" (magnet) by Richard Dawkins

This may be a realization only for me, but my heroes are actually mortal... and Oliver Sacks is dreadfully old...

(image via I love charts)

See my other nerdy posts or posts regarding Carl Sagan

My book addiction got a fix

I have visited the Helsinki academic bookstore again (and got a new shipment from Daniel Suarez), it's always equally rewarding. The book I wanted but they didn't have was "The Puzzle Palace" by James Bamford. Other books I got:

• Embracing the Wide Sky: A Tour Across the Horizons of the Mind by Daniel Tammet
• And Another Thing... by Eoin Colfer
• Wikinomics by Don Tapscott
• Freedom (TM) by Daniel Suarez
• Wired (US) 06/2010

See also the rest of my bookshelf. I hope to write an update regarding the Suarez' books shortly.

I always know where my towel is! Almost anyway...

 

Have you thought of, that if someone is able to maintain the lifestyle of an intergalactic hitchhiker, and still know where his towel is, it's logical to assume they are generally reliable so thus it should be safe to lend them either of the things they may be currently missing? Well, that's the thought of the late Douglas Adams in his legendary bestseller "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" anyway, and today on Monday the 25th of May 2009, we celebrate the (a tad late, but that's fine) 8th anniversary of the his death day. He passed away at age 49 from fatal cardiac arrhythmia while at his gym.

"The Hitchhiker", as it became generally abbreviated to, made a very very strong mark in my early youth. I was pretty much obsessed with it and read the five-part trilogy probably at least five times. I marked particularly funny passages in the book and shared quotes from the book ad nauseum, and it was it which taught me that sometimes bypasses just have to be built, that total perspective can be detrimental to your health and that for some, it can make perfect sense to resignate to a life of meticulous sandwich making.

Eventually I grew up and grew tired of the quotes and silliness, and loved other books, but none were probably ever quite as popular as Douglas Adams' master work. Anyway, I made a little interesting list in my head at some point - some norm for literary development in a nerd:

1. the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
   
2. the Principia Discordia
3. the Foundation series
   
4. the Illuminatus! trilogy
5. a recent addition, Daemon

What nerd books have you read and loved, or do you think either of my favourites do not qualify for the list? For some ideas, check out 32 Sci-Fi Novels You Should Read .

(PS. It's really heart-warming to see on twitter that I'm not alone to cherish his memory: #towelday)

Daemon by Zeraus - complimentary books and friendly marketing

 

I got a package today! The stamp collection on the envelope was truly impressive, death and misery to Posten, and many thanks and lunch or a couple of beers to my friend Henrik of Internet Video Advisory Group who sent me the book!

The deal was that Henrik had received some complimentary copies of Leinad Zeraus' "Daemon" (do read his story, it's an interesting one about friendly marketing). Since I had already several months ago put the book on my wishlist after reading a very positive review by my idol Joi Ito, I pretty much begged Henrik to send one of his copies to me.

Frankly, I don't know too much about the book yet, but if Joi considers it inspiring, it's usually something cool, considering his extraordinary understanding of social media.

In other news, my girlfriend recently returned from her too long trip to the US (yes, I was lonely), and in her handluggage was a bunch of books for me, and a Canon Speedlite 430EX flash, I'm so excited about that one, finally flash pictures which don't look like crap! The books she got me are:

• "The light of other days" by Arthur C. Clarke
  
• "Light - Science & Magic" as suggested by Erik Starck
  
• "Made to stick" by Chip Heath and Dan Heath as suggested also by Erik and Jonas Hombert