I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting. Good stuff! I don't entirely understand why (view spoiler)[the 3rd team was trying to kill the firsI couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting. Good stuff! I don't entirely understand why (view spoiler)[the 3rd team was trying to kill the first two (hide spoiler)], but ultimately that was just a plot coupon and that's OK. The point of this book was to write from the perspective of a socially-anxious murderbot, and it succeeds very well at that....more
So, this is sort of a history of economics as told by & about Australians :-) but I didn't realize that at first! The process of reading this has beenSo, this is sort of a history of economics as told by & about Australians :-) but I didn't realize that at first! The process of reading this has been like...
* p.55: "Hundreds of Luddites were transported to Australia for their crimes." Huh, I knew of Luddites, but I had no idea they went to Australia. Maybe that's why Australians seem to have better work-life balance.
* p.64: "...the Tolpuddle Martyrs, were transported to Australia as punishment for forming a union." Wow, I didn't know Australia played such a big role in the history of economics, haha!
* p.68: "After a strike in 1855, Sydney stonemasons were among the first workers in the world to win the right to an eight-hour day [...] and the Australian labor movement came to play an influential role in politics. In the coming decades, Australia would be among the world's first countries to allow women to vote and stand for office, set a national minimum wage and hold elections on a Saturday (to maximise voter turnout)." Ok now, that's a lot of Australia references... Hold on a second... [flips to author's bio] "Andrew Leigh... was a professor of economics at the Australian National University. Since 2010, he has served in the Australia House of Representatives." Ah, that checks out.
Seriously though, it's quite good overall. The author is pro-capitalism, but acknowledges its weak spots, and actively promotes the need for government intervention:
* p.191: "This book has told both sides of the story -- how open markets have brought millions out of poverty, and why it is essential to address market failures for economies to prosper. Capitalism doesn't guarantee the wellbeing of those who lack capital."
It is a *very* short overview of economic history, and most of the stories/examples are ones I've seen before -- but not all of them, and not all collected coherently as they are here.
Other good quotes:
p.95:
The way that official statistics are handled by autocracies is a reminder that we should not take the role of statisticians for granted. In 1937, Joseph Stalin announced that the Soviet Union would conduct a census -- the first for more than a decade. Stalin had been boasting that under his policies the population was growing rapidly -- adding more people each year than the entire population of Finland. It was a lie. His policies had caused famine and mass emigration, and the census results showed a population that was at least 10 million people smaller than Stalin had claimed. The 1937 census also showed that most of the population were religious, a result at odds with the anti-religious views of the leadership. Stalin ordered that the results not be published. The chief of the census bureau, Olimpiy Kvitkin, was executed.
I recently learned that ... and that she lives right here in Waterville, Maine! At one time she had a dayI recently learned that ... and that she lives right here in Waterville, Maine! At one time she had a day job doing admin work for Colby's Department of History and several others, while working tirelessly after hours to keep writing more books. I hadn't read any of her work before, but now I've just picked up this one and I'm enjoying the first few chapters so far.
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Update: This has been rollicking good fun! Adventure, and witty banter, and nerdy linguistics, and the everlasting search for a good cup of coffee...
Plus, the Clutch space turtles are just such delightful characters (no relation to Le Guin's space turtles in The Lathe of Heaven who are also charming in their own way).
One of my favorite segments is on p.296, when the turtles shift from serene-sage mode to ominous-threat mode:
"The Juntavas," Hostro snapped, "is a might Clan. We take what we will, as we see fit. Including the knives of the kin of the Spearmaker's Den."
Majestically, Edger rose from the chair. Watcher dropped his hand to his blade.
But the T'carais inexplicably stayed his hand. "You are of the Clans of Men," he boomed, "and thus hasty. Hear me further: In our history was there a Clan that meted judgment to a member of the Spearmaker's Den, against all tradition and without justice. Two persons from our clan were thus dispatched to construct balance with this renegade family." He paused, taking the half-step that put him at the edge of Hostro's desk.
"The name of that Clan is not now written in the Book of Clans," he said slowly. "Nor is that combination of traits any longer available to the gene pool. Think, Justin Hostro, before you take the knives of any of the Spearmaker's Den."
Just what I needed at this time (early 2025). When the world is completely falling apart and I spend most of the day doom-scrolling and panicking, it Just what I needed at this time (early 2025). When the world is completely falling apart and I spend most of the day doom-scrolling and panicking, it is genuinely soothing to end my evening by reading a few pages of Stanley Tucci's pasta diary. To paraphrase: "Today I made pasta with marinara and also fed my kids pasta with butter. The next day I had pasta with mushrooms and some red or maybe white wine. On the third day I made marinara again because it had been so long (2 days) since we last ate it." And so on.
I don't want to sound dismissive -- Tucci is a brilliant actor, and his humor shines through in these pages, and occasionally he does write (compellingly) about genuine personal tragedy including his first wife's death to cancer. But for most of the book, his banal first-world problems just feel so small & so easy to take with a grain of salt. And somehow, that's been oddly helpful as I try to calm my brain down enough to get to sleep these days.
Here are some of the less inane moments, which I appreciated as pauses from the onslaught of "today I made pasta again" diary entries:
* p.20: "I asked the kids to make some drawings of what they had seen over the last couple of days. Matteo drew gladiators in the Colosseum, and Millie drew a view of the Colosseum surrounded by grass and sky that would make any artist wish they could draw with such assurance and beautiful, poetic naivete. Like my father, an art teacher, did with us when we were children, I have always encouraged my children to draw and paint. Though you may all be working separately, there is a bond that is silently happening between you. Sharing each other's drawings when you've finished is the completion of that bond."
* p.45: "It is the house from which I watched my children leave for their very first days of school, the house where we learned of their mother's illness, the house in which she passed away, and the house that overlooks the magnolia tree where some of her ashes are scattered."
* p.86: 'School mornings are fascinating Groundhog Day-like events. My children act as if neither of them has ever been to school. It's as though every morning is their very first morning of their very first day of their very first year of their education. They also behave like they have never donned clothes and lost their hearing while they slept, because all our questions, requests, and pleas go unanswered. Old chestnuts such as the following simply evaporate into the ether. "Can you brush your teeth?" No response. "Please put your socks on." Nothing. "Where is your jumper?" Silence. "What would you like for your snack?" A long yawn. "Could you please finish your orange juice?" A small ball is kicked. "Please sit down and eat that." A cup of orange juice is spilled.'
* p.160-161: [A very touching description of how a fan sees Tucci and mentions that his wife was a big fan too before she recently passed away, and the memories and emotions it sparks in them both.]
* p.205: [Grocery list for 6(?) adults and several kids spending a week-long holiday together. His list has... different priorities than mine would! -- 3 loaves of bread for a week? Maybe I'd get a 4th loaf for that many people, but OK. -- 1 bunch of bananas for a week? I'd probably get 2 or 3 bunches, but fine. -- 18 bottles of red wine, 18 bottles of white, 3 bottles of vodka, 4 bottles of tequila, 3 bottles of scotch, 1 bottle of vermouth, and 3 bottles of gin? WHOA NELLY that's a bit much.]
* p.253: "Watching children play on a beach is one of the most beautiful and moving things one can ever experience, especially as one ages. Their ability to remain focused on digging a hole, then gathering seawater in a pail and carrying it back to that hole and pouring it in, watching the sand absorb it before running back to refill the pail and do it all over again. Why is it so fascinating to watch? Because it is free of any affectation. It is unburdened. It is pure in its gesture and intent. And what is that intent? To fill with water a hole that can never be filled. But they don't know that. Or maybe they do, and they just don't care. An adult would care and figure out a way to keep the sand from absorbing the water. But then what? The game is over. Where's the fun in that?"
Somehow I'd made it this far without ever reading or seeing Macbeth! But I've read Pratchett's Wyrd Sisters many times, and the latest re-read made meSomehow I'd made it this far without ever reading or seeing Macbeth! But I've read Pratchett's Wyrd Sisters many times, and the latest re-read made me want to catch up with the original play being parodied by Pratchett.
Shakespeare (here, in Hamlet, and elsewhere) is so great at gloomy self-reflection and doomed last stands.
Ring the alarum bell!---Blow wind, come wrack,
At least we'll die with harness* on our back.
(*: armor)
There are so many other good lines and stunning moments here, including many that I've heard elsewhere and didn't realize came from Macbeth. For instance, "sound and fury, signifying nothing" is a phrase that I think I'd heard in a Tom Lehrer record originally(?), but which here is part of a truly beautiful passage.
Also, it feels timely to be reading this in late 2024: the assassination of a healthcare CEO, the ousting of Assad, the public jousting for power within America's GOP, the unelected billionaire "advisors" seeming to be the tail that openly wags the dog... Today's political intrigues don't seem all that different from Macbeth and co.
That said, how the heck did the original audiences keep track of all these Scottish lords? In the 1600s, were they seen as famous historical characters, well known to the theater-going public? If not, how are you supposed to keep track of Macbeth, Macduff, Macdonwald, and a host of others whose names all run together (and some of whom aren't even really introduced in the spoken text)? I can't imagine being able to follow this play live on stage, without the characters' names and the glossary of archaic phrases in front of me....more
I must have read this in high school, but that feels like many lifetimes ago now. I've just re-read it for the first time in decades, picking up the cI must have read this in high school, but that feels like many lifetimes ago now. I've just re-read it for the first time in decades, picking up the clarinet again to play in a community band.
Pino has some strong opinions but writes with charm and makes a compelling case. He argues that the clarinetist's priorities should be relaxation and airflow; everything else (tonguing, embouchure, intonation, etc) matters too, but won't do you any good if you are full of tension or you don't have a strong stable air supply. This is a good reminder for any student, including an old fogey like myself.
I only skimmed Pino's detailed notes on reed-making: there's no way I'll have time to make my own reeds nowadays. But most of the rest of the book was quite informative (such as advice on multiple tonguing, good practice habits, or how to teach other clarinetists) or at least interesting (such as the chapters on the clarinet's history). Pino ends by highlighting his favorite works from the clarinet literature, some of which I've never heard and I will enjoy looking them up....more
Not bad, but alas -- the Cast of Characters page at the very start gives away some major clues that I wouldn't otherwise have known until the end.Not bad, but alas -- the Cast of Characters page at the very start gives away some major clues that I wouldn't otherwise have known until the end....more
Fun and fast paced with many good red herrings... until the final reveal, which isn't inconsistent with the clues, but just feels incomplete & not welFun and fast paced with many good red herrings... until the final reveal, which isn't inconsistent with the clues, but just feels incomplete & not well motivated. Why hide the first body so long? Why the following murders? Ah well, still a good puzzle story until that point. ...more
Overall the author is very open about writing this book in defense of Israel, rather than aiming for a "neutral" stanRecommended by an Israeli friend.
Overall the author is very open about writing this book in defense of Israel, rather than aiming for a "neutral" stance. Now, I am a complete novice when it comes to the history & current events in the Israel-Palestine conflict, so I got the impression that this book has substantial gaps in it but I do not know where they are. Still, this book seems to do a good job of conveying *how Israelis see the conflict*, which is a useful perspective to have (even if it's not the whole picture and other parties see it very differently). I've had a few conversations and interactions with Israeli & Jewish friends & colleagues where we seemed to be talking past each other. Thanks to this book, I think I now have a better sense of where they are coming from, and why some things that seemed innocuous to me were seen very differently from their perspective....more
A delightful (though short) set of extra bonus chapters that didn't fit in the original "50 Years..." book, including several new-to-me gems that I'd A delightful (though short) set of extra bonus chapters that didn't fit in the original "50 Years..." book, including several new-to-me gems that I'd like to play myself.
I particularly enjoyed Reed's perspectives on how technical constraints have influenced game design. For example, in the section on adaptations of literary works: some games tried to adapt well-written novels directly but had to cut most of the text due to memory limitations, which meant losing much of the atmosphere... whereas less "literary" approaches often captured the spirit of the novel much better, if not the details of the plot.
Since I don't see a Table of Contents in the book description here on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ, the extra games covered in detail are:
* (My personal favorite! -- but admittedly an acquired taste. For people who like this kind of thing, it is just the kind of thing such people like. It was the inaugural winner of the , the prize for the largest standard deviation of IF Comp scores, and it still holds the record for highest stdev more than 20 years later! Here's the opening text...)
Finally, here you are. At the delcot of tondam, where doshes deave. But the doshery lutt is crenned with glauds.
Glauds! How rorm it would be to pell back to the bewl and distunk them, distunk the whole delcot, let the drokes discren them.
But you are the gostak. The gostak distims the doshes. And no glaud will vorl them from you.
* A Dark Room * Planetfall * Anchorhead * Amnesia * The Antagonists * The Mist
There are also 5 chapters of "Genre Explorations":
Finally, it ends with a timeline of text game history interspersed with computer / internet history. I grew up during much of this era myself, and it's fascinating to recall things that seem SO OLD and outdated today, yet which felt SO NEW and exciting and fresh at the time.
Contrary to how they are often depicted nowadays, in this first story Watson is no bumbling fool, and Holmes is no buff Robert Downey Jr... Instead, WContrary to how they are often depicted nowadays, in this first story Watson is no bumbling fool, and Holmes is no buff Robert Downey Jr... Instead, Watson is a serious doctor who needs some rest while recovering from major illness, and he is saddled with a gangly, awkward, antisocial, arrogant twit of a roommate, whose deductions are far from being logical and airtight.
Also, instead of the traditional mystery-book's slow drip feed of clues and contexts until the big reveal at the end... this book has the big reveal smack in the middle, then spends the 2nd half of the book as a flashback to the backstory behind the murder. Suddenly you are reading a Western instead of a crime story. (I quite liked the Western, but still!)
Was this originally meant as a *parody* of detective stories? But then people didn't get the joke, so Doyle just leaned into it and kept writing further "serious" Holmes stories?
It's not bad, just... odd.
(Besides of course the racism. SO MUCH racism and Brits-are-best-ism. Against everyone: Afghans, Arabs, Jews, Native Americans, even Germans! Plus a ton of sensationalist stuff about Mormons acting like an overtly creepy cult; it doesn't sound like the few Mormons I personally know, but perhaps it was like that back then, or perhaps that's just more fear-of-the-other to drive sales of your crime novels. I guess the British reading audience of the time surely enjoyed Doyle puffing up their jingoist pride reading sentences like "The savage man [was] overcome with Anglo-Saxon tenacity" instead of acknowledgements about how colonialism wrecked the lives of people already living there.)...more
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