The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger by Marc Levinson
This book was published a few years ago, but since it focused on the rise of shipping contains in the 3 or 4 decades following World War 2, it was still interesting and timely. I read most of the book while traveling to and from Istanbul, Turkey, so I was able to see shipping containers and the specialized docks that were built to service these massive ships. I really enjoyed this book and I learned a lot. Fascinating book that is highly recommended. Grade: B+
Made in the USA: The Rise and Retreat of American Manufacturing by Vaclav Smil
I picked up this book after reading how much Bill Gates enjoys books by Vaclav Smil in Wired Magazine. The first 2/3's of the book was interesting because it focused on the historical rise and decline of manufacturing in the US. The last third of the book was less interesting because it discussed why the decline was such a serious problem. I found this section of the book unpersuasive and a little dry. Overall, a good but not great book. Grade: B-
A Street Cat Named Bob: And How He Saved My Life by James Bowen
This book was a smash hit in England back in 2011. It is the story of James Bowen who finds a cat and this cat motivates him and helps him to improve his life. The book is enjoyable and inspiring. I think that it would have been so easy for the authors (James Bowen and Garry Jenkins) to add a bunch of drama to the story by exaggerating some of the events that are described. Instead, there was only limited drama and this made the book seem more authentic to me. Very enjoyable and now I know what busking is. Grade: B
Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman! Adventures of a Curious Character by Richard Feynman
I read this book for the second time and it was still interesting and funny. Richard Feynman was interested in so many different things (art, language, music, physics, etc.) -- he was amazing. As a scientist, he always seemed to focus on doing a few great things instead of many small things. I think that every researcher and scientist should read this book because we all (especially me) could benefit from being more focused on quality and integrity over quantity. Grade: A-
