Wow -- I found some great books this month!
Drift: The Unmooring of American Military Power by Rachel Maddow
An interesting book about the changes in the size and scope of the US military since about WWII. The focus was on changes under Reagan and G. H. W. Bush. I learned some interesting perspectives on history while reading -- mostly history that I lived. I didn't agree with all of Ms. Maddow's conclusions, but many seemed to be supported by the data. Interesting. Grade: B
Brilliant Blunders: From Darwin to Einstein Colossal Mistakes by Great Scientists that Changed Our Understanding of Life and the Universe by Mario Livio
I love Mario Livio's writing, including "The Equation that Couldn't Be Solved" -- one of my all time favorite non-fiction books. This books was excellent, but not what I expected. I thought it was going to be about failed experiments or mistaken analysis that accidentally led to a breakthrough -- e.g., like the discovery of penicillin. Instead, it was mostly about mistaken assumptions by great scientists that were later shown to be incorrect. It was still a great book, but I think they should have picked a different subtitle. The mistakes themselves didn't change our understanding of the universe, instead, when others corrected the mistakes -- that changed our understanding. It was comforting to see that everyone makes mistakes, however. Grade: A-
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
An incredibly well written book about teenage cancer. Should be released as a movie in a few weeks, but I'm guessing the book will be better. Masterfully written book, but it will rip your heart out and stomp on it at times. Grade: A-
The Second Machine Age: Work Progress and Prosperity in a TIme of Brilliant Technologies by Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee
Excellent book about the technological changes that have resulted from the development of computers and networks. The book explores the changes, the rate of change, the impacts of change (hint: a few big winners and many loosers), and offers suggestions for better handling the changes. I feel like the book should be required reading for everyone under 40, especially those with children because it will help us to prepare for those changes. It should also be required reading for teachers, so we can better prepare the next generation for the challenges they will face. Grade: A-
