Book Reviews
Reviews of things I've read.•Back to Reviews Page
Infomocracy • 2016 • Malka Ann Older I liked this book - but I didn't love it. I think it downplays the chaos involved in the kinds of social change Malka is depicting. Nonetheless, it's a super original look at future alternate social and political structures, and for that it's certainly worth a read. • Liked It
Out of the Inner Circle: A Hacker's Guide to Computer Security • Bill Landreth • 1985 • This book was great at the time. It's useful for seeing the origins of computer hacking (or cracking). Sadly, Bill later struggled with mental illness and homelessness. • Liked It
Pattern Recognition • William Gibson • 2005 • Relatable on so many levels. Probably Gibson's finest from a character standpoint. Beautifully, beautifully written. • Loved It!
REAMDE • Neal Stephenson • Probably not regarded as a Stephenson classic, but honestly I think it's one of his better stories. Fewer sidetracks, more approachable. • Loved It!
Revolution in the Valley • Andy Hertzfeld • 2004 • Andy Hertzfeld brings a collection of stories together into this wonderful look at how the Mac was born, with a unique sense of fun and excitement. • Loved It!
Sleeping Giants • 2016 • Sylvain Neuvel • Mech stories are nothing new, but this is a fun twist on the genre. Would read again. • Loved It!
Snow Crash • Neal Stephenson • 1992 • This has to be one of the classic cyberpunk novels. It's dumb AND cool, silly AND serious. It's also a fascinating look at how language controls thought and vice-versa. • Loved It!
The Circle • 2013 • Dave Eggers I found this book very clumsily written. It could have been a very skillful skewering of the worst of tech. Instead, it made me find it all completely unrealistic and therefore useless as relevant commentary. • Didn't Like It
The Diamond Age or a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer • 1995 • Neal Stephenson • Unique and engaging world-building, wonderful protagonist in Nell, and thought- provoking mix of Chinese and English Victorian cultures as the dominant societies of the future. Very original picture of the future. • Loved It!
The Friendly Orange Glow • 2017 • Brian Dear • It's no secret I love computer history stories, and this really captures the era it covers. A must read. • Loved It!
