Author Archives: Mike

The Quants

Posted on November 25, 2012 by Mike

“The Quants” (2010), by Scott Patterson, brings to mind the adage “To err is human, but to really screw things up you need a computer.” The subtitle tells you what you need to know:  How a New Breed of Math … Continue reading →

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Year Zero

Posted on November 11, 2012 by Mike

Rob Reid’s “Year Zero” can best be described as The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” meets the Berne Convention. Aliens fall in love with our music, but then fall victim to our copyright laws. Read reviews here and here. Recommended … Continue reading →

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The Fish that Ate the Whale

Posted on October 21, 2012 by Mike

The well told story of the Russian immigrant who competed against, sold out to and then took over the United Fruit Company.  By Rich Cohen, author of the memoir “Sweet and Low” and “Tough Jews.” Read reviews from the NY … Continue reading →

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Gone Girl

Posted on October 20, 2012 by Mike

A wife goes missing from a troubled marriage, in a story told from his and her perspectives.  A very enjoyable read. Read reviews from the Chicago Tribune and the New York Times.

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Dealers of Lightning

Posted on October 6, 2012 by Mike

Michael Hiltzik tells the story of the Xerox scientists and engineers who established the company’s Palo Alto Research Center (PARC), where many of the fundamental innovations underlying computer networking, graphics, and Internet were invented. Xerox could have been on the … Continue reading →

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The Watchers

Posted on September 16, 2012 by Mike

In The Watchers: The Rise of America’s Surveillance State (2010), Shane Harris explains the modern world of “signals intelligence,” and how it got to be this way. To summarize the current state of affairs, some arm of the U.S. government … Continue reading →

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The Invisible Gorilla

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Mike

In The Invisible Gorilla (2010), psychology professors Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons build on their famous “Invisible Gorilla” experiment that won them the 2004 Ig Nobel Prize. Their web site provides a good synopsis of the book: Reading this book … Continue reading →

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Modern New York

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Mike

In Modern New York (2012), Crain’s New York columnist Greg David offers an insightful history of New York City and its economy since 1965.  David demonstrates how tourism has filled the gap left by the decline of the city’s manufacturing … Continue reading →

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Fooling Houdini

Posted on July 10, 2012 by Mike

Fooling Houdini (2012) is an interesting peek into the history and subculture of magicians.  I found the author’s side trips into the world of three card monte and psychology much more enjoyable than his forays into clown school and his … Continue reading →

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Over Time

Posted on July 1, 2012 by Mike

Quite simply, the best sports book I have ever read. Deford’s stories are often fascinating, and his ability to put them into the perspective that 50 years of sports writing provides makes this a quite enjoyable read. Read reviews from … Continue reading →

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