The Library of the Uncommons

wakamoleguy rated The Eye of the World: 5 stars

Robert Jordan: The Eye of the World (Paperback, 1990, T. Doherty Associates)

The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (The Wheel of Time, #1)

The Eye of the World is a fantasy novel by American writer Robert Jordan, the first book of The Wheel …

wakamoleguy set a goal to read 6 books in 2025

wakamoleguy reviewed A Mind At Play by Jimmy Soni

Jimmy Soni, Rob Goodman: A Mind At Play (2017)

"The life and times of one of the foremost intellects of the twentieth century: Claude …

Follow Your Curiosity

5 stars

Intrigued by the title, I sought this book out to learn more about Claude Shannon and how he lived his life. In the end, I think the title was a bit of misleading: curiosity was Shannon's driver more than play.

I can strongly relate to Shannon in this; while I may not be the genius pioneer of a new field, I believe strongly that curiosity and creative play (or tinkering as Shannon did) are truly enriching. And if you keep figuring out how things work and exploring ideas that you find interesting, then eventually one of them may truly be groundbreaking. It's not about ambition or fame or awards. It's about following your interests wherever they may lead.

In any case, the book itself was very approachable and I would recommend it to anybody who might be interested in the history of Information Theory.

Intrigued by the title, I sought this book out to learn more about Claude Shannon and how he lived his life. In the end, I think the title was a bit of misleading: curiosity was Shannon's driver more than play.

I can strongly relate to Shannon in this; while I may not be the genius pioneer of a new field, I believe strongly that curiosity and creative play (or tinkering as Shannon did) are truly enriching. And if you keep figuring out how things work and exploring ideas that you find interesting, then eventually one of them may truly be groundbreaking. It's not about ambition or fame or awards. It's about following your interests wherever they may lead.

In any case, the book itself was very approachable and I would recommend it to anybody who might be interested in the history of Information Theory.

wakamoleguy set a goal to read 12 books in 2023

wakamoleguy started reading A Mind At Play by Jimmy Soni

"The life and times of one of the foremost intellects of the twentieth century: Claude …

This has been on my list for a while, and I picked up a physical copy at the library. The librarian directed me to the Biographies section, and mentioned her husband had worked at Bell Labs. There's a simple joy in little interactions.

Or maybe it's just from being out in December's meager sunlight for a few minutes. (Porque no los dos?)

This has been on my list for a while, and I picked up a physical copy at the library. The librarian directed me to the Biographies section, and mentioned her husband had worked at Bell Labs. There's a simple joy in little interactions.

Or maybe it's just from being out in December's meager sunlight for a few minutes. (Porque no los dos?)

wakamoleguy finished reading Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

Snow Crash is a science fiction novel by the American writer Neal Stephenson, published in …

Content warning Brief mention of a plot point. No major spoiler.

Overall, an entertaining read. Not for you if insensitive phrasing will bother you. I enjoyed the dystopia that Stephenson creates, but the Babel plot fell a little short to me. There’s something surreal and somehow endearing about the character treatment, as even in the most serious moments the personal relationships shine through in the most incredulous way that somehow works.

wakamoleguy quoted Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

Snow Crash is a science fiction novel by the American writer Neal Stephenson, published in …

Content warning Lightly graphic description

A long-range retinal scanner. If you turn toward him with your eyes open, the laser shoots out, penetrates your iris, tenderest of sphincters, and scans your retina.

— Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson (27%)

Reading 'Snow Crash' is an experience. It's a cross between being stuck listening to a neighbor's half-baked rants, and holding on to a roller coaster by your fingertips.

This was one of the tamer quotes that I pulled trying to find examples of the style. Neal Stephenson isn't gratuitously graphic... just very graphically descriptive.

wakamoleguy reviewed Product management in practice by Matthew LeMay

No cover — Matthew LeMay: Product management in practice (2017)

Concise practical advice

5 stars

I went into this expecting a dense textbook detailing the ins and outs of product management. Instead, it was lighter, full of stories and anecdotes that helped make the advice sticky.

While the content boiled down to a few key points (Communication, Organization, Research, Execution), the presentation made this a pleasant read. The repetition through different contexts helped really drive in those key points.

Overall, this was valuable for my own practice as well as for building a better vocabulary about what product management REALLY is. Goal achieved.

wakamoleguy finished reading Product management in practice by Matthew LeMay

I went into this expecting a dense textbook detailing the ins and outs of product management. Instead, it was lighter, full of stories and anecdotes that helped make the advice sticky.

While the content boiled down to a few key points (Communication, Organization, Research, Execution), the presentation made this a pleasant read. The repetition through different contexts helped really drive in those key points.

Overall, this was valuable for my own practice as well as for building a better vocabulary about what product management REALLY is. Goal achieved.