What are you reading?

[Alex K]

An RFP for a F-15 starter gearbox test stand.

Don't they have to shoot you if you talk about it?

[popeyespappy]

Nah. It's available on the web for all interested parties.

[Clueless Morgan]

I'm currently reading Richard Carrier's "Proving History", which gives a great understandable introduction to Bayes' theorem and using it to judge the likelihood of alleged historical events and facts. It has eye opener qualities, because he shows that when thinking about such things, you are either using Bayes theorem already without knowing it, or you are doing it wrong. He then goes on to show how to make well-defined judgements about historical hypotheses by using it properly.

Hey, I'm reading that right now, too!

Well, technically re-reading it. The first time most of the information went right over my head, so I'm making more of an effort this time to really understand how Bayes' Theorem works in preparation for his On The Historicity of Jesus book which should be coming out soon. I'm going to read that, and Bart Ehrman's Did Jesus Exist book. It'll be the year of the historical (or is he?) Jesus.

I just finished Carrier's Not the Impossible Faith which was really interesting.

Also, I'm struggling with Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond. He follows the question why culture has developed at such different paces in different parts of the world (in a nutshell: why did e.g. the Spanish crush the American empires, and not vice versa). It's excellently written, but at times a brutal fact dump, hence the struggling part.

I found this book much, much easier to "read" in audiobook format. If that helps.

Otherwise, it's a great book, very interesting.

His Third Chimpanzee is another really good one.

---

Am also reading The Theory That Would Not Die: How Bayes' Rule Cracked the Enigma Code, Hunted Down Russian Submarines, and Emerged Triumphant from Two Centuries of Controversy by Sharon Bertsch McGrayne (on audiobook). Started it this morning on the way to work. It's also the year of Bayes' Theorem.

Am also feeling a little guilty that I've effectively abandoned the last fiction book I was reading... I'll go back to it... eventually.

[Alex K]

Hey, I'm reading that right now, too!

Cool. I bought the Not the Impossible Faith as well, but haven't started yet.

Am also feeling a little guilty that I've effectively abandoned the last fiction book I was reading... I'll go back to it... eventually.

Which one was that if I may ask?

[Clueless Morgan]

Am also feeling a little guilty that I've effectively abandoned the last fiction book I was reading... I'll go back to it... eventually.

Which one was that if I may ask?

Red Shirts by John Scalzi

I was really looking forward to reading it but it just hasn't lived up to my expectations. I'm about half-way through it. If I really pushed, I could finish it this weekend. I guess I'm just going through a non-fiction phase right now.

[BrokenQuill92]

Just started American Gods by Neil Gaiman

[downbeatplumb]

I have just finished the very last book out so far of the Song of Fire and Ice (Game of Thrones) books. fantastic read BUT Mr Martin does like to leave books on a bit of a cliff hanger and the last book is an extreme example of this.

There are so many plot points almost coming to a boil its like ending a book with. "and the killer is"....continued next book.

Gah

[Alex K]

I have just finished the very last book out so far of the Song of Fire and Ice (Game of Thrones) books. fantastic read BUT Mr Martin does like to leave books on a bit of a cliff hanger and the last book is an extreme example of this.

There are so many plot points almost coming to a boil its like ending a book with. "and the killer is"....continued next book.

Gah

So you don't agree with PZ Myers' rant on the series?
http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/...of-drones/

We have them at home and I am torn whether I want to start reading them

[downbeatplumb]

So you don't agree with PZ Myers' rant on the series?
http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/...of-drones/

We have them at home and I am torn whether I want to start reading them

He makes some good points here and is not wrong, BUT it was still one of the best books I have read and I want more dammit.

[Doubting Thomas]

I'm currently reading an old ebook on perpetual motion courtesy of gutenberg.org: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/44771.

So far it's pretty interesting reading about the complicated designs by people who just didn't understand the laws of physics and didn't realize that you can't get more or equal energy out of a machine than you put into it. Luckily the author of that book wasn't a pro-PM advocate and points out the flaws of the various devices presented.