All Consuming : Jacob Harris

Good Idea, Ruined By Author (rated 2 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Jacob Harris) — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 15:31:03 GMT

The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable

by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

The idea of black swans is certainly an interesting one and I think this book would gain a lot more credence if not for the sins of the author. Unfortunately, the author’s high self-regard and complete disdain for anybody else not already on board (he is quick to ascribe the worst motives of purposeful deception and delusion to those who disagree with him) mar the tone of almost every page (even for the French (that’s an example of his types of “jokes”)). Frequently self-contradicting, rambling, and remarkably sparse of actual science or mathematics, this book’s subject needs someone like Benoit Mandelbrot to do better justice to it.

Ultimately though, I think the thing that rankled me the most is that the author resorts to a fictional scenario of a made-up author to illustrate the universality of Black Swans. Given that he could have done a little legwork to talk to real authors or picked some trenchant examples from economics or history this seemed like a complete and utter cop-out that runs against the whole point of his book.

Loses Steam at the End (rated 3 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Jacob Harris) — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 17:33:14 GMT

Forever: A Novel

by Pete Hamill

The historical parts are fine, but I think it loses coherence at the end…

A story about "Sid & Nancy"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Jacob Harris) — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 02:57:19 GMT

Sid & Nancy

Not a date movie

Why I recommend "Extending and Embedding PHP (Developer's Library)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Jacob Harris) — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 15:27:37 GMT

Extending and Embedding PHP (Developer's Library)

by Sara Golemon

You should know your enemy.

Why I recommend "Trailer Park Boys: Season 1-2"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Jacob Harris) — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 14:25:12 GMT

Trailer Park Boys: Season 1-2

by Mike Clattenburg

Being American, I have this inferiority complex towards Canada with their socialized medicine, nonviolent society, and general consensus-building approach to all life’s problems. So, it’s a great relief and joy to see this show about Nova Scotia trailer trash shooting their guns, growing pot, and generally getting out of jail or heading back there. Thank you Canada!

A story about "JPod: A Novel"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Jacob Harris) — Mon, 29 May 2006 23:37:50 GMT

JPod: A Novel

by Douglas Coupland

Sebastian recommended that I should read this book and I have, and part of me wonders if he was suggesting this because one of the characters reminds him of me. This possibility really scares for some reason…

An excellent fictional look at the rise of global capitalism and its unexpected effects (rated 5 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Jacob Harris) — Mon, 01 May 2006 15:39:55 GMT

Gain

by Richard Powers

A nice story that interweaves the rise of a fictionalized multinational chemical conglomerate from a humble soap works named Clare with the personal story of a woman’s fight with ovarian cancer that she suspects might be caused by Clare’s agricultural division in her hometown.

A story about the last time I consumed "Extreme Programming Explained: Embrace Change (2nd Edition) (The XP Series)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Jacob Harris) — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 00:03:39 GMT

Extreme Programming Explained: Embrace Change (2nd Edition) (The XP Series)

by Kent Beck

I read this three years ago, but it took time and project management experience to give me the real insight into how cool and radical this book is.

A review of "The Libertine"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Jacob Harris) — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 03:16:02 GMT

The Libertine

by Laurence Dunmore

Tertiary Syphilis == not a date movie.