Reading List
Here’s where I keep track of all the books I have been reading lately. This is mostly for my own personal benefit so that I don’t forget what I have read. You can also view this list arranged alphabetically and by rating.
2018
Based on a True Story
He starts off with a typical comedian’s memoir and, after about three pages, Norm gives up and go total... more
The Cosmic Computer
Pulpy science fiction about a remote planet on which the inhabitants are convinced exists a super-computer that could solve... more
2017
To Build a Castle: My Life as a Dissenter
A memoir of what living in The Soviet Union was like in the 60s and 70s. Bukovsky spent most... more
The Secret History of Twin Peaks
I listened to the audiobook version which features many of the original cast members reprising their roles. The book... more
Food: A Love Story
An entertaining read that pretty much says everything funny that can be said about food. I’ve read a couple... more
You’re Better Than Me
Another comic’s memoir, but this time it’s actually funny. The first half is really is much better, in which... more
Two Years Before the Mast
This is a memoir of life aboard a merchant vessel in the early 1800’s. It is also noteworthy as... more
Happy Endings
Norton is usually a very entertaining guest on whatever chat show on which he appears. However, I’ve watched his... more
Coolidge
This was a fawning look at Coolidge’s life and tenure as the 30th President. It was okay up to a... more
Snow Crash
This was my first cyberpunk novel (if you don’t count getting stuck in Neuromancer on the IIgs). I thought it was... more
Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder
Another big book about risk from Taleb filled with math, anecdotes, history and Fat Tony. This time it’s all... more
Marxism
I got this as an audiobook, hoping to get a decent overview of what Marxism is without having to... more
Eccentric Orbits: The Iridium Story
Eccentric Orbits is the history of the rise, fall, and eventual rebirth of the world’s first (and only) global satellite... more
Connecticut Privateer Samuel Smedley
A short book about a lesser known hero of the American revolution. As the captain of a Connecticut privateer vessel,... more
The Secret Knowledge: On the Dismantling of American Culture
Mamet’s political coming out book doesn’t offer much new insight into conservatism. Instead it cribs a lot from Thomas... more
Black Rednecks & White Liberals
A collection of six lengthy essays on race, history and misconceptions. The “Black Rednecks” essay is probably the most... more
The Seven Deadly Virtues
A compilation of humorous essays by eighteen conservative authors in which each tackles the merits and faults or various... more
2016
Progress: Ten Reasons to Look Forward to the Future
Johan Norberg wrote one of the clearest accounts of the 2007 financial meltdown and, after that dismal tale, he’s back with... more
The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion
Required reading for anyone who is sick of the political name calling and soft bigotry that permeates every single... more
Bad Penny
I enjoyed his fantasy series, so I thought I’d try out Brown’s crime thriller series. This is the story of... more
The Wave
This short novel tries to show how it was possible for normal German’s to just sit back and let... more
The Almost Nearly Perfect People: Behind the Myth of the Scandinavian Utopia
Billed as a travelogue, this book covers the culture, politics and history of the Nordic countries from the perspective... more
2015
Heart of Darkness
I read this mostly because I am an admirer of Apocalypse Now. It sorta lost me by the end so... more
The Big Sleep
Gritty crime fiction. Basically the blueprint for the entire genre. The writing and language are a tier above most... more
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
I want to eventually read Huckleberry Finn, so I figured I should read this one first. It’s pretty entertaining, but... more
Raveler: The Dark God Book 3
The most recent book in this series builds up to a grand conclusion, an last-stand battle of epic proportions,... more
Curse: The Dark God Book 2
Despite an exciting opening, the second book in this series is not as good as the first. The stakes... more
Servant: The Dark God Book 1
This is a fantasy novel I picked up based strictly on the reviews and auto-recommendations online. I enjoyed it... more
Falling Up the Stairs
I know Lileks mostly as a humorous conservative commentator and a connoisseur of cheesy 50’s pop culture. I wasn’t... more
The Three Languages of Politics
Essential reading for understanding that people who might disagree with politically are not evil or stupid, they are just... more
Something in the Shadows
I really do like Vin Packer’s pulp thrillers. This book continues her knack for creating conflicted and dark characters... more
2014
The Slow Regard of Silent Things
Well, this isn’t the next Kingkiller book, but, fortunately, I wasn’t expecting that. The author himself goes to great... more
How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life: An Unexpected Guide to Human Nature and Happiness
In this book Roberts (of EconTalk fame) takes Adam Smith’s other major work, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, and makes it understandable in a... more
The Golden Spiders
Nero Wolfe is a dick. It’s a wonder that this mostly unlikable character spawned such a successful series of... more
Weekend
A fairly blah read from Vixen Press. This one is pretty short on plot and lacks the hardboiled edge... more
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
This book started off okay enough and was pretty interesting for the first hundred pages or so. The premise... more
Warm Voices Rearranged
The subtitle of the book is “Anagram Record Reviews” and that pretty much sums it up. Take a record... more
Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning
The thesis here is that, despite the constant cries of “fascism” when talking about right-wing policies, the real heirs... more
The Da Vinci Code
Amazon recently gave this ebook away for free as a promotion for the sequel Inferno. It was my beach read... more
How to Piss in Public: From Teenage Rebellion to the Hangover of Adulthood
When I started this book I was apprehensive. As much as I love Gavin’s current incarnation as a wild... more
The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable
Admittedly, I didn’t finish this book. There’s a point about halfway through when he tells the casual reader that... more
Not Cool: The Hipster Elite and Their War on You
Another enjoyable read from Red Eye host Greg Gutfeld. The thesis as I see it is that liberals own... more
Dear Reader: The Unauthorized Autobiography of Kim Jong Il
I have read quite a few books that give an account of what it is like to live under the... more
The Power of Glamour: Longing and the Art of Visual Persuasion
Virginia Postrel is a great, thoughtful writer and, although I am not terribly interested in the topic of glamour,... more
2013
Baby Shark’s Grass Widow Legacy
Another thoroughly enjoyable book in this series. This time Kristen is told to take some time off from all... more
Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets
I’ve heard a few interviews with Taleb and he can be very interesting so I tried to give one... more
Let’s Tell a Story Together
I’m a regular reader of Jimmy Maher’s blog The Digital Antiquarian which documents the history of the early days of home... more
Venus in Furs
After seeing Jess Franco’s movie of the same name, I noticed that this ebook was available for free at... more
The Thrill Kids
Another yarn about corrupted youth from Vin Packer. This time it’s four disenfranchised teenage boys who become a vigilante... more
The Galaxy Primes
I don’t think I really like science fiction. Sure there have been a few stories I liked, Dune, The Ender... more
Baby Shark’s Showdown at Chigger Flats
Another enjoyable story filled with shooting, kicking and revenge. This story is much more straightforward than others in the... more
Unfaithful Wives
Another quality pulp novel from Prologue Books. This one is filled with at least half a dozen cheating spouses... more
The Lone Wolf #1: Night Raider
This is essentially a Death Wish style vigilante story about a cop who really, really doesn’t like the drug trade. There is absolutely... more
Baby Shark’s Jugglers at the Border
Although I don’t think it’s hardly the best book in this series, I burned through this one in just... more
Baby Shark’s High Plains Redemption
I love these Baby Shark books. They are just great, action packed reads. I burned through this book in a few... more
The Silent Wall
This is the story of an American GI who returns to Sicily years after the war to find the... more
The Screwball King Murder
A pretty straightforward detective mystery which, despite the cover of the book, has very little to do with baseball.... more
2012
Baby Shark’s Beaumont Blue’s
The second Baby Shark story is just as brutal and action packed as the first with great characters and writing.
The Joy of Hate: How to Triumph over Whiners in the Age of Phony Outrage
Gutfeld’s latest is a bit more focused than his last book. The primary theme of the book is that people... more
The Evil Friendship
I started reading this book without knowing anything about it. I had previously read and very much enjoyed Vin... more
Wyrd Sisters
Another solid Discworld novel with lots of vivid characters and humorous situations.
The Tyranny of Clichés: How Liberals Cheat in the War of Ideas
The main thesis of Tyranny of Clichés begins with the notion that conservative and libertarian arguments tend to get rebutted, not... more
Silvertip
This is the first Western I’ve ever read. Written in 1933, Silvertip is the story of a gray-templed gunslinger who likes... more
Baby Shark
I really liked this noir-ish crime novel set in the dingy pool halls of rural Texas. Lots of great... more
The Captain Must Die
Another solid pulp novel from Prologue Books. This time the story follows a group of ex-soldiers out for revenge... more
Theft of Swords (Riyria Revelations)
This was a fairly by-the-numbers fantasy story with the usual characters: a wizard, a prince, a dwarf, a thief... more
The Substance of Style
Does look and feel matter? That’s one of the questions posed in this book about the ever increasing emphasis... more
The Twisted Ones
The Twisted Ones was another 1950’s pulp novel reprinted as an eBook by Prologue Books and available for free download.... more
Don’t Cry For Me
I recently discovered Prologue Books—a publisher devoted to re-releasing old pulp novels in ebook form. This is a company that... more
Foundation
I was bored silly by this classic sci-fi book. I wanted to like it. It’s voted as the greatest... more
No, They Can’t: Why Government Fails-But Individuals Succeed
John Stossel is awesome. I’ve been a fan ever since I was in the seventh grade and watched him... more
Sourcery
I enjoyed the first half of the book in which the Discworld is introduced to the first all-powerful sorcerer... more
Mort
So, I’m now four books into the Discworld series and I think I will keep going with it (only 33 more... more
How We Decide
I am not usually a non-fiction reader outside of the occasional political tome, but I bought this after it... more
Equal Rites
The third Discworld novel starts a completely new storyline with no crossover with the first two books. I actually... more
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
This sci-fi classic starts off interestingly enough: in an authoritarian society on the Moon, an engineer befriends a self-aware... more
The Light Fantastic
The story picks up right where The Colour of Magic with our heroes tumbling off the edge of the world. Book... more
The Colour of Magic
I’m continuously on the lookout for a new fantasy series to fill my Kingkiller Chronicles/Song of Fire and Ice void. I’ve... more
We the Living
Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m one of those nuts who actually likes The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. It has been years since... more
2011
Pictures of the Socialistic Future
An incredibly prescient book from the 19th century that basically lays out everything that is wrong with the practical... more
Last Argument of Kings
The final book of the First Law trilogy was a sort of step backwards from the previous book. In... more
The Declaration of Independents
This was a nice manifesto of sorts that hits all the right marks in terms of what it means... more
Before They Are Hanged
Although I was disappointed by The Blade Itself, I decided to continue on with the series to see if all... more
The Case of Charles Dexter Ward
Sometime during my late teens I started reading a bunch of H. P. Lovecraft books. His style never fully... more
The Red Badge of Courage
Catching up on a classic I missed in high school. I thought it was okay, but not the sort... more
The Price of Everything: A Parable of Possibility and Prosperity
This book is really an economics lesson presented in layman’s terms. The plot and characters are merely a device... more
The Bible of Unspeakable Truths
I think I would have liked this book better if I had listened to the audiobook version instead. As... more
A Dance with Dragons
I was late to the whole A Game of Thrones thang (but, for the record, I was like totally in to... more
The Future and its Enemies
Postrel makes the case for decentralized, dynamic systems. The obvious application of this is in free-market versus command-style economies,... more
Empire of Lies
I like Andrew Klaven. His Klaven on the Culture videos are good natured and entertaining little bits of political satire that... more
The Cult of the Presidency: America’s Dangerous Devotion to Executive Power
This book analyzes America’s proclivity towards an ever expansive and powerful executive branch—admittedly not the most exciting read. As... more
Wise Man’s Fear
Book two in this excellent series is just about as good as the first. The story picks up right... more
Where Keynes Went Wrong: And Why World Governments Keep Creating Inflation, Bubbles, and Busts
That title is quite a mouthful, ain’t it? I am continuing my recent excursion into econ-type books that are... more
Old Man’s War
This is a science fiction tale based on the premise that, sometime in the distant future, our planetary defense... more
The Hero of Ages
The Hero of Ages picks up a year or so after the events of The Well of Ascension. This final volume... more
2010
The Well of Ascension
Book two in the Mistborn series continues this the storyline directly after the climactic events of the first novel. This... more
Racing the Beam
Racing the Beam is a fairly accessible look at the technology behind the Atari 2600 video game console. Apparently the... more
In Fifty Years We’ll All Be Chicks
I decided to try this one out on a whim. I like Adam Carolla and his humor translated pretty... more
Devil Born Without Horns
Michael Lucas is best known as the schtick-loving bassist of The Phantom Surfers. This book was self-published under his... more