Books Read in 2018 on paapereira.xyz

The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle by Arthur Conan Doyle (1892)

Sat, 29 Dec 2018 22:41:00 +0000

The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle by Arthur Conan Doyle (1892)

Author: Arthur Conan Doyle
First Published: January 1892
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

Two-time Emmy Award nominee (The Good Wife) and Audie Award winner for best narrator Alan Cumming here narrates Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s first-rate Yuletide whodunit “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle”. Cumming adds his personal flair to the mystery classic and turns in an outstanding performance of the great detective Sherlock Holmes and his pal, Watson.

Blade Runner (Blade Runner #1) by Philip K. Dick (1968)

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 23:04:00 +0000

Blade Runner (Blade Runner #1) by Philip K. Dick (1968)

Author: Philip K. Dick
First Published: 1968
Series: Blade Runner Book 1
Score: 8/10

Goodreads

A final, apocalyptic, world war has killed millions, driving entire species into extinction and sending the majority of mankind off-planet. Those who remain, venerate all remaining examples of life, and owning an animal of your own is both a symbol of status and a necessity. For those who can’t afford an authentic animal, companies build incredibly realistic simulacrae: horses, birds, cats, sheep . . . even humans.

Jingle Bell Pop by John Seabrook (2018)

Thu, 20 Dec 2018 20:21:00 +0000

Jingle Bell Pop by John Seabrook (2018)

Author: John Seabrook
First Published: December 6th 2018
Score: 3/10

Goodreads

It seems like every year, the holiday season arrives earlier and earlier. Before Halloween’s ghosts and ghouls have even had their chance to come out of the shadows, sleigh bells and ribbons begin to materialize at the mall and towering tinsel-tinged trees appear in our living rooms. But the most telltale sign of the arrival of yuletide festivities is the unceasingly merry melody of the seasonal songbook, from “Silent Night” to “Santa Baby.” Love them or loathe them, these holiday earworms are here to stay. But how do these songs endure for decades? And why are there so few contemporary Christmas carols?In this holly jolly Audible Original, New York Times bestselling author and New Yorker columnist John Seabrook uncovers the mysteries of the holiday music machine, exploring how these hits were made and why they’ve dominated the soundwaves each and every winter. From the mid-century reign of songwriter Johnny Marks (“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”) to the manufactured musical nostalgia of modern holiday hits like “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Seabrook, alongside a cast of singers, songwriters, and producers, reveals the untold stories behind the songs that have us rockin’ around the Christmas tree year after year.

The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore (1823)

Thu, 20 Dec 2018 19:22:00 +0000

The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore (1823)

Author: Clement C. Moore
First Published: 1823
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

Rascal Flatts performs a famous Christmas poem for patients at a Nashville children’s hospital - and the result is pure magic.

For over a decade, country music superstars Rascal Flatts have built a special relationship with the kids at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt through annual performances and fund-raisers.

In 2018 they poured their hearts into a reading of Clement C. Moore’s iconic holiday classic “A Visit from St. Nicholas” for their most cherished audience. The Night Before Christmas audiobook builds on that performance to spread holiday cheer beyond Nashville, as an accompaniment to yuletide festivities anywhere or as the perfect story to encourage “visions of sugar-plums” (a quote from the poem!) at bedtime.

The Christmas Hirelings by Mary Elizabeth Braddon (1894)

Wed, 19 Dec 2018 22:40:00 +0000

The Christmas Hirelings by Mary Elizabeth Braddon (1894)

Author: Mary Elizabeth Braddon
First Published: 1894
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

A heartwarming festive tale of redemption and cheer, The Christmas Hirelings is the story of a lonely widower who reluctantly invites a group of children to his manor for Christmas. It showcases the benefits of opening your doors and hearts during the holiday season.

First published in 1893, The Christmas Hirelings is a delightful short tale of compassion and redemption. With his sole surviving daughter Sybil estranged, and his wife passed away, there is a deficit of Christmas cheer in the near-vacant country mansion of Sir John Penlyon. In an attempt to improve the festive mood, Sir John’s good friend Mr Danby suggests that three children be ‘hired’ over the Christmas period in the hope of brightening the mood. After overcoming his initial reluctance, Sir John soon opens the doors of Penlyon Castle to Lassie, Laddie and little Moppet. Their arrival does more than signal the coming of Christmas however, as Sir John finds himself re-evaluating his past actions.

The Complete Stories of Sherlock Holmes, Volume 3 by Arthur Conan Doyle (2010)

Sun, 16 Dec 2018 20:46:00 +0000

The Complete Stories of Sherlock Holmes, Volume 3 by Arthur Conan Doyle (2010)

Author: Arthur Conan Doyle
First Published: 2010
Series: The Complete Stories of Sherlock Holmes Book 3
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Arthur Conan Doyle never wasted time in getting his stories moving. His plots are always direct and refreshingly lucid, and the narrative has a velocity that sweeps you along right to the end. This was no doubt a large part of his immense worldwide success. Not surprisingly, each time he tried to end the series, his fans would howl in protest. But, as he says in the preface to his last collection of Sherlock Holmes stories, all good things must come to an end. And so it is with this series, as we have now arrived at the end of the Sherlock Holmes tales, Conan Doyle’s most magnificent creation.

Paradox Bound by Peter Clines (2017)

Sat, 15 Dec 2018 22:36:00 +0000

Paradox Bound by Peter Clines (2017)

Author: Peter Clines
First Published: September 26th 2017
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Nothing ever changes in Sanders. The town’s still got a video store, for God’s sake.

So why doesn’t Eli Teague want to leave?

Not that he’d ever admit it, but maybe he’s been waiting - waiting for the traveler to come back. The one who’s roared into his life twice before, pausing just long enough to drop tantalizing clues before disappearing in a cloud of gunfire and a squeal of tires. The one who’s a walking anachronism, with her tricorne hat, flintlock rifle, and steampunked Model A Ford.

Deliverance by James Dickey (1970)

Sun, 02 Dec 2018 18:06:00 +0000

Deliverance by James Dickey (1970)

Author: James Dickey
First Published: 1970
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

The setting is the Georgia wilderness, where the state’s most remote white-water river awaits. In the thundering froth of that river, in its echoing stone canyons, four men on a canoe trip discover a freedom and exhilaration beyond compare. And then, in a moment of horror, the adventure turns into a struggle for survival as one man becomes a human hunter who is offered his own harrowing deliverance.

All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries #1) by Martha Wells (2017)

Sun, 25 Nov 2018 18:06:00 +0000

All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries #1) by Martha Wells (2017)

Author: Martha Wells
First Published: May 2nd 2017
Series: The Murderbot Diaries Book 1
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety.

But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern.

On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid — a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is.

Alien: River of Pain by Christopher Golden (2014)

Wed, 21 Nov 2018 22:30:00 +0000

Alien: River of Pain by Christopher Golden (2014)

Author: Christopher Golden
First Published: November 25th 2014
Series: Alien Series
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

Ellen Ripley finally returns to Earth, only to discover that LV-426 - resting place of the Nostromo and the xenomorph she first encountered - has been renamed Acheron.

Protected by Colonial Marines, the colonists seek to terraform the storm-swept planet against all the odds. But in the face of brutal living conditions and the daily struggles of a new world, there is humanity and hope. Anne and Russell Jorden - two colonists who are seeking a fortune that eluded them on Earth - are expecting their first born child.

Pet Sematary by Stephen King (1983)

Sat, 17 Nov 2018 22:59:00 +0000

Pet Sematary by Stephen King (1983)

Author: Stephen King
First Published: November 14th 1983
Series: Stephen King Novels
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

Never before available on unabridged audio! Dexter’s Michael C. Hall reads this classic horror story described by Publishers Weekly as the “most frightening novel Stephen King has ever written”.

When Dr. Louis Creed takes a new job and moves his family to the idyllic, rural town of Ludlow, Maine, this new beginning seems too good to be true. Yet despite Ludlow’s tranquility, there’s an undercurrent of danger that lingers…like the graveyard in the woods near the Creeds’ home, where generations of children have buried their beloved pets.

The Playground by Ray Bradbury (1953)

Thu, 25 Oct 2018 21:51:00 +0100

The Playground by Ray Bradbury (1953)

Author: Ray Bradbury
First Published: 1953
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

“The Playground” was part of the first hardcover edition of Ray Bradbury’s legendary work Fahrenheit 451, published in 1953. In the story, Charles Underhill is a widower who will do anything to protect his young son Jim from the horrors of the playground - a playground which he and the boy pass by daily and the tumult of which, the activity, brings back to Charles the anguish of his own childhood. The playground, like childhood itself, is a nightmare of torment and vulnerability; Charles fears his sensitive son will be destroyed there just as he almost was so many years ago. Underhill’s sister, Carol, who has moved in to help raise the young boy after his mother passed away, feels differently. The playground, she believes, is preparation for life, Jim will survive the experience she feels, and he will be the better for it and more equipped to deal with the rigor and obligation of adult existence. Underhill is caught between his own fear and his sister’s invocation of reason and feels paralyzed. A mysterious boy calls out to him from the playground, and seems to know all too well why Underhill is there and what the source of his agony really is. A mysterious Manager also lurks and to whom the strange boy directs Underhill. An agreement can be made perhaps - this is what the boy tells Underhill. Perhaps Jim can be spared the playground, but of course, a substitute must be found.

The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle #1) by Patrick Rothfuss (2007)

Wed, 24 Oct 2018 21:44:00 +0100

The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle #1) by Patrick Rothfuss (2007)

Author: Patrick Rothfuss
First Published: March 27th 2007
Series: The Kingkiller Chronicle Book 1
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

“My name is Kvothe. I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I have burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during the day. I have talked to Gods, loved women and written songs that make the minstrels weep. You may have heard of me.”

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells (1895)

Tue, 02 Oct 2018 21:51:00 +0100

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells (1895)

Author: H.G. Wells
First Published: May 7th 1895
Series: The Time Machine Universe
Score: 10/10

Goodreads

So begins the Time Traveller’s astonishing firsthand account of his journey 800,000 years beyond his own era—and the story that launched H.G. Wells’s successful career and earned him his reputation as the father of science fiction. With a speculative leap that still fires the imagination, Wells sends his brave explorer to face a future burdened with our greatest hopes…and our darkest fears. A pull of the Time Machine’s lever propels him to the age of a slowly dying Earth. There he discovers two bizarre races—the ethereal Eloi and the subterranean Morlocks—who not only symbolize the duality of human nature, but offer a terrifying portrait of the men of tomorrow as well. Published in 1895, this masterpiece of invention captivated readers on the threshold of a new century. Thanks to Wells’s expert storytelling and provocative insight, The Time Machine will continue to enthrall readers for generations to come.

Cosmos by Carl Sagan (1980)

Sat, 29 Sep 2018 21:50:00 +0100

Cosmos by Carl Sagan (1980)

Author: Carl Sagan
First Published: 1980
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

Cosmos is one of the bestselling science books of all time. In clear-eyed prose, Sagan reveals a jewel-like blue world inhabited by a life form that is just beginning to discover its own identity and to venture into the vast ocean of space. Featuring a new Introduction by Sagan’s collaborator, Ann Druyan, and a new Foreword by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, Cosmos retraces the fourteen billion years of cosmic evolution that have transformed matter into consciousness, exploring such topics as the origin of life, the human brain, Egyptian hieroglyphics, spacecraft missions, the death of the Sun, the evolution of galaxies, and the forces and individuals who helped to shape modern science.

Island by Aldous Huxley (1962)

Sun, 16 Sep 2018 21:07:00 +0100

Island by Aldous Huxley (1962)

Author: Aldous Huxley
First Published: 1962
Score: 6/10

Goodreads

In his final novel, which he considered his most important, Aldous Huxley transports us to the remote Pacific island of Pala, where an ideal society has flourished for 120 years.

Inevitably, this island of bliss attracts the envy and enmity of the surrounding world. A conspiracy is underway to take over Pala, and events are set in motion when an agent of the conspirators, a newspaperman named Faranby, is shipwrecked there. What Faranby doesn’t expect is how his time with the people of Pala will revolutionize all his values and—to his amazement—give him hope.

Alien: Out of the Shadows by Tim Lebbon (2013)

Fri, 07 Sep 2018 21:49:00 +0100

Alien: Out of the Shadows by Tim Lebbon (2013)

Author: Tim Lebbon
First Published: December 17th 2013
Series: Alien Series
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

As a child, Chris Hooper dreamed of monsters. But in deep space, he found only darkness and isolation. Then, on planet LV178, he and his fellow miners discovered a storm-scoured, sand-blasted hell - and trimonite, the hardest material known to man.

When a shuttle crashes into the mining ship Marion, the miners learn that there was more than trimonite deep in the caverns. There was evil, hibernating and waiting for suitable prey. Hoop and his associates uncover a nest of Xenomorphs, and hell takes on a new meaning. Quickly they discover that their only hope lies with the unlikeliest of saviors….

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (1937)

Sun, 02 Sep 2018 20:54:00 +0100

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (1937)

Author: J.R.R. Tolkien
First Published: September 21st 1937
Series: Middle-Earth Universe
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.

Written for J.R.R. Tolkien’s own children, The Hobbit met with instant critical acclaim when it was first published in 1937. Now recognized as a timeless classic, this introduction to the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, the wizard Gandalf, Gollum, and the spectacular world of Middle-earth recounts of the adventures of a reluctant hero, a powerful and dangerous ring, and the cruel dragon Smaug the Magnificent.

Dark World (Undying Mercenaries #9) by B.V. Larson (2018)

Thu, 23 Aug 2018 22:28:00 +0100

Dark World (Undying Mercenaries #9) by B.V. Larson (2018)

Author: B.V. Larson
First Published: 2018
Series: Undying Mercenaries Book 9
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Two expanding interstellar powers are about to meet in battle.

After the collapse of the Cephalopod Kingdom, Humanity claimed the three hundred rebellious worlds they left behind. But many light years away on the far side of disputed region, a rival power has begun to move. They’re stealing our planets, one at a time.

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison (1952)

Sun, 12 Aug 2018 19:10:00 +0100

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison (1952)

Author: Ralph Ellison
First Published: 1952
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

Invisible Man is a milestone in American literature, a book that has continued to engage readers since its appearance in 1952. A first novel by an unknown writer, it remained on the bestseller list for sixteen weeks, won the National Book Award for fiction, and established Ralph Ellison as one of the key writers of the century. The nameless narrator of the novel describes growing up in a black community in the South, attending a Negro college from which he is expelled, moving to New York and becoming the chief spokesman of the Harlem branch of “the Brotherhood,” and retreating amid violence and confusion to the basement lair of the Invisible Man he imagines himself to be. The book is a passionate and witty tour de force of style, strongly influenced by T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land, Joyce, and Dostoevsky.

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (0180)

Sun, 29 Jul 2018 20:49:00 +0100

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (0180)

Author: Marcus Aurelius
First Published: 0180
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

Written in Greek, without any intention of publication, by the only Roman emperor who was also a philosopher, the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180) offer a remarkable series of challenging spiritual reflections and exercises developed as the emperor struggled to understand himself and make sense of the universe.

Ranging from doubt and despair to conviction and exaltation, they cover such diverse topics as the nature of moral virtue, human rationality, divine providence, and Marcus’ own emotions.

West Cork by Sam Bungey and Jennifer Forde (2018)

Fri, 27 Jul 2018 21:11:00 +0100

West Cork by Sam Bungey and Jennifer Forde (2018)

Author: Sam Bungey and Jennifer Forde
First Published: February 8th 2018
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

This much we do know: Sophie Toscan du Plantier was murdered days before Christmas in 1996, her broken body discovered at the edge of her property near the town of Schull in West Cork, Ireland. The rest remains a mystery.

Gripping, yet ever elusive, join the real-life hunt for answers in the year’s first not-to-be-missed, true-crime series. Investigative journalist, Sam Bungey, and documentarian, Jennifer Forde, guide listeners through the brutal, unsolved murder and the tangled web of its investigation, while introducing an intricate cast of characters, a provocative prime suspect, and a recovering community whose story begs to be heard.

Alien by Alan Dean Foster (1979)

Wed, 18 Jul 2018 22:12:00 +0100

Alien by Alan Dean Foster (1979)

Author: Alan Dean Foster
First Published: 1979
Series: Alien Series
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Based on the screenplay by Dan O’Bannon. The crew of the spaceship Nostromo wake from cryogenic sleep to distress signals from an unknown planet. One is attacked when they investigate a derelict alien craft. Safely on their way back to Sol, none foresee the real horror about to begin.

The Good Girl by Mary Kubica (2014)

Sun, 08 Jul 2018 21:53:00 +0100

The Good Girl by Mary Kubica (2014)

Author: Mary Kubica
First Published: July 29th 2014
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

I’ve been following her for the past few days. I know where she buys her groceries, where she works. I don’t know the color of her eyes or what they look like when she’s scared. But I will.

One night, Mia Dennett enters a bar to meet her on-again, off-again boyfriend. But when he doesn’t show, she unwisely leaves with an enigmatic stranger. At first Colin Thatcher seems like a safe one-night stand. But following Colin home will turn out to be the worst mistake of Mia’s life.

Blood World (Undying Mercenaries #8) by B.V. Larson (2017)

Mon, 25 Jun 2018 22:07:00 +0100

Blood World (Undying Mercenaries #8) by B.V. Larson (2017)

Author: B.V. Larson
First Published: 2017
Series: Undying Mercenaries Book 8
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

A dirty deal was struck. Humanity was allowed to keep three hundred rebellious worlds. In return, we declared war on a powerful enemy from beyond the frontier.

A frantic build-up of forces has begun, but the task is hopeless. Seeking allies, Earth’s legions are sent to BLOOD WORLD. A planet on the fringe of known space, where the people only respect masters of combat.

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson (1954)

Sun, 10 Jun 2018 21:07:00 +0100

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson (1954)

Author: Richard Matheson
First Published: 1954
Score: 8/10

Goodreads

Robert Neville is the last living man on Earth… but he is not alone. Every other man, woman and child on the planet has become a vampire, and they are hungry for Neville’s blood.

By day he is the hunter, stalking the undead through the ruins of civilisation. By night, he barricades himself in his home and prays for the dawn.

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing (1959)

Tue, 05 Jun 2018 22:54:00 +0100

Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing (1959)

Author: Alfred Lansing
First Published: January 1st 1959
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

This is a new reading of the thrilling account of one of the most astonishing feats of exploration and human courage ever recorded.

In August of 1914, the British ship Endurance set sail for the South Atlantic. In October 1915, still half a continent away from its intended base, the ship was trapped, then crushed in the ice. For five months, Sir Ernest Shackleton and his men, drifting on ice packs, were castaways in one of the most savage regions of the world.

Alien: Covenant by Alan Dean Foster (2017)

Sun, 27 May 2018 18:02:00 +0100

Alien: Covenant by Alan Dean Foster (2017)

Author: Alan Dean Foster
First Published: May 23rd 2017
Series: Alien Series
Score: 6/10

Goodreads

Ridley Scott returns to the universe he created, with Alien: Covenant, a new chapter in his groundbreaking Alien adventure. The crew of the colony ship Covenant, bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise. But it is actually a dark, dangerous world.

The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye (Millennium #5) by David Lagercrantz (2017)

Fri, 18 May 2018 22:40:00 +0100

The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye (Millennium #5) by David Lagercrantz (2017)

Author: David Lagercrantz
First Published: September 7th 2017
Series: Millennium Book 5
Score: 6/10

Goodreads

The girl with the dragon tattoo is not given to forgiveness.

Lisbeth Salander has been forged by a brutal childhood and horrific abuse. And repeated attempts on her life.

The ink embedded in her skin is a constant reminder of her pledge to fight against the injustice she finds on every side.

Rogue World (Undying Mercenaries #7) by B.V. Larson (2017)

Fri, 04 May 2018 22:51:00 +0100

Rogue World (Undying Mercenaries #7) by B.V. Larson (2017)

Author: B.V. Larson
First Published: June 13th 2017
Series: Undying Mercenaries Book 7
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

The Galactics arrived with their Battle Fleet in 2052. Rather than being exterminated under a barrage of hell-burners, Earth joined a vast Empire that spanned the Milky Way.

Today, Battle Fleet 921 is returning to Earth. It hasn’t been seen by human eyes since our blissful day of Annexation. But what should be a joyful occasion, a chance to grovel at the feet of superior lifeforms, is rapidly becoming a nightmare.

Damocles by S.G. Redling (2013)

Sun, 22 Apr 2018 17:56:00 +0100

Damocles by S.G. Redling (2013)

Author: S.G. Redling
First Published: May 28th 2013
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

When Earth is rocked by evidence that extraterrestrials may have seeded human DNA throughout the universe, a one-way expedition into deep space is mounted to uncover the truth. What linguist Meg Dupris and her crewmates aboard the Earth ship Damocles discover on Didet—a planet bathed in the near-eternal daylight of seven suns—is a humanoid race with a different language, a different look, and a surprisingly similar society.

Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism by Fumio Sasaki (2015)

Thu, 12 Apr 2018 22:26:00 +0100

Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism by Fumio Sasaki (2015)

Author: Fumio Sasaki
First Published: June 12th 2015
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

Fumio Sasaki is not an enlightened minimalism expert or organizing guru like Marie Kondo—he’s just a regular guy who was stressed out and constantly comparing himself to others, until one day he decided to change his life by saying goodbye to everything he didn’t absolutely need. The effects were remarkable: Sasaki gained true freedom, new focus, and a real sense of gratitude for everything around him. In Goodbye, Things Sasaki modestly shares his personal minimalist experience, offering specific tips on the minimizing process and revealing how the new minimalist movement can not only transform your space but truly enrich your life. The benefits of a minimalist life can be realized by anyone, and Sasaki’s humble vision of true happiness will open your eyes to minimalism’s potential.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (1932)

Sun, 08 Apr 2018 17:55:00 +0100

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (1932)

Author: Aldous Huxley
First Published: 1932
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Brave New World is a dystopian novel written in 1931 by English author Aldous Huxley, and published in 1932. Largely set in a futuristic World State of genetically modified citizens and an intelligence-based social hierarchy, the novel anticipates huge scientific developments in reproductive technology, sleep-learning, psychological manipulation, and classical conditioning that are combined to make a utopian society that goes challenged only by a single outsider.

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson (2017)

Sun, 01 Apr 2018 20:08:00 +0100

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson (2017)

Author: Neil deGrasse Tyson
First Published: May 2nd 2017
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

What is the nature of space and time? How do we fit within the universe? How does the universe fit within us? There’s no better guide through these mind-expanding questions than acclaimed astrophysicist and best-selling author Neil deGrasse Tyson.

But today, few of us have time to contemplate the cosmos. So Tyson brings the universe down to Earth succinctly and clearly, with sparkling wit, in digestible chapters consumable anytime and anywhere in your busy day. While waiting for your morning coffee to brew, or while waiting for the bus, the train, or the plane to arrive, Astrophysics for People in a Hurry will reveal just what you need to be fluent and ready for the next cosmic headlines: from the big bang to black holes, from quarks to quantum mechanics, and from the search for planets to the search for life in the universe.

Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari (2016)

Fri, 30 Mar 2018 21:10:00 +0100

Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari (2016)

Author: Yuval Noah Harari
First Published: September 8th 2016
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Yuval Noah Harari, author of the critically-acclaimed New York Times bestseller and international phenomenon Sapiens, returns with an equally original, compelling, and provocative book, turning his focus toward humanity’s future, and our quest to upgrade humans into gods.

Over the past century humankind has managed to do the impossible and rein in famine, plague, and war. This may seem hard to accept, but, as Harari explains in his trademark style—thorough, yet riveting—famine, plague and war have been transformed from incomprehensible and uncontrollable forces of nature into manageable challenges. For the first time ever, more people die from eating too much than from eating too little; more people die from old age than from infectious diseases; and more people commit suicide than are killed by soldiers, terrorists and criminals put together. The average American is a thousand times more likely to die from binging at McDonalds than from being blown up by Al Qaeda.

Origin (Robert Langdon #5) by Dan Brown (2017)

Sat, 17 Mar 2018 22:59:00 +0000

Origin (Robert Langdon #5) by Dan Brown (2017)

Author: Dan Brown
First Published: October 3rd 2017
Series: Robert Langdon Book 5
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of symbology and religious iconology, arrives at the ultramodern Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to attend a major announcement—the unveiling of a discovery that “will change the face of science forever.” The evening’s host is Edmond Kirsch, a forty-year-old billionaire and futurist whose dazzling high-tech inventions and audacious predictions have made him a renowned global figure. Kirsch, who was one of Langdon’s first students at Harvard two decades earlier, is about to reveal an astonishing breakthrough . . . one that will answer two of the fundamental questions of human existence.

The Dispatcher (The Dispatcher #1) by John Scalzi (2016)

Wed, 28 Feb 2018 22:24:00 +0000

The Dispatcher (The Dispatcher #1) by John Scalzi (2016)

Author: John Scalzi
First Published: October 4th 2016
Series: The Dispatcher Book 1
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

One day, not long from now, it becomes almost impossible to murder anyone - 999 times out of a thousand, anyone who is intentionally killed comes back. How? We don’t know. But it changes everything: war, crime, daily life.

Tony Valdez is a Dispatcher - a licensed, bonded professional whose job is to humanely dispatch those whose circumstances put them in death’s crosshairs, so they can have a second chance to avoid the reaper. But when a fellow Dispatcher and former friend is apparently kidnapped, Tony learns that there are some things that are worse than death and that some people are ready to do almost anything to avenge a supposed wrong.

Artemis by Andy Weir (2017)

Mon, 26 Feb 2018 21:59:00 +0000

Artemis by Andy Weir (2017)

Author: Andy Weir
First Published: November 14th 2017
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Jazz Bashara is a criminal. Well, sort of. Life on Artemis, the first and only city on the moon, is tough if you’re not a rich tourist or an eccentric billionaire. So smuggling in the occasional harmless bit of contraband barely counts, right? Not when you’ve got debts to pay and your job as a porter barely covers the rent.

So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport (2012)

Sun, 18 Feb 2018 18:14:00 +0000

So Good They Can’t Ignore You by Cal Newport (2012)

Author: Cal Newport
First Published: January 1st 2012
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

In this eye-opening account, Cal Newport debunks the long-held belief that “follow your passion” is good advice.

Not only is the cliché flawed-preexisting passions are rare and have little to do with how most people end up loving their work-but it can also be dangerous, leading to anxiety and chronic job hopping.

The Girl in the Spider's Web (Millennium #4) by David Lagercrantz (2015)

Sun, 11 Feb 2018 21:50:00 +0100

The Girl in the Spider’s Web (Millennium #4) by David Lagercrantz (2015)

Author: David Lagercrantz
First Published: August 27th 2015
Series: Millennium Book 4
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

Mikael Blomkvist is contacted by renowned scientist Professor Balder. Fearing for his life, but more concerned for his son’s well-being, Balder wants Millennium to publish his story.

More interesting to Blomkvist than Balder’s advances in Artificial Intelligence, is his connection with a certain female superhacker.

It seems that Lisbeth Salander, like Balder, is a target of ruthless cyber gangsters that will soon bring terror to the streets of Stockholm, the Millennium team, and Blomkvist and Salander themselves.

Alien: Covenant Origins by Alan Dean Foster (2017)

Fri, 26 Jan 2018 22:27:00 +0100

Alien: Covenant Origins by Alan Dean Foster (2017)

Author: Alan Dean Foster
First Published: September 26th 2017
Series: Alien Series
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

The Covenant mission is the most ambitious endeavor in the history of Weyland-Yutani. A ship bound for Origae-6, carrying two thousand colonists beyond the limits of known space, this is make-or-break investment for the corporation-and for the future of all mankind.Yet there are those who would die to stop the mission. As the colony ship hovers in Earth orbit, several violent events reveal a deadly conspiracy to sabotage the launch. While Captain Jacob Branson and his wife, Daniels, complete their preparations, security chief Daniel Lope recruits the final key member of his team. Together they seek to stop the perpetrators before the ship and its passengers can be destroyed.

Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us by Seth Godin (2008)

Thu, 18 Jan 2018 22:26:00 +0000

Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us by Seth Godin (2008)

Author: Seth Godin
First Published: October 16th 2008
Score: 5/10

Goodreads

A tribe is any group of people, large or small, who are connected to one another, a leader, and an idea. For millions of years, humans have been seeking out tribes, be they religious, ethnic, economic, political, or even musical (think of the Deadheads). It’s our nature.

Now the Internet has eliminated the barriers of geography, cost, and time. All those blogs and social networking sites are helping existing tribes get bigger. But more important, they’re enabling countless new tribes to be born - groups of ten or ten thousand or ten million who care about their iPhones, or a political campaign, or a new way to fight global warming.

Home World (Undying Mercenaries #6) by B.V. Larson (2016)

Sun, 14 Jan 2018 22:39:00 +0100

Home World (Undying Mercenaries #6) by B.V. Larson (2016)

Author: B.V. Larson
First Published: May 24th 2016
Series: Undying Mercenaries Book 6
Score: 7/10

Goodreads

The Galactics arrived with their Battle Fleet in 2052. Rather than being exterminated under a barrage of hell-burners, Earth joined a vast Empire that spanned the Milky Way.

When the Earth is invaded by a rival empire, James McGill’s legion must defend the Home World. The top brass has complex plans, but none of that matters much to McGill, who chooses his own unique path. Traveling to star systems no human has ever visited, he searches for a technological edge to beat the enemy before it’s too late. Along the way he unleashes new terrors, triggering the biggest battles in human history.

1984 by George Orwell (1949)

Mon, 01 Jan 2018 21:57:00 +0000

1984 by George Orwell (1949)

Author: George Orwell
First Published: June 8th 1949
Score: 9/10

Goodreads

Among the seminal texts of the 20th century, Nineteen Eighty-Four is a rare work that grows more haunting as its futuristic purgatory becomes more real. Published in 1949, the book offers political satirist George Orwell’s nightmare vision of a totalitarian, bureaucratic world and one poor stiff’s attempt to find individuality. The brilliance of the novel is Orwell’s prescience of modern life–the ubiquity of television, the distortion of the language–and his ability to construct such a thorough version of hell. Required reading for students since it was published, it ranks among the most terrifying novels ever written.