I just love how comprehensive this book is. I learnt a lot about history, physics, chemistry, politics and human nature. It's fascinating how much lucI just love how comprehensive this book is. I learnt a lot about history, physics, chemistry, politics and human nature. It's fascinating how much luck, chances, serendipity and individual heroism were involved in the making of the Atomic Bomb and in shaping the world afterwards.
Human endurance is fascinating. Why is that at some point we can't run further, or faster? What is stopping us from killing ourselves by running too hHuman endurance is fascinating. Why is that at some point we can't run further, or faster? What is stopping us from killing ourselves by running too hard or in most cases we stop before we even start hurting ourselves. Is it the brain? Is it the muscles that stop responding? Is it lack of oxygen or lactate?
I enjoyed this book immensely. I guess it's a rather niche book for people interested in science, progress, technology and flying cars at the same timI enjoyed this book immensely. I guess it's a rather niche book for people interested in science, progress, technology and flying cars at the same time, but for those, it is great.
Turns out to answer where is my flying car we need to dive deep into the progress studies, nuclear, avionics, civil engineering, nanotechnology, history and so much more.
This book is a perfect example of why I love to read. Very smart author spends 10 years researching multiple domains and I can just read the summary of it in days. What an investment :)...more
I'd love everyone to read this book. It helps in realizing that every technology has a trade off. Some would be better off forgotten than used. It alsI'd love everyone to read this book. It helps in realizing that every technology has a trade off. Some would be better off forgotten than used. It also shows that even in 21st century, we still have plenty of leftovers from dark ages way of thinking. There are still people that don't vaccine their children, takes lots of multivitamins and believe in every new easy fix for their lives - even though there is 0 proper research confirming their beliefs and plenty that shows the opposite is true.
Everyone is guilty of that on some level. Some time ago I replaced every plastic container in my house for a BPA-free replacement because I had read some article. Turns out, there is 0 evidence that containers that have BPA can hurt us.
Thanks to this book I hope I will have a bit more of a scientific approach towards things in my life.
4 stars instead of 5 because I think the author simplifies some things too much. I'd love to have those stories more in depth but I guess then every one of those stories should be a separate book....more
This book published in 1997 defines a framework for thinking about state-citizen relationship, its consequences and how Internet will change things (yThis book published in 1997 defines a framework for thinking about state-citizen relationship, its consequences and how Internet will change things (yes, the book mentioned cryptocurrency, remote work and a lot of other things that we can actually see now- published in 1997!).
Reading the book a quarter of a century after publication is fascinating. First of all, the framework stood the test of time (as so many predictions were correct, and other we can see unfolding now). Second of all, it also predicts what next and most importantly, how to think about it and have one's own conclusions.
The only major thing that it missed, is the raise of China. Which also encourages me to learn more about it as it seems that the world is kind of surprised by how quickly China is becoming the dominant country in the world.
Overall, the book is repetitive in places and not all is relevant now (e.g Y2K problem or some political challenges in the USA in 90'). So. 5 starts for how good it is as a food for thought, probably 3.5 for the actual reading experience. Still, I'm happy to go through 10x more drab books if they manage to alter my thinking on so many things. ...more
I'm always afraid when I start to read a biography and it's more than 900 pages. I'm not interested in every single detail of somebody's life.
Turns oI'm always afraid when I start to read a biography and it's more than 900 pages. I'm not interested in every single detail of somebody's life.
Turns out, Washington's life provides interesting content for 900 pages and easily more. My curiosity for the life of a leader of emerging nation and the actual details of how the USA came to be is satisfied.
Very well researched, good writing, easy to follow. For anyone interested, a good read....more
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