Book Review - Last 3 Months

Hello folks, this is my book list for the past 3 months. It ranges from tech and start-up related to Japanese and kid stories. Here's my quick review.

Lean UX

Lean UX: Applying Lean Principles to Improve User Experience is the second book I read on the subject after first reading UX for Lean Startups.

It is published before UX for Lean Startups and is much more about principles than any practical methods. Honestly I'm not sure if I took any real value out of it. Maybe if I had read these two books in reverse order it would have been better.

The Hacienda - How Not to Run a Club

The Hacienda: How Not to Run a Club by Peter Hook is one of my favorites. It covers a great deal of music and clubland history, depicts crazy parties and describes the adventure of owning one of the most popular nightclubs in the world. All of that while struggling to make a buck and pouring countless pounds into a black hole.

The irony is The Hacienda became a legendary place only after it had closed down and later on being demolished.

A must read for anyone who is considering business in the entertainment industry or wants to read a piece of history. My favorite quote of the book:

Years after, Tony Wilson found himself sitting opposite Madonna at dinner.

‘I eventually plucked up the courage to look across the table to Madonna and ask, “Are you aware that the first place you appeared outside of New York was our club in Manchester?”

‘She gave me an ice-cold stare and said, “My memory seems to have wiped that.”’

Simple Science Experiments

Simple Science Experiments by Hans Jürgen Press is a very old book listing 200 experiments which you can do at home using household materials. It is great for teaching basic science to children. The book is very popular and is available in many languages and editions - just search for it.

I used to have this as a kid and was able to purchase the 1987 Bulgarian edition at an antique bookstore in Varna two months ago.

Ronia, the Robber's Daughter

Decided to experiment a little bit and found Ronia, the Robber's Daughter. It's a child's book telling the story of two kids whose fathers are rival robbers. The book is an easy read (2-3 hrs before bed time) with stories of magic woods, dwarfs and scary creatures mixed with human emotions and the good vs. bad theme.

Japanese Short Stories

I've managed to find a 1973 compilation of Japanese short stories translated into Bulgarian. Also one of my favorite books.

If I'm not mistaken these are classic Japanese authors, nothing modern or cutting edge. Most of the action happens during the early 1900s as far as I can tell. What impresses me most is the detailed description of nature and surrounding details in all of the stories.

The Singularity Is Near

I've also started The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology by Ray Kurzweil.

It's a bit hard to read because the book is full of so many technical details about genetics, nanotechnology, robotics and AI.

Ray depicts a bright future where humans will transcend our biological limitations and essentially become pure intelligence. Definitely a good read and I will tell you more about it when I finish it.

What have you been reading since January ? I'd love to see your book list or connect on Goodreads.