https://books.everythingsings.art A personal reading journal — reviews of every book I've finished since 2019. en https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/the-singularity-is-nearer/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/the-singularity-is-nearer/ 14 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT Recommended to those looking for a boost of technological optimism. https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/the-coming-wave/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/the-coming-wave/ 28 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Technologists must remember, "with great power comes great responsibility". Technology has always been a tool, and tools can build or destroy, but the coming wave of AI and synthetic biology may be the first tools capable of outpacing the hands that built them. I believe in the power of optimism, but that doesn't mean we can be blind to the potential risks of the coming wave. This book outlines potential failure scenarios, related to AI and other emerging technologies, but not as a call to panic https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/the-beginning-of-infinity/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/the-beginning-of-infinity/ 28 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT "Problems are inevitable, and problems are soluble." I can't agree with everything in this book but I do agree with its optimism. I'm excited to see what problems humanity solves, and for what comes after. https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/universal-principles-of-design/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/universal-principles-of-design/ 23 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT This book offers lots of thorough design concepts in an encyclopedic format. My main interest in design is User Experience design, as software is one of my primary focuses, but this had a lot of design principles that were outside of software. Even if a concept wasn't entirely related to software, I could still relate some principles to software design. This book was really interesting and had a nice mix of reading and visual information. As someone focused on software design, I found this book https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/co-intelligence/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/co-intelligence/ 12 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT I listened to this book as an audiobook, and while the author's pronunciation was occasionally difficult to understand, it didn't significantly detract from the overall experience. However, it's worth noting if you prefer reading for clarity. The book offers a thorough exploration of our evolving AI landscape, blending perspectives from both academia and business. While some concepts weren't entirely new to me, the content remained consistently engaging. The author covered a broad spectrum of id https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/read-write-own/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/read-write-own/ 01 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT I was exposed to this through Rick Rubin's podcast, Tetragrammaton, and listened to it on Audible. I became intrigued about Chris' ideas while listening to the podcast, and realized we share a lot of thoughts, so from there it was a quick decision to get his book. 'Read Write Own' is a fairly technical exploration of blockchain technology and the historical progression of the Internet as a whole. I've always been a computer nerd, so I really enjoyed the experience. Chris Dixon (American entrepre https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/what-is-chatgpt-doing-and-why-does-it-work/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/what-is-chatgpt-doing-and-why-does-it-work/ 26 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMT I loved this quick little read. Its "typical time to read" is 3 hours on Amazon and it felt about that long. The first part of the book was a pretty thorough explanation of the inner workings of large language models. I'm not very well educated in the details, most of my experience is in directly interacting with artificial intelligence, not theory. A lot of it was over my head, but very interesting. The second part seemed to be about the differences between ChatGPT and Wolfram|Alpha, one of Ste https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/reality-hunger/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/reality-hunger/ 18 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT I was intrigued by this book from the second I read the title right through to the very end. "Reality Hunger"? How can we hunger for something we are so steeped in? How could there be anything but Reality, so where would this hunger come from? Our age is one of change. An age of remixing, an age of reflection and disruption. 'Reality Hunger' is composed of many quotes, which have had their authors stripped from them and placed in the back of the book (and then we're told to ignore them), for art https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/the-creative-act-a-way-of-being/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/the-creative-act-a-way-of-being/ 31 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT We're all creatives in some fashion. How conscious are we of our creative process? How can we discover more about our creativity? What stops us from creating to the best of our potential? I've listened to this book multiple times through this year and it's incredibly rewarding each time. Not only does each chapter offer incredible, direct insight, but you can feel the wisdom behind each beautiful sentence. These lessons are carried into my everyday living, my programming and my conversations, an https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/dogs-of-war/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/dogs-of-war/ 11 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT "Dogs of War" by Adrian Tchaikovsky is a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant novel that explores the ethical implications of bioengineering and artificial intelligence. The story follows a pack of augmented animals, led by the dog Rex, a bloodthirsty monster that just follows orders. Throughout the story, Tchaikovsky's prose is vivid and evocative, bringing the reader into the minds of the characters and immersing them in the world of the novel. The author expertly weaves together themes https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/swift-design-patterns/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/swift-design-patterns/ 17 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMT I'm a big fan of Paul's work, and this book demonstrates his commitment to creating quality content once again. Paul says "great code is thoughtful code", and then goes on to show us what makes code thoughtful with plentiful examples ranging from MVC, MVVM, SwiftUI architecture, and even into more detailed concepts like associative storage and key paths. This book focuses on Swift but also does a good job at including the more classic, language agnostic patterns all while providing helpful examp https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/cage-of-souls/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/cage-of-souls/ 23 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT "Cage of Souls" by Adrian is a captivating science-fiction novel that explores the complexities of psychology through its intricate and perplexing characters. The book takes place in a harsh world where people imprison one another, but the real prisons are the ones inside the mind. The author's use of the first-person autobiography format adds depth to the protagonist's voice and makes the setting, a forgotten world filled with strange devices and mysterious spires, entirely convincing. The auth https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/atomic-habits/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/atomic-habits/ 12 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT It's special to me that this would be my one-hundredth book review. I didn't plan it like that. In 2019 I had the idea to form a habit around one of my favorite activities. I figured if I were to make a habit of reading I might as well try to create something from it as well. James said "behind every system of actions are a system of beliefs", and it was my belief in the value of literature and conversation that led me to build on this rewarding habit. Keeping these book reviews has reinforced m https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/create-an-impact/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/create-an-impact/ 09 Oct 2022 00:00:00 GMT I'll start this review by revealing I'm a little biased. This was written by the CEO of my employer, In Time Tec. Jeet is someone that has inspired me nearly since I first met him, and this book is a great insight into his backstory and his transformative perspectives on life. From my experiences with Jeet it's evident he's a powerful leader. He gets things done and is aware of the importance of money, but he also very clearly cares about people and their quality of life. This is the main inspir https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/the-martian/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/the-martian/ 15 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMT I have to admit this was pretty entertaining, but a very specific kind of entertaining. Andy Weir's style is a unique mix of detailed science and witty humor. There's lengthy figures of calculations and meticulous plans, and there's also silly jokes. This style was also present in 95 Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir, and so I'm happy to see it in 'The Martian' as well. I wouldn't recommend it to everyone but that's just because of the level of detail in the science. I can't claim it's one hundred p https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/rich-dad-poor-dad/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/rich-dad-poor-dad/ 10 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMT The ultimate lesson of this book seems to be that your greatest asset is your mind, which is a lesson I can certainly appreciate. Actions are necessary for change to occur, but these actions are generated from our perception and perspective of reality, our knowledge of value and opportunities, our ability to form good habits. If you don't know how to use money to your advantage, then no amount of income will help you become financially secure. I think this book is worth reading for anybody inter https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/recursion/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/recursion/ 31 Jul 2022 00:00:00 GMT A genius following her curiosity uncovers a way to shape a fundamental cornerstone of reality: memory, and our experience of a singular timeline. We all have things in our past that we want to change, events that could irrevocably change millions of lives. Offering a unique perspective on the Mandela Effect, this is a thrilling read that makes you question concepts such as memory, time, and our relationship with fate and the permanence of events. This was my first time reading a book by Blake Cr https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/project-hail-mary/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/project-hail-mary/ 06 Jul 2022 00:00:00 GMT This was my first exposure to Andy Weir and I'm really impressed. Not only was this a great example of hard sci-fi, but it was funny too. Many of the scientific concepts he touched on were explored in ways that were both accessible and exhaustive. There were definitely concepts that were creatively outside the bounds of science as we know it, but the bounds were pushed in a believable manner, and the scientific method was at the forefront throughout the story. It really put a focus on the main c https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/the-doors-of-eden/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/the-doors-of-eden/ 21 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT Another innovative and exciting creation from Adrian Tchaikovsky, and one that felt like just the beginning of something very large and strange. The beginning was a little slow, but by the end I felt like the story could go anywhere and still be interesting. The characters weren't amazing, but not bad either. I felt connected to their lives and relationships and it was satisfying to see the resolutions. The "aliens" in this book were as high quality as I'd expect from Adrian, and it's really exc https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/the-hero-of-ages/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/the-hero-of-ages/ 08 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT The ending this series deserves. Brandon Sanderson has this way in his writing of subtly leaving hints here and there of what's to come, until the time comes and he pulls back the curtain and leaves you in awe. The buildup in this series is a bit longer, or at least it felt that way, but the payoff was still incredibly satisfying. All the plot details that had me wondering, and even slightly complaining at times, are resolved. More than resolved. Perfected. This will be one of my intentionally v https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/eyes-of-the-void/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/eyes-of-the-void/ 16 May 2022 00:00:00 GMT A jaw-dropping expansion to the universe being explored in this series. The way that Adrian plays with suspense and feelings of deep mystery create an atmosphere that could be described as Lovecraftian. Though this cosmic horror style is very present, it's still first and foremost a science fiction novel. There is a common thread throughout the stories in this series that focus on the manipulation of gravity as a tool in itself, which isn't something I often see in science fiction, but the deliv https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/the-expert-system-s-champion/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/the-expert-system-s-champion/ 30 Apr 2022 00:00:00 GMT This awesome series is fundamentally a story of Immunity; a condition of being able to resist a particular disease especially through preventing development of a pathogenic microorganism or by counteracting the effects of its products. But diseases do not only manifest within a body. When ecosystems are carefully balanced to support specific ways of life, any type of change can seem like a disease, and appropriate counteractions are deployed. With all of our dreams and discussions of exploring n https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/the-book-of-all-skies/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/the-book-of-all-skies/ 26 Apr 2022 00:00:00 GMT The spirit of exploration and discovery motivates us to challenge what's possible and to go beyond boundaries that few have crossed. I love this concept philosophically, but the story's delivery just wasn't very entertaining. The setting is very creative, albeit sometimes hard to imagine, and I enjoyed learning more about the disparate cultures featured in this novel. The creativity of the world has a hard time making up for the less creative aspects though. The characters weren't extremely impr https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/the-well-of-ascension/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/the-well-of-ascension/ 02 Apr 2022 00:00:00 GMT Going into this book, I expected a lot of my questions to be answered. Some of them were. But just like I expect from a good series, even more questions were raised. It's very exciting to see the character growth, from the main characters like Vin and Elend and even the more minor ones are developing nicely. At this point I'm starting to see more of the Cosmere come through. Although I still don't think I can compare it to Stormlight, it's very satisfying and intriguing. The story arc is really https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/the-final-empire/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/the-final-empire/ 13 Mar 2022 00:00:00 GMT I have to admit that this wasn't as good as some of Sanderson's other writing, such as The Stormlight Archive. I attribute this to the fact that this is some of his earliest writing, and even with that in mind I still found this to be a creative and enjoyable read. The characters sucked me in, the world was intriguing and mysterious, and the magic system was as impressive as Sanderson's other creations. I can tell there's a lot of room for creative expression with the foundations he's laid, and https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/the-expert-system-s-brother/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/the-expert-system-s-brother/ 26 Feb 2022 00:00:00 GMT This was a unique read. There was just enough mystery in the beginning to keep me hooked but not so much that I was left confused and reeling. It wasn't overtly science fiction until the story developed more, but even still it had an underlying flavor of science fiction that had me questioning the world. I loved the characters different motives as each one was a perspective I could relate to. Even the supposed antagonist was somebody that I felt I could be sucked into following along with. I thi https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/elder-race/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/elder-race/ 19 Feb 2022 00:00:00 GMT An incredibly impressive work, 'Elder Race' brings to life the Arthur C. Clarke quote “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Written from the perspective of an anthropologist documenting his time among the off-spring of humanity's great space migration, we see the complex emotions that arise from being so close to your distant relatives, recognizing the commonalities of Humanity within them, and yet being so advanced that you may as well be a different species. N https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/warbreaker/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/warbreaker/ 01 Feb 2022 00:00:00 GMT Absolutely amazing. The beginning was a bit slow, but some time is needed to set the scene and characters. The slow ramp up almost reflects the characters' naivety about the world, we see what they see, which is a lot of surface observations in the very beginning. But once it ramps up, it really ramps, in worthy Sanderson style. I prefer a book to use action scenes sparingly, and Warbreaker fits this bill. Even though Warbreaker's magic system leaves the potential for epic battle scenes, these o https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/termination-shock/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/termination-shock/ 05 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT Termination Shock had a different kind of flavor than the other stories I've read from Stephenson, but it still had his characteristic wit and charm. He can make the most ordinary observations a pleasure to read about. A lot of the story was following the characters most involved in trying to pump the brakes on the climate crisis, and while this could be political or abstract at times he also finds a way to feature drone warfare and super soldiers. With that said I quite enjoyed the abstract geo https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/shards-of-earth/ https://books.everythingsings.art/reviews/shards-of-earth/ 30 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMT This is one of those books where the characters start to feel like family. A diverse group of people (and non-people) work together to take on a challenge bigger than their known universe, and even though I would say there's a single star of the show, they all contribute in unique ways that are ultimately a necessity. This wasn't only demonstrated through their diverse personalities but their cultures as well. Each culture and government has its quirks that results in very interesting interactio