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Randy
Randy is 28% done with The Swerve: How the World Became Modern
Marvelous. The History of Epicureanism (and its myriad detractors) and De Rerum Natura is eye opening, to say the least.
Aug 18, 2025 12:51AM Add a comment
The Swerve: How the World Became Modern

Randy
Randy is on page 5 of 368 of Endless Forms Most Beautiful: The New Science of Evo Devo
Oooooohhh, this is a terrific book! Just what I was looking for to rekindle the wonder I once had for the study of biology at all levels, but especially the role of rvolution in organismal biology, as evinced in zoology, my first degree and vehicle to appreciate science and nature in all its complexities.
Jul 25, 2025 10:43AM Add a comment
Endless Forms Most Beautiful: The New Science of Evo Devo

Randy
Randy is 20% done with The Almost Nearly Perfect People: Behind the Myth of the Scandinavian Utopia
I'm re-reading this, cause I need solace after the solstice -- winter is nigh.
Jan 29, 2025 12:06PM Add a comment
The Almost Nearly Perfect People: Behind the Myth of the Scandinavian Utopia

Randy
Randy is on page 80 of 320 of The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783-1789
I'm enjoying this so far. Ellis does a nice job of presaging the need for a stronger federal gov't during the Rev War given the poor team spirit among the states and their willingness to leave the army's needs unmet and bills unpaid. This also shows how out of touch Jefferson forever remained in insisting that an anti-federal gov't or bank system could ever ground America in any kind of workable operational model.
Oct 20, 2022 02:43PM Add a comment
The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783-1789

Randy
Randy is 5% done with Human Compatible: Artificial Intelligence and the Problem of Control
Outstandingly clear and focused writing. This is simply the best informed book on the state of AI I've read, and Russell's observations are the most plausible and insightful in illuminating the deep complexities already arising from the many aspects of life AI affects, much less those yet to come.
Mar 14, 2022 01:44PM Add a comment
Human Compatible: Artificial Intelligence and the Problem of Control

Randy
Randy is 66% done with The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin
Knowledgeable author, but Brands' style is nearly as indirect and difficult to parse as the texts written in Franklin's day.

Brands ably reveals how haphazard the colonial gov't was then, from the powerless US provincial assemblies (ignored by the Governors, Proprietors, Parliament, and the King) to the absence of coherent guidance given diplomats like Franklin to curry their favor. Revolution *was* inevitable.
Mar 14, 2022 01:38PM Add a comment
The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin

Randy
Randy is 25% done with Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire: A 500-Year History
Very thorough scholarship of the many examples of not just religion but capitalism and marketing have played in making Americans unusually receptive toward fantastic possible worlds, both hopeful and fearful.
Dec 07, 2020 10:00AM Add a comment
Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire: A 500-Year History

Randy
Randy is 38% done with Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States
As always, Bryson does not disappoint — the best writer of nonfiction I know.
Aug 04, 2019 09:33PM Add a comment
Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States

Randy
Randy is on page 30 of 554 of Architects of Intelligence: The truth about AI from the people building it
So far, outstanding. The interview with Stuart Russell was especially insightful, especially his thoughts on the limitations inherent in using deep learning alone to build AGI.
Jan 06, 2019 05:23PM Add a comment
Architects of Intelligence: The truth about AI from the people building it

Randy
Randy is on page 100 of 310 of Curious: The Desire to Know and Why Your Future Depends On It
Good, but the author often summarizes a concept by drawing the wrong conclusion. A bit maddening.
Feb 01, 2016 02:04PM Add a comment
Curious: The Desire to Know and Why Your Future Depends On It

Randy
Randy is on page 111 of 400 of Machines of Loving Grace: The Quest for Common Ground Between Humans and Robots
Simply outstanding. Markoff has done his homework.
Aug 30, 2015 01:26PM Add a comment
Machines of Loving Grace: The Quest for Common Ground Between Humans and Robots

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