Ralph's No-CAD Reading List
When I'm not writing about CAD, I'm reading about CAD. Sometimes, though, I wander off into that "other" world, the world of non-CAD topics. Here is my list of no-CAD books that I read over the last couple of years:
"No Logo: Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies"
by Naomi Klein
She's become the poster girl for the anti-globalization movement.
Basically, if you are against Wal-Mart moving into your town,
you'll like this book because it agrees with your point of view.
Ironically, Ms Klein had the book published by Random House, one
of those multinational brands she would protest against. (She
says she had no choice after 20 other publishers rejected her
manuscript.)
While I'm not against globalization (where would upFront.eZine
be without it?), I do object to corporations getting us to pay
for advertising their logos on our clothing. Isn't the advertiser
supposed to pay? No logos for me! (I even scrape the dealer's
name off the back of my newly-purchased vehicle.)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312271921
"The Atlas of Experience"
by Louise van Swaaij and Jean Klare
Now translated into English, this is a geography book of human
experience. The pair have created a fictional country (that looks
like a cross between Australia and Europe) and given it place
names like the city of Self Confidence, the Slough of Depression,
and the airport of Freedom. The book describes each section of
the map with witty quotes and laconic comments.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0747550476
"Arctic Crossing: A Journey through the Northwest Passage
and Inuit Culture"
by Jonathan Waterman
This book could be subtitled, "A white male angry at his
heritage indulges in reverse racism." Or perhaps "Never
burn your own culture while kayaking through the freezing water
of another's."
The author announces he will kayak his way across the north coast
of Canada, and attempt to report neutrally on the Inuit culture
he comes across. While repeatedly taking stabs at the Europeans
who introduced new diseases and handwriting (an abomination, in
his opinion), he finds himself having to not disagree with practices
such as female infanticide (which ended just a hundred years earlier
due to the influence of interfering Christians and natives from
the south), rape (he uses the prettier term "nonconsensual
sex"), bestiality, killing pregnant whales, and littering.
Something to offend everyone.
Near the end of the book, the author finds his limit to neutral
opinion when invited to eat crunchy larvae from infected caribou
meat. "They taste like mushrooms," he is told.
Canadian readers will be amused by the goof-ups in describing
our culture, such as the reference to the 'Toronto Globe and Mail,'
an in-joke among Canadians misunderstood by the American author.
The photos, however, are beautiful.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0375404090
"Trust Us, We're Experts: How Industry Manipulates
Science and Gambles with Your Future"
by Sheldon Rampton and John Stauber
Perhaps the most interesting book I've read so far this year,
the authors describe how corporations (starting with Microsoft)
repeatedly purchase third-party endorsements to sell their product.
The tactic is simple: you are more likely to believe an independent
industry group saying positive things about a product; one of
the most familiar is that logo of approval on the Crest toothpaste
tube. A group doesn't exist for your industry? Help fund its creation;
just don't let the media find out!
By two-thirds of the way through this book, though, the question
of balance comes up. The authors show their bias by repeatedly
describing how corporations fool the public, but there is never
any discussion of how advocacy groups do the same. In this neck
of the woods, the most recent examples were the invention of "The
Great Bear Rainforest" and "The Spirit Bear" by
a New York pr firm on behalf of client Greenpeace. Still, the
book a great tutorial how to detect the marketing tactic of the
third-party endorsement.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/158542059X
"The Art of Pastoring: Ministry Without All the Answers"
by David Hansen
The author is perhaps one of the most realistic voices on what
ails some churches of today. He specializes in the small church,
which, he says, has a greater strength to resist the pressure
to conform to society than do large churches seeking to increase
their numbers. This book describes his experiences working as
pastor for a tiny church in Bitterroot Valley, Montana.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0830816690
"The
Art of the Long View: Planning for the Future in an Uncertain
World."
Robert Shwartz describes a method used by Shell Oil and other
successful corporations to plan for the future by guessing three
possible outcomes: (1) things will only improve [this is, unfortunately,
the only possible outcome most corporations plan for]; (2) things
will get worse in our industry; and (3) things will change in
ways we cannot forecast.
Currency Doubleday: 272pp; US$15.95. For more info or to purchase
online from Amazon.com
"The
Coming Anarchy: Shattering the Dreams of the Post Cold War"
Robert Kaplan is a journalist who casts a dour eye on the future
of democracy. He says that a democracy works only in countries
with a thriving middle class that pays its taxes. In all other
countries, we should not be trying to force democracy -- Russia,
Ivory Coast, Yugoslavia, etc -- because it leads to the horrors
we currently witness on tv. He also condems the new "holocaust"
mentality in American foreign policy, and proposes a vision for
the future of the United Nations.
Random House: 198pp; US$21.95. For more info or to purchase
online from Amazon.com
"Darwin's
Leap of Faith: Exposing the False Religion of Evolution"
I've been reading a number of books over the last couple of years
that deal with the problem of reconciling science and religion.
In brief, "Science is Fact; religion is Faith," and
there ends the discussion. But increasingly, scientists and theologians
are beginning to approach each other across the divide. There
is an increasing awareness that much of science is based on faith
(a.k.a. theories) and that much of religion, such as Christianity,
is based on fact (a.k.a. archaeology). Of the ones I've been reading,
this is a more lightweight treatment by John Ankerberg and John
Weldon. They place they emphasis on how evolution has become the
religion of today's society, instead of remaining a theory within
science.
Harvest House Publishers: 392pp; US$11.99. For more info or
to purchase online from Amazon.com
"Dragonfly
Beetle Butterly Bee"
I love lavishly illustrated books, and this is another in my collection.
Maryjo Kock handlettered and illustrated this entire, large book.
It is a joy to the eye, as well as a reference book on insects.
She has written similar titles on "Pond Lake River Sea"
and "Seed Leaf Flower Fruit."
Collins Publishers; US$14.98. For more info or to purchase
online from Amazon.com
Book Review by Howard Cohen: "The
First Conglomerate: 145 Years of the Singer Sewing Machine Company"
by Don Bissell
In the way of background, I note the following. Don is a personal
friend whom I met during my days as director of The Boston Computer
Society's CAD Special Interest Group. He spent years working as
an engineering supervisor (mostly CAD related) at the Portsmouth
Navy Shipyard (hated Intergraph, loved AutoCAD). His first love
is writing, and has done so extensively in trade and technical
magazines. This work was the fulfillment of his personal ambition
to become a recognized writer outside of the world of technology.
The book is extremely well written, and recounts the history of
a segment of American industry that is really unique. I wouldn't
suggest that "you can't put it down, etc." but it does
made good summer fare. Singer and his partner were marketing geniuses,
pioneering real mass marketing -- "a dollar down, a dollar
a week," a machine in every home, simple to operate, easy
to fix. They created the ever popular Singer Sewing Centers in
every town's business district, with the young woman sitting at
her Singer in the store window, busy sewing.
Audenreed Press: 250pp; US$19.95. For more info or to purchase
online from Amazon.com
The
Art of the Market: Two Centuries of American Business
as Seen Through Its Stock Certificates
by Bob Tamarkin and Les Krantz
A large book, lavished illustrated solely by
stock certificates. The authors empahsize the fine engraved details
by often printing extreme enlargements. Stock certificates often
emphasize the "progressive" nature of the company, the
books shows how the certificates change their illustration to
match current politic thought.
Historical
Atlas of British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest:
Maps of Exploration
by Derek Hayes
I always find old maps fascinating. It is easy
enough to find books of old maps for the rest of the world, but
this is the first I know of that concentrates on British Columbia
and Yukon (part of Canada, where I live), as well as the American
states of Washington, Oregon, and Alaska. The oldest map is from
1569. Many of the maps are accompanied by a historical or current-day
photograph. My favorite series shows the negotiations between
Canada and the USA over their border in the West: the USA proposed
a border that ran as far north as the southern tip of the Alaska
pan-handle, while Canada's proposal was down by Oregon.
Reason
in the Balance: The Case Against Naturalism in Science,
Law, and Education
by Phillip E. Johnson
In their work, scientists assume that God does
not exist; they assume that "nature" is all that exists
-- this is called "naturalism." Johnson notes that science
has replaced faith in God with faith in Evolution -- an unprovable
theory. He also shows that in today's North American government-run
schools, students are expected to make up their own minds in all
areas -- except in the area of evolution. In the science classroom,
school boards have forced intolerance upon teachers and students
who choose to beleive a theory of the origin of life other than
the "politically correct" evolution.
The
Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation
of the Evidence for Jesus
by Lee Strobel
Strobel was the crime reporter for a Chicago
newspaper. After his wife went wierd (became a Christian), he
decided to apply his investigative journalism abilities to see
if there was sufficient evidence that would prove Jesus claims
in a modern court of law. He interviews experts in biography,
science, psychology, fingerprint, medical, and circumstancial
evidence. He finds there is more evidence corroborating Jesus
existence and claims (son of God, etc) than for any other historical
figure in the same millennial era.
Seventeen
Ways to Eat a Mango: A Discovered Journal of Life on
an Island of Miracles
by Joshua Kadison
This journal, "discovered" in an
Italian railway station, tells of J's experiences on a tropical
island. He's there to scout the potential of a mango canning factory,
but ends up realizing there are more important things in life.
"When a mango appears to be ordinary, it is only because
we are not looking well enough to see what is extraordinary about
it," says his new friend Katchumo. This book entirely
hand-lettered, printed on a reproduction of hand-made paper.
The
Arrow Scrapbook
by Peter Zuuring
In the 1950s, Canada was on its way building
the world's fastest, most manouverable jet fighter airplane. But
the Avro Arrow project got bogged down, and the Prime Minister
of the time eventually shut down the project. Years later, Canadians
wonder if the PM gave into pressure from the Americans,
who were not keen on another country having superior air power.
This "scrapbook" fully documents the decade-long project
and its scrapping.
Home
from the Vinyl Cafe: A Year of Stories
by Stuart McLean
The author is well-known to listeners of CBC
Radio 1. Over the years, he has wryly described the life of Dave,
his family, his nieghbourhood, and Dave's inner fears that drive
him into a comedy of errors; this book collects 16 of the stories.
A fun read for adults, as well as my 11- and 13-year old daughter
and son.
The
Red Shoes, and Other Tattered Tales
by Karen Elizabeth Gordon
I've read two other books by her -- Paris
Out of Hand: A Wayward Guide and The
Disheveled Dictionary: A Curious Caper Through Our Sumptuous Lexicon.
Gordon has an amazing ability to contort the English language
in a remarkable manner, such as: "She knitted a loud woolen
cap of her recriminations and yanked it over his head."
The
Victorious Engineer
by Joel Orr
Joel Orr's column is the one thing I
read in every issue of Computer Aided Engineering magazine.
This book is an edited collection of his columns, which argue
that an engineer's job consists of more than showing up for work
and getting just your job done.
Spilling
Open: The Art of Becoming Yourself
by Sabrina Ward Harrison
This book is meant to be the fictional
journal of a teenage girl, though the author is now 23. The riot
of color, images, and distressed text that flood every page is
a feast for the visual sense.
I
Believe: Exploring the Apostle's Creed
by Alister McGrath
A book that explores the most important
elements of the Christian faith. McGrath covers the Apostle's
creed in one section per chapter.
The
Cuckoo's Egg: Tracking a Spy Through the Maze of Computer
Espionage
by Cliff Stoll
This is a book I had never been able
to find, until recently. Stoll is given the drudge task of improving
the accounting system at Lawrence Berkeley Lab, when he notices
a 75-cent error. This leads him to track down a hacker. Possible
the most exciting book I've ever read -- I managed to read it
in under 20 hours, including sleep time.
Fakes,
Frauds, and Flimflammery: Even More of the World's
Most Outrageous Scams
by Andreas Schroeder
Every so often, I hear the author of
this book on CBC Radio's 'Basic
Black' program describing how people and organizations are scammed
in amazing ways. This book collects a dozen of the stories. The
sad realization is that many people want to be hoodwinked,
because it gives them something to believe in -- even if it is
a lie.
Spinwars:
Politics and the New Media
by Bill Fox
Fox has been on both sides -- a newspaper
reporter, and then the media liaison for a Canadian prime minister.
In this book, he describes how "spin" has got out of
control, and the interplay between politics, the press, and public
policy -- the press and the politicians need each other to survive.
His writing, unfortunately, is somewhat disjointed. Although he
sees the Internet as the tool for killing the spin doctor, his
observations of the Internet are amusingly naiive.
Modern
Fascism: Liquidating the Judeo-Christian Worldview
by Gene Edward Veith
This book was written to cause "a
careful rethinking of the culture, politics, and spiritual forces
of our time. While fascism was defeated militarily in World War
II, the ideas of fascism are flourishing today in ... intellectualism,
atheistic existentialism, deconstructionism, and mass media culture."
While I sometimes got the feeling that Veith sees a fascist (Italian
for "bundle of twigs") hiding under every bed, this
book serves a good reminder that political correctness, "we
are all one," and so on, are not the way to freedom.
The
Entertainment Economy: How Mega-media Forces are Transforming
Our Lives
by Micheal J Wolf
I find business biographies fascinating;
this book looks at how business is using entertainment to sell
its product. Everything today is pop culture, as the recent marketing
of the Star Wars movie shows. The one drawback of this book is
that the author is loath to criticize his clients, of which he
speaks and gains his experience.
Day
Job: A Workplace Reader for the Restless Age
by Jonathan Baird with Carol Allen
This Dilbert-esque book chronicles a
worker's journaling for a day of his life in the customer service
department. First, he resists the top-down TQM (total quality
management) imposed by upper management; then, he uses (abuses?)
it to switch to a better position. I particularly liked the typesetting:
the entire book looks like it was typed with an old typewriter
on lined paper.
God
is My Broker: A Monk-Tycoon Reveals the 7-1/2 Laws
of Spiritual and Financial Growth
by Brother Ty with Christopher Buckley and John Tierney
This is another book by the hilarious
Christopher Buckly (his latest is Little Green Men, which
I read earlier this year). Ty was such a bad Wall Street
trader that he joined a failing monastery. Mostly by accident,
he turns the monastery into a hugely profitable business. Each
chapter ends with a law, such as "He who casts the first
stone usually wins."