2007 - Books That I Read

Dec 30, 2007

Friends were the first victims of my project efforts of 2007. Hanging out, emailing, chatting, calling up - everything just dropped as if someone threw on the gravity switch in a zero-gravity area. A close second is my reading habit. Fiction intake especially took a big hit.

These are some notable books that I did read this year:

The Four Hour Workweek - Tim Ferriss
On Writing - Stephen King
Man’s Search For Meaning - Viktor E. Frankl
Selected Stories - O.Henry
Stumbling On Happiness - Daniel Gilbert
How To Get Rich - Felix Dennis
Founders At Work - Jessica Livingston

[1] crystallized many of my thoughts and gave them a concrete form and plan; [2] is making me write different and simple. I feel very inspired and might write a book next year (serious - what the hell anyway); [3] eased a lot of my pain and brought me out of depression - you know 2007 was horrible year for personal pain; [4] relaxed me on lonely nights; [5] opened my eyes to several things about our mind (unfortunate author - he was humiliated by a Baboon); [1], [6] & [7] inspired me immensely.

I plan to read more often in bed than I did in 2007. It is great to read some fiction before you fall asleep. It lifts you off and places you in a different world. If the author does the job right, you forget yourself and there is nothing that wipes your troubles better. Of course stronger drowning agents may be needed for stronger troubles, but that is off topic.

I kicked off this personal goal of reading 5000 pages in 100 days - but that was a flop. I’ll do that in 2008.

The books I had in mind for the 5000 page challenge were:

ANSI Common Lisp - Paul Graham [few chapters]
VIM Book [done]
On Writing - Stephen King [done]
Software Engg For Internet Apps - P.Greenspun [nope]
Prime Obsession [one chapter]
Drawing On The Right Side Of The Brain [nope]
Dive Into Python [many chapters]
Practical Common Lisp - P.Seibel [few chapters]
The Little Schemer [few chapters]
Analysis of Genes & Genomes [one chapter]

How much I actually read are in s[quar]e brackets. As you can see, I didn’t do too well. However, what I was doing was pretty productive and I’ll blog about that soon… sooner than you expect :-)

2 comments

maniosai wrote on Dec 31, 2007:

Happy new year da.

H ours of happy times with friends and family
A bundant time for relaxation
P rosperity
P lenty of love when you need it the most
Y outhful excitement at lifes simple pleasures

N ights of restful slumber (you know - dont' worry be happy)
E verything you need
W ishing you love and light

Y ears and years of good health
E njoyment and mirth
A angels to watch over you
R embrances of a happy years!

I am reading Stumbling on Happiness now da.

gopi wrote on Dec 31, 2007:

if i am not talking to you mach, wishing you a very happy and successful new year!!!

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