Along with {{Mira Grant}} (Feed & Deadline reviews), I think I have found a female author I can read. {{G Willow Wilson}}’s debut novel, {{Alif the Unseen}} blends technothriller (a la {{Cryptonomicon}}), Arab mythology, statism, distrust of the government, and more. The story follows a young mixed-blood technophyte who has been making his living on …
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Category:books
pose as a friend, work as a spy – law 14 – #48laws by robert greene
Law 14 Knowing about your rival is critical. Use spies to gather valuable information that will keep you a step ahead. Better still: Play the spy yourself. In polite social encounters, learn to probe. Ask indirect questions to get people to reveal their weaknesses and intentions. There is no occasion that is not an opportunity for …
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when asking for help, appeal to people’s self-interest, never to their mercy or gratitude – law 13 – #48laws by robert greene
Law 13 If you need to turn to an ally for help, do not bother to remind him of your past assistance and good deeds. He will find a way to ignore you. Instead, uncover something in your request, or in your alliance with him, that will benefit him, and empathize it out of all …
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deadline by mira grant
I read {{Feed}} (review) a few weeks ago, and just finished the 2d installment in {{Mira Grant}}’s {{Newsflesh}} trilogy, {{Deadline}}. The frenetic pace of book 1 was upped a level in book 2 (along with some more language). Mira is a fantastic author, and I cannot wait to read {{Blackout}} (it’s on my library queue). …
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use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victim – law 12 – #48laws by robert greene
Law 12 One sincere and honest move will cover over dozens of dishonest ones. Open-hearted gestures of honesty and generosity bring down the guard of even the most suspicious people. Once your selective honesty opens a hole in their armor, you can deceive and manipulate them at will. A timely gift – a Trojan horse …
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the 7 habits of highly effective people by stephen r covey
This should have been titled “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective – but incredibly rigid and hard to to please – People” by Stephen Needs Coffee. But it’s not. {{Stephen R Covey}}’s work is extremely well-known, and millions have purchased {{The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People}} since it was released. I’m sure I have …
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krakatoa: the day the world exploded, august 27 1883 by simon winchester
I have been interested in volcanoes for a long time. I first wrote about them for a college essay in 1999, but my attraction to them began far earlier. Most likely it was triggered by hearing from my mom that her wedding day was the first time she’d ever really had allergies – just 6 …
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how to win friends and influence people by dale carnegie
tl;dr: {{Dale Carnegie}}’s {{How to Win Friends and Influence People}} is what {{Robert Greene}} was trying to redo with {{The 48 Laws of Power}} and {{The Art of Seduction}} (both of which I’ve previously reviewed). It’s probably the only “self-help” book I’ve ever read that didn’t either talk down to you, nor treat you as …
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learn to keep people dependent on you – law 11 – #48laws by robert greene
Law 11 To maintain your independence you must always be needed and wanted. The more you are relied on, the more freedom you have. Make people depend on you for their happiness and prosperity and you have nothing to fear. Never teach them enough so that they can do without you. –{{Robert Greene}}, {{The 48 …
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the 50th law by 50 cent and robert greene
The 50th Law The greatest fear people have is that of being themselves. They want to be 50 Cent or someone else. They do what everyone else does even if it doesn’t fit where and who they are. But you get nowhere that way; your energy is weak and no one pays attention to you. …
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infection: avoid the unhappy and unlucky – law 10 – #48laws by robert greene
Law 10 You can die from someone else’s misery – emotional states are as infectious as diseases. You may feel you are helping the drowning man but you are only precipitating your own disaster. The unfortunate sometimes draw misfortune on themselves; they will also draw it on you. Associate with the happy and fortunate instead. …
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the 33 strategies of war by robert greene
I’ve now read [almost] all of {{Robert Greene}}’s books (just pending is {{The 50th Law}}, which I’ll have reviewed in a couple weeks). Thanks to my local library, I have not had to spend gobs o’ cash in the process (though at least one of his books I think is most definitely worth the expenditure). …
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feed by mira grant
After some time of not reading fiction, I saw {{Mira Grant}}’s {{Feed}} recently in a store, checked my local library, and reserved a copy. Now I need to read {{Deadline}} and {{Blackout}}. Grant’s writing, while typically female in style (first person dialog – both inner and outer, and the main character is a girl), does …
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win through your actions, never through argument – law 9 – #48laws by robert greene
Law 9 Any momentary triumph you think you have gained through argument is really a Pyrrhic victory: The resentment and ill will you stir up is stronger and lasts longer than any momentary change of opinion. It is much more powerful to get others to agree with you through your actions, without saying a word. …
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make other people come to you – use bait if necessary – law 8 – #48laws by robert greene
Law 8 When you force the other person to act, you are the one in control. It is always better to make your opponent come to you, abandoning his own plans in the process. Lure him with fabulous gains – then attack. You hold the cards. –{{Robert Greene}}, {{The 48 Laws of Power}} (review)
the traveler by john twelve hawks
I first heard about {{The Traveler}} in {{Albert-László Barabási}}’s book {{Bursts}} (review). Now that I’ve had a chance to read {{John Twelve Hawks}}’ novel, I can say I can’t recommend it. Not because it’s a bad story – but because I couldn’t get into it. I think it has the potential to be a good …
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atlas of the year 1000 by john man
It was with great excitement I reserved {{Atlas of the Year 1000}} from my local library. {{John Man}}’s work did not disappoint (excluding the humorous typo of “a a” when only the single article use was intended). Starting with the Americas, then working Eastward to Europe, the Islamic region, and Asia before moving back west …
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get others to do the work for you, but always take the credit – law 7 – #48laws by robert greene
Law 7 Use the wisdom, knowledge, and legwork of other people to further your own cause. Not only wil such assitance save you valuable time and energy, it will give you a godlike aura of efficiency and speed. In the end your helpers will be forgotten and you will be remembered. Never do yourself what …
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court attention at all costs – law 6 – #48laws by robert greene
Law 6 Everything is judged by its appearance; what is unseen counts for nothing. Never let yourself get lost in the crowd, then, or buried in oblivion. Stand out. Be conspicuous, at all costs. Make yourself a magnet of attention by appearing larger, more colorful, more mysterious than the bland and timid masses. –{{Robert Greene}}, …
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bursts by albert-lászló barabási
{{Albert-László Barabási}}’s book “{{Bursts}}: The Hidden Patterns Behind Everything We Do, from Your E-mail to Bloody Crusades” is fascinating. In the same overall genre as {{Malcolm Gladwell}}’s {{Outliers}} (review) – pop psychology and pop science – {{Bursts}} is a great read: bringing highly technical and dense topics to the masses in a manner that [apparently] …
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abstracts from ‘the art of seduction’
Yesterday I promised you can read the abstracts from {{Robert Greene}}’s {{The Art of Seduction}} today. Part One – The Seductive Character The Siren A man is often secretly oppressed by the role he has to play – by always having to be responsible, in control, and rational. The Siren is the ultimate male fantasy …
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the art of seduction by robert greene
Warning: This book contains, in places, intense terminology, and is directed at mentally-mature audiences Now back to our regularly-scheduled bog post After having read {{The 48 Laws of Power}} (and enjoying it), I decided to read some of {{Robert Greene}}’s other popular works. So, I read {{Mastery}}. And then I read {{The Art of Seduction}}. …
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cloud computing in easy steps by david crookes
In my ongoing hunt to find worth-while tech books (most recently in the field of cloud computing), I’m here today to write about {{Cloud Computing in Easy Steps}} by {{David Crookes}}. First to note – this book is NOT about how to deploy cloud computing. It is about how to use lots of free and inexpensive options if you …
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cloud computing bible by barrie sosinsky
The first comment I have about {{Barrie Sosinsky}}’s book, {{Cloud Computing Bible}} is that it’s the first one I’ve read that doesn’t appear to have any sucky parts. This is a plus. {{Hybrid Cloud for Dummies}} was pretty much a waste of time. {{Deploying OpenStack}} was even worse. {{Sosinsky}}’s work, though, is not only less …
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so much depends on reputation – guard it with your life – law 5 – #48laws by robert greene
Law 5 Reputation is the cornerstone of power. Through reputation alone you can intimidate and win; once it slips, however, you are vulnerable, and will be attacked on all sides. Make your reputation unassailable. Always be alert to potential attacks and thwart them before they happen. Meanwhile, learn to destroy your enemies by opening holes …
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