Books: October 2004 Archives

In my continuing effort to read some important books, I finished The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger.

I didn't like the book. I am doing a little research to see if there was some sub-text, meaning, or english lit crapola that would help me to like this book. I'll be the first to admit that after pages and pages of whining and railing against the phonies in life I was a little numb and might have missed something.

Call me old fashioned or hopeless bourgeois, but I like plot. This book lacked that.

<ironically>

Holden didn't have to deal with nearly the phonies that I have to deal with.

</ironically>

I have always been a packrat when it comes to old books. Lately, I have been thinking that I should part with some. I tried to get rid of them via amazon, but didn't want to part with the book for less than the cost of shipping.

I ran into operation paperback and booksforsoldiers.com. I have a soft spot for anyone who wants a book, but especially for those who have volunteered to place themselves into harms way. It seems like a better use of a book than just leaving them around ... but perhaps I could do both at the same time. Does anyone have any feedback on operationpaperback or booksforsoldiers.com?

I finished "The Soul Of A New Machine", by Tracy Kidder recently.

I had heard of this book several times in reference to the tech industry and product development cycles. It is the story of the development of a 32 bit computer at Data General which they needed badly to compete with their competitors. It followed the entire release process from inception, through internal politics, all the way through QE. In some regards it seemed very real, very much like experiences I have had in the high tech industry. On the other hand, it never portrayed the emotional roller coaster of the cycle very well. The end was especially strange to me as the main character sort of fades away, which was unexpected. Perhaps it was disappointing because it was more reality than fantasy at this point. I give it three stars out of four.