Books of 2015

Another slow year on reading. I would like to blame work, but my inability to avoid reading random stuff on the Internet is to blame. I definitely recommend “Governing the Commons”, it’s wonkish but gives an interesting view on a middle way for common goods. (Note that the links below are affiliate links meaning if you click on them and buy items then Amazon gives me $.)

Nonfiction

• Governing the Commons: The Evolution of Institutions for Collective Action (Political Economy of Institutions and Decisions) by Elinor Ostrom – Best non-fiction I read this year. Wonkish.
• The Master Algorithm: How the Quest for the Ultimate Learning Machine Will Remake Our World by Pedro Domingos – Not quite a popularization, and not enough detail for the technical minded, but a good look into the views of a leading machine learner.
• The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander – I tend to avoid political books that I agree with, but this one really drives home how large a problem the U.S. faces in dealing with the mass incarceration of black Americans.
• The Idea Factory: Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation by Jon Gertner – hit or miss, not enough analysis of what made Bell labs special for my liking
• Dreamland: The True Tale of Americas Opiate Epidemic by Sam Quinones – Good journalism.
• The Prize: Who’s in Charge of America’s Schools? by Joshua Foer – Mostly focuses on the political story, not enough on the data side of the world.

Fiction

• Seveneves: A Novel by Neal Stephenson –Three books in one, first book is Stephenson in top form.
• Apex: Nexus Trilogy Book 3 (Nexus Arc) by Ramez Naam – Conclusion to the Nexus trilogy, whole trilogy is worth reading.
• The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu –A slow unraveling of a mysterious nearby world. Actually think the next book (below) is slightly better.
• The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu, translated by Joel Martinsen – Second in series, am eagerly awaiting translation of third.
• Ascension Cycle (The Ascendant Series Book 1) by Michael JC Brown Virtualization to the extreme.
• Fear the Future (The Fear Saga Book 3) by Stephen Moss Conclusion to the fear saga, felt it was not up to the standards of the first book.
• Expanse novels and novella
  • Nemesis Games (The Expanse) by James S.A. Corey – Book 5 of the Expanse. Split story line and no real clean finish, but excellent nonetheless.
  • The Churn: An Expanse Novella (The Expanse) by James S.A. Corey – Amos backstory.
  • The Butcher of Anderson Station: A Story of The Expanse by James S.A. Corey
  • Gods of Risk: An Expanse Novella (The Expanse) by James S.A. Corey
  • The Vital Abyss: An Expanse Novella (The Expanse) by James S.A. Corey
• Beacon 23 serialization
  • Beacon 23: Part One: Little Noises (Kindle Single) by Hugh Howey
  • Beacon 23: Part Two: Pet Rocks (Kindle Single) by Hugh Howey
  • Beacon 23: Part Three: Bounty (Kindle Single) by Hugh Howey
  • Beacon 23: Part Four: Company (Kindle Single) by Hugh Howey
  • Beacon 23: Part Five: Visitor (Kindle Single) by Hugh Howey
• The Great Symmetry by James R Wells
• Edge Station by Michael Glaviano
• The God Organ by Anthony J Melchiorri
• Post-Human Series Books 1-4 by David Simpson
• Warship (Black Fleet Trilogy, Book 1) by Joshua Dalzelle
• Blindsight (Firefall) by Peter Watts