Category Archives: Book Notes

Robert Reich Speaks, Writes, and Cartoons

Posted on Tuesday 25 April 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

More about Robert Reich’s appearance at UC Berkeley last night; and summary notes about his book Economics in Wonderland.

Posted in Book Notes, Economics | Comments Off on Robert Reich Speaks, Writes, and Cartoons

About New Books by Phil Plait and Jamie Green

Posted on Wednesday 19 April 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Phil Plait’s Under Alien Skies Jamie Green’s The Possibility of Life And a Facebook cartoon about the cynicism of anti-intellectuals Phil Plait on John Scalzi’s blog today, about his new book Under Alien Skies: A Sightseer’s Guide to the Universe, … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Book Notes, Cosmology, Lunacy, science fiction | Comments Off on About New Books by Phil Plait and Jamie Green

Enid Blyton via Sarah Bakewell

Posted on Monday 10 April 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

I mentioned Sarah Bakewell in my post of March 29th, for two reviews of her new book on the history and meaning of humanism, Humanly Possible, a very long book on one of my primary interests, but so long that … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Personal history | Comments Off on Enid Blyton via Sarah Bakewell

Last Questions and Possible Answers, 1

Posted on Friday 24 March 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

When I was browsing through several John Brockman books a few weeks ago, I decided to buy the last one he published in that series, from 2019. It’s called The Last Unknowns, and instead of gathering answers from many contributors … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Philosophy, Science | Comments Off on Last Questions and Possible Answers, 1

A Literary Break

Posted on Friday 17 March 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Read last week: six short literary novels in five days. Three by Steinbeck; one each by Henry James and James Joyce and Leo Tolstoy. A break from my routine of reading science fiction and current nonfiction.

Posted in Book Notes, Culture | Comments Off on A Literary Break

Basic Principles: Passages from Shermer

Posted on Wednesday 8 March 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

In the closing pages of Michael Shermer’s new book, he quotes Jonathan Rauch’s list, from his book The Constitution of Knowledge, about social rules for turning disagreement into knowledge. Shermer expands upon them, and for one of them provides a … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Morality, Quote at Length, Science | Comments Off on Basic Principles: Passages from Shermer

Michael Shermer: CONSPIRACY: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational

Posted on Monday 6 March 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Michael Shermer’s latest book, a thorough account of why people believe conspiracy theories, why it might be beneficial (for evolutionary reasons) to give them the benefit of the doubt (even if they’re not true), with some deep dives into several … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Psychology | Comments Off on Michael Shermer: CONSPIRACY: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational

Brockman, This Explains Everything, 1

Posted on Saturday 18 February 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Key topics so far: Evolution by means of natural selection. How life is a digital code. Reflective equilibrium and the evolution of non-objective morality. How evolution explains the conflicts in human social life. And how levels of such “variation-selection processes” … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Science | Comments Off on Brockman, This Explains Everything, 1

Dacher Keltner, AWE: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life

Posted on Tuesday 7 February 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

This is a book about the subjective experience of awe, and how being aware of everyday examples of awe can make your life more meaningful and fulfilling; yet how (in my take) it’s about the emotion, triggered by both the … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Psychology, Science, science fiction | Comments Off on Dacher Keltner, AWE: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life

Varieties of Fantasy, and Book Notes

Posted on Saturday 4 February 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Today’s three topics: A conservative’s take on a fantasy novel; A Le Guin fantasy novel; And insights into books by Heinlein and Brockman.

Posted in Book Notes, Culture, Religion | Comments Off on Varieties of Fantasy, and Book Notes