Andy Hertzfeld: Revolution in The Valley (hardcover)
This is the amazing "I was there" recount of one of the greatest eras in computer history, the birth of the Apple Macintosh. Hertzfeld was one of the main programmers on the Mac team, and his little informational tidbits are great reading. Check out http://www.folklore.org for many of the stories from the book. (*****)
DAVID KUSHNER: Masters of Doom : How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture
This is the amazing story of how one of the coolest computer games, Doom, came to be. Even for non-gamers, the prose in this book is sharp as a tack, and it reads like butter. Highly delightful :). (****)
Charles R. Cross: Heavier than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain
If you're a Nirvana fan, this book is a must-own. In this book, Cross expertly conveys the family problems, homelessness, chronic drug-use and depression that ultimately led to Kurt's amazing music and high-profile suicide. (****)
Bill Gunston: Aviation Year by Year
Besides technology, I also have an interest in aviation. Therefore, when I saw this tome full of photographs and news stories lying on the budget table for half off the retail price of $50, I had to pick it up for my coffee table. Unlike certain coffee table books, this particular book is actually educational. For any airhead, this one's a keeper! (*****)
Rael Dornfest: Mac Os X Panther Hacks (Hacks)
With a title like this, I had to check out this book. Simply put, it's great. It's packed FULL of cool tips and, well, "hacks" that usually serve to further better the already wonderful operating system that Panther really is. There are tips and hacks in here for all levels of skill, and for any Panther user who appreciates the OS for more than just its primary settings, this is a great book to read! (*****)
Dave Taylor: Learning Unix for Mac OS X Panther
It has come time for me to get an official primer on the Unix operating system that runs underneath the graphical world of Mac OS X. This particular book provides a nice introduction to Unix that's particularly suited to intermediate or advanced Mac users. Above all, if you're curious about Unix or want to start learning it, this would be a good book to check out. (****)
Wil Wheaton: Just a Geek
Most know Wil Wheaton as the brilliant Ensign Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: TNG. Will's now all grown-up, and in this detailed work of how his life has been and where it might be going, the reader finds that Wil's not only a fine actor, but a solid, engaging writer. I highly recommend this book not only to Wil's fans, but anybody remotely interested in Star Trek, acting, tech, blogging, showbiz or family. A great, quick read! (*****)
Steven Levy: Insanely Great: The Life and Times of Macintosh, the Computer That Changed Everything
A comprehensive examination of the revolutionary computer, the Apple Macintosh. While some of the material here is already extensively documented, Steven Levy frequently uncovers some hidden info-gems that only a Mac'er could love. (****)
Jay Mohr: Gasping for Airtime : Two Years in the Trenches of Saturday Night Live
Jay Mohr, an actor/comedian probably best known for his work as host of NBC's "Last Comic Standing" delivers quite the tell-all novel. Jay discusses the rigor of the show, competition, and in general really makes you think about SNL in a very different light. (****)
James A. Miller: Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live, as Told By Its Stars, Writers and Guests
I'm a fan of SNL and live television in general, so this book was a must-read. This book is a tome full of interviews of dozens of people who write/wrote, act/acted, produce/produced Saturday Night Live. Don't miss the Chevy Chase bashing, either. (*****)
Scott Kelby: Macintosh... The Naked Truth
Kelby writes a book that only a Mac lover could, well, love. In this short little work, he basically goes on about how great the Mac truly is. The problem is, the only people who would even think of buying this book already know that. A worthy effort, but the bases were covered before Kelby wrote the first chapter. (***)
Jeff Kolby: Master the LSAT
In my quest to become a "J.D.", I must face the dreaded LSAT. This manual is helping my analytical brain out a bit. (****)
Shel Silverstein: Falling Up
Shel Silverstein is a poet that can ponder with the best of them. As an added bonus, his wit and couplings are so sharp and entertaining that you don't become like Poe. (****)
Hermann Hesse: Demian
Demain is a great novel about existentiality. It's about "leaving the herd", and "being an individual". In short, it's all about existentiality. A word of caution, if you're not one who is captured by these "ways to live", Demian will not be the page-turner you're hoping for, but it was for me :). (*****)
Ernest Hemingway: The Old Man and the Sea
One of my all time fiction favorites, this is a beautiful story of persistence, patience, and existentialism. For those of us who have read it, we all come to love Santiago by the end of the novella, and for those of you who haven't... my only comment is to buy this book right away! (*****)
Samuel Beckett: Waiting for Godot
This play takes effort to read through, but I decided I should read it... so I did. Well, let me just say that while I am not exactly thrilled with Beckett's strange tale of Didi and Gogo, somehow, I felt "better about my own self" having read this play. Therefore, if you have the dedication, it's worth gritting your teeth through. (***)
David Pogue: Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual
This is the PERFECT read for anybody who wants to switch from the "IBM World" to the "MAC World". When I made the switch, a read through these 400 pages softened the learning curve so much that my 20-something "switch questions" were all gone by page 100! It's not your typical computer book either, David Pogue writes very clearly and with good humor too. (*****)
Adam Cohen: The Perfect Store: Inside eBay
I love eBay, so naturally, this was a book I was excited to read. It's great! It tracks the entire history of the site from a humble beginning as AuctionWeb, to the multi-billion dollar company that it is today! A read perfect for anybody with a star on their feedback record :). (****)
Owen Linzmayer: Apple Confidential 2.0: The Definitive History of the World's Most Colorful Company
In Apple Confidential 2.0, Owen Linzmayer covers the fascinating history of one of the world's most interesting computer companies. From the Silicon Valley garage to the PowerMac G5's of today, Linzmayer's photos and timelines are great. (****)
Upton Sinclair: The Jungle
The Jungle is a novel that needs no comment. It was a destined to be great when it was released nearly a century ago, and it remains that way to this day. Sinclair is a literary master rarely seen these days. (*****)
