Porc

I read through this book based on hearing the author speak on the radio and I was impressed. I think his central point about how life is considerably more uncertain than we like to think is an important and valuable one. Yes, it's a long book, but I think that the more the subject gets boiled down into smaller and smaller sound-bites, the less effect it is likely to have. And I think the warning here for us is a valuable one.

To the many reviews here who wanted to boil the book down to one sentence: did you even read it? Half of the book is about how when we simplify things we throw out important parts of them, leaving behind dangerously simplified concepts. And after reading the whole book, you THEN want to boil it down to "shit happens?" Frankly, I'm glad that I didn't heed those reviews, then I read them, or I would be lesser for it.

I bought this book on a lark, since I needed something this month and it sounded quirky and interesting. And I was pleasantly surprised by a deeply philosophical inquiry into that space between computer science, philosophy and sociology, Three subjects that I find interesting, but I've never really studied before. It isn't a deep study of any particular subject, but I would highly recommend it, just the same.

Aside from that, the reading seemed to suit the writing perfectly. I think that it was read by the author, in which case he made an excellent choice doing so himself.

I just finished this book and I can say that I was deeply impressed with the scholarship, thoughtfullness and bravery that they had in writing it. I want to get more people I know to read it, just so that I can discuss whether they agree or disagree and how much.

That being said, I didn't like the reader of this audio-book format of it at all. She seemed smarmy and annoying and she made many sections feel cliche male-bashing, which were probably nothing more than than a playful presentation of their research when it's read from a printed copy.