Others' Writings That bkuhn Considers Worth Reading

I started this page in April 2002 for information on writing that I have encountered and found worth telling others about. They are listed in reverse chronological order by the date that I encountered them.

Not all of them are under licenses that I particularly approve of. I tend to believe that most writing that represents someone's personal ideas should be released under "Verbatim copying licenses", like this web page is. However, not everyone worth reading agrees with me.


1 March 2003: The Bush Dyslexicon by Mark Crispin Miller.

My first impressions of this book was that it was strangely partisan. I didn't take Professor Miller for a Democrat, per se, but it seemed like I was reading something by James Carville at first. As the early chapters (which are mostly analysis of Bush the Second's attitudes towards others and his political manipulations) progressed, I saw that it was bona fide analysis and not mudslinging.

The latter part of the book was made up mostly of quoted evidence supporting Crispin's primary thesis: that Bush is unable to truly connect with others, and his verbal gaffes are simply a window into his true feelings (or rather, lack thereof) toward others. I think the point is well taken, and well proved. I don't know if a book-length discussion was necessary to get the point across, but I didn't mind reading it because it was at times sardonically amusing.

It took me strangely long to read -- an indication of how busy the fall and winter were for me. I began reading it as Bush finished up his invasion of Afghanistan (ultimately failing to bring any real freedom there), and ended as the beginning of the end of his conquest of Iraq was afoot. I am reminded by this text that the only true passion that our current president appears to have is his obsession with murdering for power, wealth, and revenge.

13 September 2002: The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler.

I originally read this book in early 1995 for Mark Osteen's Film and Fiction course at Loyola College as an undergraduate. I like the film associated with the novel as well, but the impressive part about the novel is its dark look at the 1930s Hollywood underworld. I sold this book on half.ebay.com, so I quickly reread some of it to get gist again. And, passed the cliches, I still felt it was fresh and interesting.

13 August 2002: The Futue of Ideas by Lawrence Lessig.

I finally finished Larry's most recent book; I felt like I really ought to, since I was scheduled to be at an FSF fund-raiser with him, and I wanted to make sure I brushed up on his ideas. I was quite impressed; I am glad that someone is approaching what we in the Free Software Movement (and related movements) do for a living with a high level of academic rigor. I must admit that I find it hypocritical that Larry's book is proprietary. If you want to read it, I urge you to buy a used copy (perhaps on half.ebay.com) or borrow it from a library.

30 April 2002: "Free Software, Not the Other Thing by Eben Moglen.

I have the unique opportunity and privledge to speak on the telephone with Professor Moglen almost weekly. A few months of this passed before these exchanges stopped blowing my mind. However, I run across various writings of Eben's, and my mind is blown again. His research agenda, entitled "Free Software, Not the Other Thing" is the most concise explination of why we are all excited to be in the midst of this movement for software freedom.

21 April 2002: "The Danger of Software Patents" by Richard M. Stallman.

Yes, I read RMS' writing nearly every day in email exchanges. Yes, I've read the entirety of the GNU philosophy page, and often am the person who recommends items for it. However, RMS' ability to communicate important ideas in a straight-forward manner still impresses me. This is a transcript of his speech on software patents.

20 April 2002: A Person Paper on Purity in Language by William Satire (alias Douglas R. Hofstadter).

David M. Turner (novalis) told me that I should read this. I liked it; I thought that it made arguments that I agree with in an interesting way.

4 April 2002: Stupid White Men by Michael Moore.

I read this book on a flight from BOS to CDG. (I was too tired to work, and I can't sleep well on planes.) I was impressed, as always, by Michael Moore's ability to put simply concepts, in simple langauge that most USAmericans connect with, while Nader and Chomsky make the same points but don't seem to reach as many people. I was also excited to learn that this was high on the Best Seller lists. I am glad that it is connecting with people.

Updated on: $Date: 2003/04/20 21:49:52 $

Copyright © 2002, 2003 Bradley M. Kuhn
Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire page is permitted in any medium, provided this notice is preserved.

ebb® is a registered service mark of Bradley M. Kuhn.


Bradley M. Kuhn <bkuhn@ebb.org>