Archive for Culture
I wanted to publish for Christmas and New Year’s day a list of books I particularly liked in 2008-09 (I already did a selection in 2007) but couldn’t publish it in time. So, here it is with a few weeks late.
From readings on sustainable development and energy issues to science fiction and from graphic novels to serious readings on social sciences, I recommend you nine books and series of books to keep you busy for days.
Please note that many books have been reviewed here previously and that I added links to enable you to make up your mind. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I did ! Continue »
Many people think that the current Copenhagen climate conference is about saving the planet. I believe this not true as we are just trying to save ourselves from our own folly.
Our planet – whom you may refer to as Gaïa – will still be there long after we are gone. The brilliant George Carlin reminded us brilliantly of that in his bout about environmentalists.
This gem of green humour was first brought to my attention in June 2008 by Marguerite via her blog. Many thanks to her for that. Continue »
Earlier this year I read three sci-fi books I strongly recommend you if you are interested by the genre. The five books making this cycle were written by Alastair Reynolds, a UK scientist who dedicated himself to writing space operas.
Back to 2007 I read Chasm City the second opus of the cycle which can be read as a stand alone. If you like this one as much as I did (I then gave it a grade of 17/20), you will love the whole series.
Taking place in a not-so-distant future, The Revelation Space cycle provides a good plot in a coherent universe filled with interesting ideas and characters. Continue »
I finished reading this weekend a book I strongly recommend to anyone interested by sustainable development and energy as it is packed with figures and findings that are due to start discussions among CleanTechies.
One of the main findings of this book is that electrifying our cars and installing heat pumps in our buildings would enable us to cut significantly both our greenhouse gases emissions and fossil fuels consumption.
Both solutions are much more efficient than current ones and could benefit from massive electrification to answer all our energy needs. Continue »
My main trades and areas of interest before climate change mitigation and sustainable development are international business and management. This brought me to focus early on India.
So when I discovered today’s book via The Daily Show with Jon Stewart I knew I had to read what promised to be a fantastic book on India’s past, present and future. And the least I can say is that I wasn’t disappointed.
Imagining India is a must read whether you are an Indian citizen or a foreigner who wants to learn out more on this nation’s potential to become a super power. Continue »
On June 5th, for World Environment Day, the French photographer Yann Arthus Bertrand released globally a brilliant environmental film, Home. It is available for free on Youtube in many languages.
To the message carried by this film, we have ten years to change the way we live and avoid the worse with “the depletion of natural resources and the catastrophic evolution of the Earth’s climate.”
Packed with fabulous images and truly worrying facts and figures it is an absolute must watch whether you are concerned or not by the environment. Continue »
I recently finished reading the Pulitzer winning book Guns, Germs and Steel (GGS) by Jared Diamond. Like the latest book of the author – read my review of Collapse – I believe this is an absolute must read.
This is a magisterial lesson on history and how Mankind evolved during 13,000 years from small groups of hunter gatherers into the current complex societies with agriculture and industry.
I highly recommend GGS to any person wondering why European civilizations conquered the world and not the opposite or each person interested in social sciences as a whole. Continue »
I finished in January the last part of the Kim Stanley Robinson’s Mars Trilogy. After two months I still keep thinking about this book and its great plot, fantastic characters and awesome story telling.
If my favorite book for 2007 was Collapse, there is no doubt that the Mars Trilogy will be the books I will remember from 2008. I strongly recommend you to read them if you like sciences and particularly science fiction and/or astronomy.
The only thing that prevents me to give this final part the maximum grade of 20/20 is its excessive length. (950 pages for the French version). Grade for the trilogy: 19/20. Grade for the book: 19/20. Must read!
I finished reading this week THE book I would recommend on the current energy and climate issues. Its author – Thomas Friedman – is a columnist for the New York Times and received three times the Pulitzer Prize.
To him, the various crises we are facing should not only be considered as a threat but also as an opportunity to launch a Green Revolution that would renew the United States and help the world in solving its current issues.
Very recent as it was published in September 2008, Hot, Flat and Crowded is an excellent read that will bring you a lot of knowledge to fully grasp the world we have to build. Continue »
It’s Christmas eve and you are perhaps looking for a last minute gift. So, it is time for me to introduce you to a little jewel that caught my attention for the past two weeks.
World of Goo is a video game for the Nintendo Wii, PC and Mac that will make you think to solve around 40 brilliant, entertaining and poetic puzzles.
For $20, you will have cool musics, nice graphics that will look great on an old computer and hours of great fun. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did. On, this: Joyeux Noel !
