May proved to be a leaner month of reading, as I took on some rather long, intellectually challenging books. Of the eight books that I listened to, there are two that I’d recommend.
My top pick is “Explaining Postmodernism” by Stephen Hicks, which I’m giving 4.5 out of 5 stars. If you want to understand the rise of postmodernism, and what its impact on our culture is (and could be in the future), this book is an important read. As truth becomes less and less relevant in our social and political conversations, knowledge of the genesis of this phenomenon becomes increasingly relevant.
Reality is Broken – Jane McGonigal **.5
Goodbye Things – Eriko Sugita ***
The Enigma of Reason – Hugo Mercier, Dan Sperber ***
Explaining Postmodernism – Stephen Hicks ****.5
The Secret Life of Introverts – Jenn Granneman ***
Sync – Steven Strogatz ***
Quick and Nimble – Adam Bryant ***
The Order of Time – Carlo Rovelli ****
(if you are not yet an Audible member, you can get one of these books for free, by signing up for a 30 day trial – use this link, and you’ll help support my work as well – Audible Trial Membership)
The biggest letdown of the bunch was Reality is Broken”, by Jane McGonigal. It seems that Jane is ready to throw in the towel on unaided human existence, and get us wired up to be a species of virtual creatures in the future. We are just beginning to learn how to be better, more effective, more compassionate human beings, through advances in neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and collaborations with scientists and Buddhist practitioners… but Jane has no interest in being a better human as a human… she longs to escape into the virtual world of gaming.