Books I’m currently reading

I was asked today what are my other hobbies apart from techy stuff and music. I was like, ermmmm …. hmmm …. reading? But I haven’t completed reading anything for a while.

You see, I am reading the following books at any one point in time, skipping chapters to wherever I see fit:

The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz: Is choice really all that good? It actually depends on how many options people are given. Beyond a certain number, they may not actually feel like making a decision at all. I chose this particular hardcover edition because I liked the cover photo. See, I didn’t have too many version to choose from 😛; Likelihood of completion: High.
Globalization and Its Discontents by Joseph E. Stiglitz: This looks like a frank discussion of the problems faced in the World Bank and other institutions. The author has a Nobel Prize in Economics. I didn’t know what I was in for when I bought this book. Too dry for me – I think I’ll switch to Freakonomics.; Likelihood of completion: Low.
A Church At War – Anglicans and Homosexuality by Stephen Bates: A sore topic that has split the Anglican/Episcopal Church apart. Good discussions and interviews with both camps (ie the Church versus the "Happy" Campers). But ultimate I wonder: is one sin worse than another? None of us are perfect. Or is it the symbolism that one is continuing to live in sin yet serving as a priest, the main issue?; Likelihood of completion: Medium
The End of Poverty – How We Can Make It Happen In Our Lifetime by Jeffrey Sachs: The idealistic title caught my eye. Bono wrote the Foreword, rather poetically. But beyond that, it is a serious book. I’m not good for economics but the cost of having poor health is something I can understand.; Likelihood of completion: Medium. But not in time for IMF 😉
Collapse – How Societies Choose to Fail or Survive by Jared Diamond: I started off excitedly but after reading about the dearth of the mining industry in Montana, I thought of Brokeback Mountain. I skipped to the chapter on “China, Lurching Giant” which was more relevant considering the region I live in.; Likelihood of completion: Low. I will only read the chapters that interest me.
The Da Vinci Notebooks: This is a collection of Leonardo Da Vinci’s thoughts. His thoughts are in no particular sequence or structure, but they give me an insight to the great man’s mind. It also inspired me to jot down my own ideas and sketches in a Moleskine notebook.; Likelihood of completion: Medium.
Ambient Findability by Peter Morville: This is the book of the future. Covers the long tail theory and more. You can even see it as a marketing book, in an oblique way because things shouldn’t just be built and left lying around, they must also be easily found.; Likelihood of completion: High.