Michal Viewegh - Bliss Was it in Bohemia
Almost finished now.
For a long time I was put off by the arrogance displayed both by the writer's main character and the writer himself, but couldn't put the book down nevertheless.
Now I understand: the detached arrogance and sarcasm are necessary to present a very painful an claustrophobic topic in a humorous and entertaining way: the socio-emotional and psychological pressures of unwillingly living under a totalitarian regime.
I also happen to know that his descriptions are realistic; he just has a way of pointing out the abstruse in it.

I was told that the title of the book is untranslatable.
The word-correct translation would be "Wonderful Years Under the Dog"
I read it in German, they made it "Wonderful Years for Dogs".

Currently re-reading The God Delusion and learning more form it this time. I think I was a little too closed minded the first time.

The English translation of "The City of God," by Saint Augustine. Was translated by Marcus Dods, D. D., published by the Modern Library, New York, Copyright 1950.

Although I am familiar with this book by the subject matter it contains, citations by other major works,this is the first time I am reading it in its entirety.

"The theory that would not die" by sharon bertsch mcgrayne. It's about the importance of bayes' rule in statistics.

Apart from an entertaining history of some of the pioneers in the field, the thrust of the book seems to be how the rule can expand the scope of statistical analysis from mere data interpretation to find "the probability of causes and future events based on past events" and how it's all right to change the basic assumptions in light of new evidence.

Also some examples of cussed justifications made to negate the impact of bayes rule. For instance one famous statistician when confronted with evidence that smoking causes cancer, proposed that smoking among young adults was caused by childhood pre dispositions to cancer.

Nice read.

OK

The Soul of a New Machine by Tracy Kidder.

Anyone else read this?

^ no; what is it?

I was in the woods... did have my smartphone with me though, and read Summerland on it.
Almost as good as his Jean le Flambeur Series - and an easier read, steampunk spy story style.

Then Radicalized on real paper.
Definitely an easy read, but warmly recommended nevertheless. "Unauthorized Bread" says it all. Dystopian visions that are uncomfortably close to our current lives.

Currebtly reading what I think is the latest Neal Stephenson:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall;_or,_Dodge_in_Hell
The take on "social media" and "fake news" is interesting.
His usual style and with some deceny humour as always.

The uploading-brain-to-machine ploy reminds me of We are Bob.

James Lee Burke's latest Robicheaux The New Iberia Blues.

i have not, yet, read We Are Bob so am now searcing for it. Thanks.
It reminds me of "The Dixie Flatline" et al in William Gibson's novels but I know Neal Stephenson can be bleak so I've no particular expectations. (OK, so some Black Mirror* style settings are evoked buit I'm just reading and going with it and trying not ot pre-empt).

*UK TV/Netflix seriese with a very bleak view of the near future and well worth watching.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Money_(book)

Several years ago, there was a TV series by Foote on the Civil War. I watched all the programmes. I still have some of the music in my head, especially the folksy slow waltz signature tune. Is the book based on that series?

Dune. I like it so far. I don't plan to read the rest of the series. I heard I can read the first book and be fine.

A collection of « Litteul Kevin » comics (it is ‹eu› alright).
https://www.lelombard.com/bd/litteul-kevin
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Litteul_K%C3%A9vin

Looks like they are not available in English. You might categorize this as an “Underground” comic, while here, in France, the comic-scene is quite simply “awesome” enough to squeeze it into mainstream.

I am currently re-reading
The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
That's a mouthful.
Real funny book. Unfortunately, the film is almost even better.
I guess there's something called "Swedish Black Humour" that works best when you're not speaking (very much):
Hundraåringen som klev ut genom fönstret och försvann (Robert Gustafsson)