Serendipitous Reader v2.0

After his late entry into the Presidential race in 2020, as we headed toward Super Tuesday, I first read Bloomberg's own book, and then the recent biography by Eleanor Randolph. His own book was surprisingly honest, and Randolph is obviously a fan of his, but her biography seems well-balanced. Bloomberg is incredibly impressive, and I enjoyed both books. I think he would have made an excellent President, but unfortunately, the disaster currently occupying the White House has used the "billionaire" card for the foreseeable future.

After reading multiple books about nuclear bombs and nuclear disasters, I was looking for something lighter and a friend recommended Bear Town. I enjoyed it, though it's not as good as A Man Called Ove. The first part of the book is relatively predictable (small, dying town that revolves around a high school sports team), but the second part is great. 

This is on Bill Gates' list of recommendations. I've never been a David Foster Wallace fan and this book didn't change my mind. A couple of the essays are "ok"; one or two of them were just a slog to get through; I enjoyed the one about Federer. 

Continuing in my nuclear theme ... This book is excellent. After watching the HBO miniseries and listening to the companion podcast, this offered a more detailed recounting of what happened at Chernobyl and left me even more horrified than I had been previously. The author attributes the origins of the disaster to "scientific, technological, socioeconomic, and human factors" unique to the USSR. Astoundingly, the remaining 3 reactors at Chernobyl continued to operate after Reactor 4 melted down - both immediately (Imagine being an operator at one of the other reactors at this power plant in late Apr 1986 and having to continue to show up for work!!) and for another 14 years. BTW, there are still 11 reactors of this design operating today in Russia.

This is John McPhee's book about writing. While some sections are on the dry side, it includes wonderful stories about his career and experiences. The stories about the culture at the New Yorker in 60's and 70's are great. What a different world that was! And - of course - it's beautifully written.