Monday, May 28, 2012

Hazards of Working at a Bookstore May 2012

I haven't done one of these posts for a looooooooong time, it's not that I haven't found lots of books I want, I just haven't had the time to post the entries.  So I decided to do one today.  I also wanted to say that in the next couple weeks I may have a few posts that aren't book reviews, or contests, or memes.  When I go to BEA I may post some stuff about my experiences there.  So look for those in the next couple weeks.

Okay, I now have 3 books to talk about, ones that I would really like to have, but I just don't have the money right at the moment to spend on books like these.

First is one that really is cool.  When I got my tattoo, I had exactly what I wanted in mind, it had a meaning for something that was important for me, one of my favorite books.  I've always also thought it would be cool to have a dinosaur tattoo, as I'm a huge fan of dinosaurs too.  And this book has some people who do have them!  It is called Science Ink.  Here is the description from Goodreads.com:

If you have ever thought of having an image of the double helix imprinted on your forearm or buttocks, this is the book for you. We should note however that the science-minded men and women represented in this weirdly arresting illustrated book have tattoos that go far behind decorative DNA diagrams. Listen for example, as software designer Zermelo-Fraenkel talks about his arm-covering tat: "This tattoo is the Zermelo-Fraenkel with Choice axioms of set theory. From these nine axioms, one can derive all of mathematics."
















Second is another "science" related book.  It's about my favorite tv show, The Big Bang Theory.  Like a lot of other tv shows and movies, it now has its own book about the philosophy of the show.  See the description from Barnesandnoble.com:


A lighthearted meditation on the philosophical quandaries of the hit television show The Big Bang Theory
Ever wonder what Aristotle might say about the life Sheldon Cooper leads? Why Thomas Hobbes would applaud the roommate agreement? Who Immanuel Kant would treat with "haughty derision" for weaving "un-unravelable webs?" And—most importantly—whether Wil Wheaton is truly evil? Of course you have. Bazinga!
This book mines the deep thinking of some of history's most potent philosophical minds to explore your most pressing questions about The Big Bang Theory and its nerdy genius characters. You might find other philosophy books on science and cosmology, but only this one refers to Darth Vader Force-chokes, cloning Leonard Nimoy, and oompa-loompa-like engineers. Fo-shizzle.
  • Gives you irresistibly geek-worthy insights on your favorite Big Bang Theory characters, story lines, and ideas
  • Examines important themes involving ethics and virtue, science, semiotics, religion, and the human condition
  • Brings the thinking of some of the world's greatest philosophers to bear on The Big Bang Theory, from Aristotle and Plato to Nietzsche, Wittgenstein, Simone de Beauvoir, and more
Essential reading for every Big Bang Theory fan, this book explores whether comic-book-wielding geeks can lead the good life, and whether they can know enough science to "tear the mask off nature and stare at the face of God."

And finally, I really don't read too many books about dogs.  Like Marley and Me they are almost always going to have an ending that makes me cry almost uncontrollably.  There is not much that I love more than dogs.  And having had to make the decision to put two dogs to sleep on my own in the past 10 years, it really hits me hard.  I don't know for sure this book ends this way, but maybe I could read up until the end.  It is called Giant George, and here is the description from Goodreads.com:

With his big blue eyes and soulful expression, George was the irresistible runt of the litter. But Dave and Christie Nasser's "baby" ended up being almost five feet tall, seven feet long, and 245 pounds. Eager to play, and boisterous to the point of causing chaos, this big Great Dane was scared of water, scared of dogs a fraction of his size and, most of all, scared of being alone.

GIANT GEORGE is the charming story of how this precocious puppy won Dave and Christie's hearts and along the way became a doggie superstar. In 2010, George was named by Guinness World Records as the Tallest Dog in the World-ever. He appeared on Oprah, and even has his own global fan club. But to Dave and Christie, this extraordinary animal is still their beloved pet, the one who has made them laugh, made them cry, and continues to make them incredibly happy.



So, those are the 3 books I saw the past few weeks that I remembered to post about.  I'll try to do a posting each month maybe, if I don't end up with too many!  :-)