My summer 2018 reads

[@WMfin]

Hi! I'm new here. Saw your video on my subscription feed and had to search through your other videos to figure out why I have sub'd you and true enough, it was the "Why has it been so hot?" -video I found so good. Anyways, as the year changes it marks one whole year I have had Kindle Voyage that rekindled my love for reading. That's why I got curious to click the video about BOOKS! Feels like it is rather rare these days but what do I know. Interesting summer-reading list and I really liked how you described them. I just finished reading Homo Deus and before that the Sapiens. Harari sure is absolutely pleasure to read. There's a hint of cynicism in his voice that spices up the subject so well for me that I love it! My summer reading consist of couple of Wheel of Time books and Factfulness which I absolutely needed to read! It was fact-theraphy. I had to buy a physical copy of it to give it to my friends and family so I also must recommend it to you too! I will go through your other videos about books as well as check out your Goodreads profile! EDIT: I just watched your video on Sapiens and it was spot on! You were left wondering exactly same things as I: how religious people saw the book? Non-vegs? I love how he presents religion and god(s) as past things. I live in Finland which is quite secular but still got longing and yearning to time when religion really would be a thing of the past.

[@Seamemaria]

Currently reading Sapiens and LOVING it! It makes me feel a lot of feels. It really gives you different perspectives on things you probably never thought of. And I recently went to ethnic museum and couldn´t stop thinking of the book throughout the whole exhibition. Definitely going to read Homo Deus afterwards. I started reading a Brief History of Time at the beginning of the year and somehow paused it. Gonna try and join you for that one. Great reviews, thank you! =)

[@aer9498]

It occurs the same to me with respect to Brief History of Time, It was frustrating at some points, some of the ideas could have been way clearer with the aid of mathematics. But no, he is faithful to the stile and tries to explain it the way he considers to be more elementary. I'm afraid some parts turned out to be unnecessarily confusing.

[@aer9498]

And yeah, I didn't get to the most interesting chapters due to that

[@thecentalist3160]

Last book I finished was Crime and Punishment. The best way to describe it is reading a murder mystery from the criminals perspective. I liked it.

[@mostlyharmless7154]

It's absolutely more than a murder mystery- come at it like a ethicist

[@oliviagomes8835]

I think you should get into writing - I think it will be cool for you to possibly publish some science books ( I mean you might as well since you have PhD knowledge). I've written about physics since I was twelve - not gonna lie some of the physics I wrote at that age was crapworthy but I tend to enjoy writing rather than just reading. Will buy a book of yours at a price of 10 Thai Bahts btw.

[@SimonClark]

Funny you should mention that, I've had a few book ideas rattling around my head for a while...

[@petrichor1655]

Simon Clark ooh I’m excited

[@stijnboeren3943]

@@SimonClark you did it🔥🔥

[@nataliaoficial6538]

I absolutely love how passionate you are. Really admire the passion, so much that I wanna be like you

[@katierose0912]

I loved the Golden Compass! I need to read all of them now and then read that prequel. I felt such nastalgia when you were talking about it lol

[@bookoffholicbookwart5945]

so excited for this video. i love books and your analyses are so true to heart, like any bookholic can feel what you are trying explain + being a physics undergrad. its really useful. tqsm

[@anujarora0]

Lately I've been reading a book named "Brief Answers to the big questions" written by Stephen Hawkins and his colleagues ( Stephen Hawkins died before he could finish this book so the book is the collection of his personal archive ) I highly recommend this book

[@anujarora0]

Shaik Abdillah you won't regret it I promise

[@yasir.3486]

Bro can you make explained series like Hisenbergs uncertainty principle, single photon interference, Schrödinger's equation etc. ?

[@Tills87]

I think it's great you read an array of books, which is something I try to do too (both fiction and non-fiction). I think it's easy when you're studying/in academia to not read at all outside of 'work', or have a very narrow reading focus, which I am determined to fight against! I also have a signed copy of Northern lights from childhood - along with a picture of me dressed as Lyra which Philip Pullman was very complimentary about! :D

[@abanir3772]

Finally my hardship in study programming is done and I'm here watching you again. Missed you so much😍💕 love from iran 🇮🇷

[@ATGDev]

I'm trying to read more but I'm finding it difficult to get into the habit of reading, especially when red dead redemption 2 has come out, any tips?

[@rockwitharms7455]

ATGSilva idk, just try to schedule your reading, start with some 30 pages a day and move up from that slowly

[@SimonClark]

I've really been struggling with this too. Tbh the most useful thing has been setting a timer before bed, which was pixel girl's suggestion, but even then it's tough. If I come across a life hack I'll be sure to let you know!

[@OmarMiranda]

amazing jaja I'm gonna try it. Shutdown everything, but before bed, at least 1 page ! :)

[@veloxlupus303]

Try reading half a hour just before going to bed for a start. Then increase that daily. But even if you read only 30 minutes a day, its still infinitely better than nothing.

[@ignatiusthomas9005]

@@SimonClark Simon you're super cool and a role model .. you're videos from the Oxford days have inspired me a lot and I've gone into the field of engineering! Love from India !! Wish me luck

[@joeloverton4327]

I have not read any Dan Abnett aside from the Dragon Frontier series and I didn't realize he wrote the Warhammer books so maybe I may be asking for some this Christmas. My favorite fantasy series is still Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy. Just thought I would say despite probably not being seen but oh well.

[@pixlark4287]

I'm currently reading "Everything and More" by David Foster Wallace, it's an overview of how mathematics grew with relation to infinity, from Aristotle and the Greeks to Cantor and Dedekind. It's very popular-science, like "The Master Algorithm", but it was written by David freaking Foster freaking Wallace so it's a really fun read even if you're very familiar with the material.

[@b4itstarted]

"This book is just a list of this happened.... and that's kind of what history is at its most basic form." So true. I used to hate history because I thought it was just a series of numbers and dates and people that I had to memorize (boring!), but then I took a history class in unversity and found it was so much more. William Cronon's works revolutionized how I think about history. History done well has an interesting thesis and makes a compelling argument. I specifically recommend "Nature's Metropolis: Chicago and the Great West", "Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists, and the Ecology of New England", and " Uncommon Ground: Rethinking the Human Place in Nature" if you're intetersted in how humans and nature interact (in a more American context, but I still think its widely applicable).

[@cantonlittle]

I've been reading "The Theoretical Minimum" by Leonard Susskind and George Hrabovsky. The book does an introductory course to classical mechanics justice, especially if you've never taken a physics course. I highly recommend

[@jamesmumford8641]

FYI: I think you mean 'epitome' at 7:48, unless there's a use of 'paradigm' of which I'm unaware.

[@dl4350]

I'm one of those five although I have heard of the golden compass

[@liammargetts]

I love a brief history. It's very nicely written, in my opinion.

[@raudreyagupta2599]

While reviewing Eureka by Andrew Gregory, you mentioned that there are better books out there. Can you please tell me what those books are? I am a science student, and I love reading about the history of science, especially during the Renaissance and what the thought process was behind each invention and each development, and I feel such reads can enhance both knowledge and critical thinking skills. If you (or anyone else out here) have any suggestions up your sleeve for such kinds of books, I would love to hear them.

[@EleriWilliams]

Interesting to hear that you really liked La Belle Sauvage. I bought it for my mum (who loved the Dark Materials) as a present, but she didn't really enjoy it so I never borrowed it for myself. Seeing this has made me think maybe I should give it a go after all

[@hman0121]

When you're so early that the highest video quality is 360p.

[@dylanzondag5224]

I’ve been reading a lot of david foster wallace lately. If you or anybody is interested in reading him, i would suggest with starting with his speech ‘this is water’ which is just sublime. His bigger books are infinite jest and the pale king although i do advise starting with the pale king and ending with infinite jest.

[@claradenken]

Haha, my "The Master Algorithm" copy is right next to me, looking almost exactly like yours! :D I just got back from Mallorca and have read about a third while on holiday... it got wet in my backpack from the wet towels and stuff... I am sure when I am finished reading it it will like even worse (like yours :D) I guess that's just the fate of the Master Algorithm... maybe it's a hint at the solution? ;-) By the way: I've just started writing my Master thesis on a machine learning topic, in Meteorology... so I am SO UP for you doing a video on ML

[@aer9498]

Simon you should definitely read one of Hercule Poirot mysteries! (If you haven't yet) Even if you haven't read "Murder on the orient express" but you have already came to know the ending then you can read "Murder of Roger Ackroyd". One of the interesting points of this kind of books is that, appart from not being let down after being read, you can then tell us how did you guess about the role of each character and the development of the story. I'd just love it. You'd love it as well.

[@ragnkja]

I’ve read _La Belle Sauvage_ and like you I absolutely adored it through I do think it ended rather abruptly.

[@poirotmysteries]

Sapiens was lovely! Will give Deus a try. Great video, Simon! Looking forward to more book reviews ☺️

[@ugeuge3186]

i love watching your reviews!!! you are so eclectic and smart on your choice of words! fave!!!

[@David-CoolDave]

Have always loved the book videos. They're some of your best stuff

[@ryanmcmanus83]

I love your videos! gave me some great ideas on what to read next after ASOIAF!

[@berserker8884]

I haven't read this behemoth yet(it's waiting in the infinite line of To-Be-Read books, but it is close and I already bought the paperback edition), but you might consider reading Russel's History of Western Philosophy as a good general introduction to scientific philosophy and mathematics/logic, as well as philosophy in general, of course. Dude won a Nobel Prize for literature for this monster of a book.

[@Duckquek17]

Rather out of topic but, would we ever get a tour video of your new room? :D

[@OmarMiranda]

I'm stuck reading Deep Work (since April maybe). I don't dedicate enough time to read :c But, I have A LOT on the backlog to read (including Pedro Domingos' book). But I will read it ! :D

[@jonf8692]

If you're interested in the history of science, I'd highly recommend The Beginnings of Western Science by David Lindenburg. It basically goes from before the Greeks up until right before the scientific revolution. It's real good and you should definitely read it if you haven't already

[@SimonClark]

Sounds great, I shall check it out!

[@twist777hz]

What you described about multiple pages of text that could be expressed in a few lines of code or equations is the reason I stopped reading popular science books. It's as if popular science authors and/or their publishers believe that including equations or code in their books will lead to global panic, fear, stock market crashes and book burning which I just can't imagine happening.

[@aprilcridland7327]

Completely agree about La Belle Sauvage. There was one chapter in particular that just did not jibe with the rest of them.

[@alk8380]

yeeeeaah!! I'm soooo looking forward to hearing your thoughts on The Name of The Wind :D

[@quintecence]

Have you read the aldus lexicon amd the guardians of time?.. they are my favourite trilogies because they have such weird concepts. I need to read them again. I'm currently reading the belwhether revival by benjamin wood, it's a great psychological thriller about a guy with narcissistic personality disorder that believes he has a "magical gift". (I'm trying not to give too much away) it's a great book if you're into the genre 😀

[@toliphant95]

Oof. Starting the King Killer Chronicles before the last one is out is a bad call (but you should absolutely do it anyways!), welcome to the giant club of folks waiting for the third book.

[@carmengs561]

Hi Simon! I don't know if you've already read it, and I suppose you're familiar with The Witcher, so I would like to recommend you the Geralt of Rivia series. It's one of the best fantasy stories I've ever read, and I'm curious about what you would say about it ❤

[@carmengs561]

Okay i wrote this before your "please don't recommend" sorry🙈

[@txm2124]

Name of the wind is my favorite fiction book.

[@PickingPaul1]

It's fantasy

[@MR-lx7kc]

@@PickingPaul1 Hence the word fiction.

[@PickingPaul1]

@@MR-lx7kc the name of the wind is a fantasy novel, not fiction

[@MR-lx7kc]

@@PickingPaul1 fantasy is a part of fiction

[@PickingPaul1]

@@MR-lx7kc afraid not. Fiction is an imaginary thing within the believed scientific boundaries, fantasy is outside the boundaries of believed science, anything with magic in it like the name of the wind is classed as fantasy. But I see why you confuse the two

[@veloxlupus303]

I've been reading a lot this summer as well! Here is what I read since your last video: Imperial Triumph (Kulikowski), The Laws (Plato), Hesiod/Theogonis, The Spartans (Cartlage), On Living and Dying Well (Cicero), The Odyssey (Homer), Babylon (Kriwaczek), Medea and Other Plays (Euripides), The Politics (Aristotle), Alexander the Great (Cartlage), Meditations (Marcus Aurelius), The History of the Ancient World (Bauer), A Day in Life of Ancient Rome (Angela), The Twelve Caesars (Suetonius), The Rise and Fall of Ancient Rome (Wilkinson), The Last Days of Socrates (Plato), The Time Machine (HG Wells), and I'm currently reading The Fall of the West (Goldsworthy). I would recommend Bauer as a very good overview of Ancient History. The Mesopotamian history aspects are done especially well. HG Wells Time Machine was also quite cute, a long short story. Also, Imperial Triumph is excellent for roman imperial history between Hadrain and Julian.

[@veloxlupus303]

Oh yeah, also Euripides is pretty fun. I would put him on top of the quartet of Greek Playwrights, with the ordering being Sophocles and Euripides tied, Aristophanes and lastly Aeschylus. OOooo, but you got to read Sophocles Antigone. ITS SO GOOD.

[@ebacchus1]

I’d recommend Hannah Fry’s ‘Hello World: How to be human in the age of the machine’. It gives lots of examples of how AI is currently being used in many aspects of our lives and what sort of questions we need to ask ourselves, individually and as a society, as AI becomes more and more prevalent.

[@rottenrafflesia]

good quality book video! Yah, The Kingkiller Chronicles is definitely up in my top 3 favourite (epic) fantasy series!

[@blakewilson9691]

Currently reading "Quantum Computing Since Democritus" by Dr. Scott Aaronson. Super good read. I'm about a third of the way through. It's a great primer for a theoretical and slightly historical basis in Quantum Computing and Computer Science. Dr. Aaronson is a very witty author. Seems right up your alley!

[@SimonClark]

Just added to my goodreads! Thanks for the recommendation, looks perfect

[@potionseller2083]

More book reviews!!!! I love them

[@a.denigot2503]

Interesting that you enjoyed La Belle Sauvage, I absolutely love His Dark Materiaks (especially Northern Lights, which is one of my favourite books!) but I was very disappointed by La Belle Sauvage! I thought it was too long, a little boring in all honesty, no character really stood out to me, and it lacked all the complexity and magic of His Dark Materials!

[@intheclouds4453]

a brief history of time was the first scientific book i've read, such a great book, i hope i can find time for more reading

[@yoavzack]

You would hate me for that, but read the "Mistborn" Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. Literally the best fiction trilogy ever written and I love it with all of my heart.

[@sarahcook6323]

If you like dense history books, I've nearly finished "In The Shadow of the Sword" by Tom Holland about ancient Persia, ancient Rome, and the rise of Islam. It is one of the most surprisingly intriguing books I've read.

[@inessamaria2428]

I love your book reviews. Keep reading!!!

[@nk-xz7mp]

brief history by stephan hawking was the best book about physics i had ever read , its like an introduction for physics and his opinion about it

[@rockwitharms7455]

YES! New book video!

[@KartyMcFarty]

I never recommend The name of the wind to anyone anymore. It may be some of the best fantasy books out there but i've been waiting for the third book for over five years so it basically feels like George R.R. Martin right now.

[@silar-alan]

Make a video on your favourite movies.

[@alicedrysdale2066]

White Teeth by Zadie Smith. It is 👌👌👌👌👌

[@ACM112PT]

Damn simon your chest and shoulders are getting pretty big, the gym is paying off, congrats!

[@rileydevan9626]

Please could you read Yuval Noah Harari's new book, 21 Lessons for the 21st Century

[@RoulinBrooks]

I loved His Dark Materials, but La Belle Sauvage not nearly as much. That flood. It just went on and on. I found it a bit tiresome after a while. Way too much time on the flood. I'm just finishing up Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson. Definitely recommended.

[@aiman2562]

Hello sir...I to persue phd at Manchester University.. quite perplexed can you please guide me

[@asilap]

I love his enthusiasm :3

[@jennychang2200]

I love book review video!!!

[@kibrika]

I kind of want to join the book club, but I don't think I can read A Brief History Of Time in a month.

[@joeybuchanan8984]

Simon the weather man posts other videos?!

[@ThatBigFail]

How do you guys take notes when reading non-fiction?

[@63565989]

If you love well developed fantasy worlds you will enjoy the night watch series. Its amazing how Lukyanenko creates the world AND how he ties it with russia and some neighbour countries as well.

[@63565989]

Also you were the final push. I'm going to get the Pullman books tomorrow at the library.

[@SimonClark]

You wont regret it

[@Abhishekverma-hz6vu]

Can you forward the pdf of world of physics

[@pietroascione501]

Have you ever read Gödel Escher Bach?

[@danielrejat3370]

I recently read a book by Matt Taibbi - Griftopia, propably one of the best books i have read, it was about 2008 crash in USA, he explained it so well and captivatingly, just amazing, would recommend

[@XanderGouws]

I would really love to see some machine learning videos by you

[@cjbrown3773]

Exciting video! Very informative!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@HBombBlitz]

If anyone in the comments is looking for a good read, "Memory Man" bv David Baldacci is one of the best books I've read this year. Can't recommend it enough. If you enjoy crime thriller novels i'd definitely give this one a go.

[@sayedtauqeershah5369]

Sir Really you are great I learned huge knowledge from you

[@daveferrara]

Currently starting The Master Algorithm, what a coincidence!

[@ASJGMSV]

Please do more!!!!

[@Guywiththetypewriter]

Dan Abnett

[@SimonClark]

I've read them all twice! Pretty much read all Dan Abnett's 40k stuff apart from the later heresy books

[@Orosh]

Woah Simon you´re getting scary. Just started reading "A brief history of time" last night, since I recently got it as a birthday present.

[@AntonoirJacques]

Why must you keep putting these videos up?! This is just a list of more books I must buy!

[@varunshah7205]

try books by chomsky and carl sagan

[@OzzTonWentToSpace]

How many pages do you read per day?

[@luxemme8872]

I love the background! 🤣🤣

[@abanir3772]

Going searching for these books you are recommending and I'm so excited and then I remember I'm in Iran so basically lake of books 😑😑😑

[@pritishchatterjee]

Genuinely thanked god out loud after watching this video pop up on my feed 😍

[@razalasreficul6902]

I'd thank Simon, but ok

[@eidechsebernstein954]

The Secret History The Secret History The Secret History.

[@KillGui007]

A good book not he history and philosophy of science is:'The Discoverers' by Daniel J. Boorstin

[@endro7503]

how are you able to read books, play games and still do youtube AND physics? ever since i started gaming I pretty much stopped reading outside the vacations and then there's unviversity taking away my precious game time... HOW DO YOU DO IT?

[@razalasreficul6902]

Priorities and time managing

[@marcel4787]

Love the book videos ❤️👌🏻

[@HarizT90]

Try Stephen Hawking's last book

[@Aliusmi]

Best wishes for you always.

[@aliceacquati1153]

Yay more videos like this please!!! :D

[@luanmorosini]

Interesting books, man. I really want to read The Master Algorithm, even though it may not be as good as I expect. I didn't know the Philip Pullman books haha, even though I've heard of Northern Lights (The Golden Compass in America and A Bússola de Ouro in Brazil). I recommend you read, if you have the opportunity, the book The Wisdom of Ancient Cosmology, Wolfgang Smith. Every day I like your channel more, see you =)

[@Wasoska]

You remind me of Wren in pretty little liars.

[@abhijeetghodgaonkar]

Yo

[@mirjadoon4683]

Getting hench 💪

[@burggerbig102]

That's 7 books.

[@rockwitharms7455]

Fei Han nice counting..?

[@jamesthompson7451]

@@rockwitharms7455 7 is a... special number in Name of the Wind

[@Олеся-х6ы2ц]

Educated - Tara Westover

[@mustahsonkhan4216]

cool

[@EuskaltelEuskadi]

Do Pride and Prejudice

[@amrbadawy9970]

Third?

[@ghfranrabah4590]

😻🙋