My friend asked to recommend some good books I’ve recently read. So here’s a list with some.

Note, check the blurb from the back of the book, or Amazon or similar, to better find out if you’d like the book or not. I’ll just list a really short description what’s it about.

Michael Hodges: AK47

This book tells the story of the ubiquitous and famous assault rifle designed by General Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov, the AK47. A nice and interesting read for a sunny day at a beach.

Stephen Levy: Hackers

“Heroes of the computer revolution” is a very good description about this book. In here you’ll find Wozniak, Stallman, founders of Sierra On-Line, Steven Jobs, Bill Gates, and so on, when they still were smelly long-haired hackers. This book sheds a light on what makes a true enthusiast tick and why, for example, we nowadays have Linux, GNU and the Open Source movement.

Nassim Nicholas Taleb: The Black Swan

This book is about unexpected events which have massive consequences, and why attempts to predict such events is futile. It is a philosophical book and will surely change at least a little the way you think. Plus, the term “black swan” seems to be entering common usage by now, so after this book you know what people are talking about :)

Be sure to also check Taleb’s other book “Fooled by Randomness”!

Brian Bagnall: On the Edge

This book tells the story of Commodore company. If you’ve owned a Commodore C64 and/or Amiga computers, have a look.

Dominic Streatfeild: Brainwash

“The secret history of mind control”. This book is about the MKULTRA program of CIA, in which drug/hypnosis/sensory-deprivation/etc. techniques were pioneered and refined to interrogate and reprogram or “brainwash” people. The best (or scariest) part of this book is this is a non-fiction book. The MKULTRA project really happened and is well-documented.

Jon Ronson: The Men Who Stare at Goats

A weird book describing how the US military enlisted New Age hippies to invent new forms of more humane battle-waging and to create New Age warrior-monks who were supposed to be able kill goats with just a mean stare.

Michael Lewis: Liar’s Poker

A story about the “big swinging dicks” of Wall Street and the filthy world of investment banking. Highly entertaining.