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 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.