What I Read Over Break

The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman – link

Death In Venice by Thomas Mann – link

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius – link

I read Meditations and the Enchiridion after reading Letters from a Stoic last semester. I think the Stoic philosophy is absolutely fascinating and I think about my life in a completely different way than I did before. Although I think Letters from a Stoic is the best of the three, Meditations was still really valuable (although a little repetitive).

The Enchiridion by Epictetus – link

My Man Jeeves by PG Wodehouse – link

Hilarious stories about bumbling Englishman Bertie Wooster and his butler Jeeves (the inspiration for the Ask Jeeves search engine – remember that?) I think it’s a really good example of tight, funny, and witty writing although the style is a bit anachronistic and takes some getting used to.

The Rights of Man by Thomas Paine (still in the middle of it) – link

I starting reading this as a counter point to Reflections on the Revolution in France by Edmund Burke, the father of conservatism, and I can’t decide which I like better. Reflections is amazing because Burke basically predicted Napoleon’s rise in France after their revolution, and his writing style is awesome. However, I think Paine makes a lot of valid points. I’m reserving full judment until after I’ve finished it.

What did you read recently?