Bob’s Bookshelf - 01/03/2010

01/03/2010 - Happy New Year 2010!

I hope you're taking the time to crack a book here and there; there's nothing like spending a few good hours soaking up the wisdom of a great writer.

On my side table this week I have a few books worthy of note; several are tech books that I recommend to anyone in IT or social media business:

"What Would Google Do?" by Jeff Jarvis

Jarvis’ book is an intriguing study of Google's methods and planning. As the leader of web search technology, as well as a developer of new paradigms for cloud computing, Google is a company to follow when it comes to planning strategies for web-based businesses. Not a book I'm reading for its entertainment value, I find the book a little dry but very readable, and do recommend it to my IT friends.

"Under the Dome" by Stephen King

I've been reading Stephen King since "The Stand," which still remains as one of my favorite of the genre (what genre IS that, anyway?). King isn't just a guy who writes creepy books; his study of fellow horror writers, "Danse Macabre," is a fascinating study of great writers like Lovecraft and Poe.

I’m halfway through “Under the Dome;” like other recent King novels, it’s much different from his earlier works. So far I’m loving it... a quick read, fun, well-written. King’s a great craftsman.

"South of Broad" by Pat Conroy

I can't wait to get into this book. I'm a huge fan of Pat Conroy, and as a fellow son of the South, I relate to his characters on a gut level. I also appreciate his real-world descriptions of family dynamics; as one of seven children and someone who grew up in the deepest of the Deep South, I feel the authenticity in his stories and characters.

Reading on the Web

I do a lot of my reading on the web, on a couple of dozen favorite sites. It wouldn't be a good description of what i'm reading if I didn't mention the excellent writers I follow. As a huge Mac fan, I have my favorite Mac writers; as someone who appreciates good journalism, I follow a select list of writers on both sides of the political spectrum. I avoid the fanatical, so that leaves out the hysterical and absurd.

Andy Ihnatko - Andy's been one of my favorite Mac writers for many years; I had the pleasure of hearing one of his talks at Macworld Expo a few years ago and read his columns on a regular basis. A columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, you can find his articles here.

David Pogue has a blog ; he's been writing about all things tech for many years, and is a longtime Mac fan.

As a longtime liberal, I enjoy the Huffington Post; if you're not of like mind, you might not enjoy it, but I appreciate the contributors, who come from all walks of life--but share a similar political world view.

George Will - I mention him first in the interest of fair play; although I generally disagree with his political views. I appreciate the quality of his writing and his skill as a wordsmith. George Will makes me think, and forces me to justify my political stances. You can find him all over the web, but most easily on the Wall Street Journal's site at Newsweek website as well.

Sites I Visit Daily

CNet

Apple Insider

MacRumors

CNN News

Daring Fireball - John Gruber's blog posts are always interesting.

Engadget - Interesting if not always accurate, I like this site a lot.

Want to read your hometown's front page? Check this out: Newseum Front Pages

TUAW - I read their articles every day, even though I don't consider their writers to be very good. If nothing else, they're loyal Mac fans, and I often find out about new software releases on this site.

148Apps - Arguably the best iPhone app site on the web.

Politico - a great political site. I was on this site every day during the last Presidential election.

Mashable - this is a great jumping-off place, an aggregator that I visit often. If you’re a social-media junkie, you’ll enjoy this site.