Tsundoku / Anti-Library of 2018
This is the year in which the exquisitely fine word Tsundoku entered our lexicon. So, the end of the year is a good time to evaluate the dreams for future reading. I don’t buy books impulsively much, but there is always a running list I would like to buy. In some sense, my tsundoku is my anti-library.
It appears that I will fall short of my 2018 reading goal (here is my reading list for 2018), but this is only a good thing in Umberto Eco’s view of the Library of life. Life is short, there are always miles to go and promises to keep. Here are the recent books that are hovering on my radar and beckoning my time. The pleasure is in the knowledge that this ever-changing queue of books may occasionally reduce, but will never get empty, even as I read more.
On Science/tech front, I am looking forward to reading Lost in math: How Beauty Lead Physics Away about pursuing research for beauty’s sake — a topic that fascinates me. I am excited by the tome The Prophet and The Wizard by Charles Mann.
In the Automation/AI front, Gigged by Sarah Kessler and Army of None by Paul Scharre are next on my list.
On Biographies/History books, I am looking forward to reading Inseparable: The Original Siamese Twins By Yunte Huang (about Original Siamese twins who settled in America, married different women and raised many children), God Save Texas: A journey in the soul of Lone Star State by Lawrence Wright (as I am fascinated by Texas). The year that VS Naipaul passed seemed to be a good time to read Sir Vidia’s Shadow by Paul Theroux; Naipaul’s exquisite perspicacity into complex issues on paper seemed to defy his distasteful prickliness in real life.
About India, I am looking forward to reading Gandhi: The Years changed the world 1914-1948 by Ramachandra Guha (I enjoyed his Gandhi before India) and Army of Empire: The Untold Story of the Indian Army in World War I by George Morton-Jack (a story not much covered in Indian History).
Fiction books on my radar are Milkman by Anna Burns (as I am a sucker for Irish writing), Circe by Madeline Miller, and Odyssey by Emily Wilson (both from Philadelphia!). Severance by Ling Ma seems astounding new Foreign SF in the vein of Cixin Liu.
The folks at NYRB have released Uwe Johnson’s Anniversaries. The volume is humongous for me to pick up now. However, this lovely review at Weekly Standard (RIP!) calls it one of the greatest novels of the 20th century.
I also discovered Hiking with Nietzsche: On Becoming Who you are by John Kaag. The great outdoors and philosophy are great life companions.
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