Reading roundup: Invisible Gorilla and The Edge

[hamsterwoman]

Obligatory LJ layout teeth-gnashing. *sigh* I lasted a couple of hours with the new one, but then switched back. Which is highly non-intuitive! But here's a screencap that shows where to find it (with thanks for ladymercury_10 for the link to it, as it's handier than the verbal explanation on the basis of which I hunted it down myself.)

28. Christopher Chabris

Comments

[aome]

Oh, THANK YOU. I saw the initial "If you want to go back, click here" when the change first happened, but I didn't know what the new version looked like to compare - and then I couldn't figure out how to change back afterwards. My main complaint: I couldn't click on my flist page from ANYWHERE other than my own journal page. How can that possibly be an improvement?

Is O enjoying Leviathan?

[meathiel]

THAT'S exactly what's my main complaint as well ...

[hamsterwoman]

Very welcome! I was in the same situation -- figured I'd check it out, then couldn't find a way to switch back until I came across someone explaining it.

The thing that bugged me about the new layout was the way the menus would drop down/expand just when I was passing over them, obscuring the top of the page, and the weird grayish font. And the "feed" and "blog" terminology. Shut up, LJ, the whole point is it's NOT just a blog or a feed, grr!

O seems to be enjoying Leviathan, yep! (I sold him on the book by telling him about the flechette bats -- the idea of bats pooping deadly missiles proved to be the clincher XP)

[postingwhore]

Invisible Gorilla: How Our Intuitions Deceive Us seems interesting! I'll have to check that out, thanks. :)

[hamsterwoman]

It was a very fun and interesting read for me -- I hope you enjoy it too!

[ikel89]

Ahh, I'm glad the William's swamp book (I keep forgetting the book's actual name ahaha) was a hit with you, and iirc, for all the same reasons that I liked it, too! The crazy family (did that remind you or curseworkers? cuz it retrospectively did to me), the Will adorableness, Cerise kickassity, and the fish quotes (I do remember "the fucked-up fish" one, too! and "William would kick his ass," too:)
Also, am with you on the sentiment that the only way Declan is interesting is whenever Will comes into picture :> Slashers, where are you? XD

[hamsterwoman]

I keep forgetting the book's actual nameMe too, because it's a stupid name that has nothing to do with the action of the book! And, unlike every other book in the series, doesn't have "edge" in it. "William's swamp book" is pretty much how I think of it, too

[ikel89]

did it show up somewhere in your posts, perhaps?
спросила бы что полегче XDD memory what is. But it is something I might have quoted, yes!

SOMEONE TELL THIS ANDREW GUY WHAT SLASH IS, ASAP. Don't let him waste his William POV!

[hamsterwoman]

Haha XD *signs petition to introduce Andrew Gordon to slash*

[meathiel]

I've got Stephen Fry's biography lined up for the non-fiction book ... or one by German forensic biologist Mark Bennecke. Both would count for having been in my to-read pile forever ... *lol*

[hamsterwoman]

I thought I would read a biography for my nonfiction, but so many awesome suggestions came in from my last post, that it proved a very easy/fun spot to fill.

And, ooh, forensic biology -- that sounds really cool!

[meathiel]

The guy is awesome - he gives speeches at Wave Gotik Treffen (the big Goth festival I go to every year) and we usually try to get in. Don't always manage as he's so popular!

http://home.benecke.com/

EDIT: Do you have any ideas for a book written by someone younger than 30? The only thing I can come up with are the Eragon books ...

[hamsterwoman]

Ha, he looks rather different than I'd imagined just based on thinking "academic", but seems like a very interesting guy! (sadly, I can't follow the text or videos, of course)

I read Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh for my "under 30" author/book, but if I hadn't already covered that square, I would probably be going for Max Gladstone (who just turned 30 last month apparently) and Three Parts Dead -- I want to read it anyway, actually, both for the premise and the praise it's gotten from both authors I like and readers I trust.

But the Eragon guy was my first thought on that one, too XD

[deeplyunhip]

Intuition books looks awesome - my intuition tells me (based on someone I know providing such fascinating tidbits) to try and read it soon. :D

[hamsterwoman]

I think you'd get a kick out of it! I mean, I "spoiled" a lot of the good bits in the roundup above, but there was plenty more, and it was an entertaining read just with the way it was written. I hope you do enjoy it if you check it out!