Books, Books, Books...

I think that I should at least tell you people the kind of books that I read. I am somewhat a fan of Malcolm Gladwell. He may just be a journalist- not some social scientist or economist out there, but his ability to show extraordinary things in the most ordinary of things. He is observant about the world we live in, and presents really fascinating viewpoints. I read Tipping Point, What the Dog Saw, Outliers, and Blink- virtually all of his books. Can his books fall under the category of humanities? Back to basics, if it pertains to some form of social trend or something along those lines, then it should qualify as a humanities book.

I also read Freakonomics and SuperFreakonomics, which is relatively similar to Gladwell’s books just that it is more “economic” based. I have finished Collapse by Jared Diamond. It is some of the most “factual” book I have ever read. Diamond’s research across continents is simply overwhelming and his passion to find the answers to questions we thought had no answers, is worthy of admiration. I had planned to read Guns, Germs, Steel- the book which answers the root of inequality- during the June Holidays, but I was too busy to read it.

I am currently reading The World is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman. This book is really relevant to the world I will be facing when I grow up, discussing the impacts of globalization would have on both the developed world and undeveloped world. The thought of having to compete with billions of people in the near future is not a pleasant thought, especially with the rise of India and China. Competition, as much as we all detest it, is necessary for us to improve ourselves. On the bright side, this book provided some career guidance on how we can survive in the future in the face of stiff competition.

Must my journey of humanities be only filled with books? I would not say so. If videos, movies are equally provocative I would not mind them. More importantly, thinkers around the world express their thought through pen and paper initially, and the documentaries come next. Thus, I consider the book to be the most authentic and original form of material from the author.