My reading list

As mentioned before, one of my little goals is to read a bit more. The last book I read for fun was back in June. Named The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night by author Mark Haddon, this book provides an interesting glimpse into the mind of an autistic child. (More info here.) Having worked with autistic children himself, the author's insights and compassion are evident. Quirky illustrations and diagrams liberally sprinkle the pages, and prime--rather than sequential integral--numbers head each chapter. Amazon.com reviewers give strong marks to this book, and I too would recommend the book.

I picked up Stephen Hawking's ever-so-famous A Brief History of Time the other day. For those with the slightest bit of interest in reconciling the general theory of relativity with quantum mechanics, I'd recommend this book. And if you find anything with the word "quantum" daunting, I'd encourage you not to be intimidated by this book, because Hawking writes with laypeople in mind. Some say the true mark of genius is being able to explain complexities in a simple and straightforward manner. While I think that's silly, I still appreciate the author's ability to do just that. If you took physics in high school, that should be enough background.