Well, the quarantine period has given everyone ample time to read and re-read books. I have slowly come to realize that it’s very easy to keep reading more every year, and equally difficult to retain the subject matter. In the spirit of achieving clear thinking by putting thoughts into words and also taking a cue from James Clear’s article, I’m going to do a quick summary and highlight key takeaways or quotes from the 5 books I read recently:

1. Algorithms to live by
2. An illustrated book of bad arguments
3. Malevolent Republic
4. Gujarat Files

The idea is to describe them succinctly and convince you to read at least a couple of them. So, here goes!

Book 1: Algorithms to live by: Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths

Summary:

This book tries to marry the math of algorithms with its application in real life problems (which have a fair set of constraints). The author tries to help us understand the math in decision making and shows us where it can actually make a difference and also cases where our old-fashioned intuition is pretty much the best way to solve problems. This book can also serve as a wonderful refresher to the most famous algorithms in our world and understand them from an application standpoint.

Takeaways:

1. Our brains are already working like a computer, solving everyday problems with algorithms — some of them messy, some of them brilliant
2. Real life problems are hard and involve a lot of tradeoffs — you cannot solve all your problems effectively — and it’s okay
3. Not all algorithms can have direct application on our everyday lives, but some of
4. Don’t stop looking for a soulmate until you’ve at least looked at 37% of your options, and then pick the first option that’s better than what you’ve looked at
5. If you forget something, it’s probably because there’s too much loaded in your memory :D

Who should read it?

Honestly, anyone with a curious mind. This book is neither too technical nor too overly simplistic. Sure, it probably doesn’t make sense to complete it in one setting, but shouldn’t that be true for all good books? Whether you’re a techie or just someone interested in how math can attempt to solve a few complex problems, this book will hit most notes when it comes to a good read

Book 2: An Illustrated Book Of Bad Arguments: Ali Almossawi

Summary:

A book that you can definitely finish in one sitting, it’s a primer and introduces the reader to basics of logical reasoning and how to spot inconsistencies in an argument. Although the subject matter is fairly straightforward and the examples a bit too random (could have used more real-life examples for better stickiness), it’s still great to just skim through this once in a while to make sure you’re not making the same mistakes in your everyday conversations

Takeaways:

1. Appeal to hypocrisy — where you counter a charge with another charge — is such a classic Twitter trend. I wish all of them read this once
2. Ad hominem — Another Twitter thing where you attack or discredit the person in order to discredit the argument itself

Who should read it?

People who like things explained with the help of visuals, graphic book nerds and people who need a refresher of logical fallacies. It’s probably not for kids — the explanations and examples are not that simple

Book 3: Malevolent Republic: Kapil Komireddy

Summary:

A great book for an objective view on history of India post-Independence. The author’s writing is incredibly sharp and laced with a bitter pill for most of India’s political leaders. It’s not the most palatable book about India — I guess truth rarely is. The author attacks everything — Congress’s nepotism, the current government’s majoritarian appeal and Modi’s hunger for power and attention — with brutal honesty. You’ll be depressed but proud of yourself.

Quotes:

1. If Ehsan Jafri, a former member of parliament with a line to the deputy prime minister’s office, could be dragged out of his home and gashed and burned alive, what makes anyone think he or she will remain unharmed? If Aamir Khan, one of India’s biggest film stars, can be unpersoned; if Gauri Lankesh, one of its boldest journalists, can be shot dead; if Ramachandra Guha, one of its greatest historians, can be stopped from lecturing; if Naseeruddin Shah, among its finest actors, can be branded a traitor; if Manmohan Singh, the former prime minister, can be labelled an agent of Pakistan by his successor; if B.H. Loya, a perfectly healthy judge, can abruptly drop dead; if a young woman can be stalked by the police machinery of the state because Modi has displayed an interest in her — what makes the rest of us think we will remain untouched and unharmed?
2. Imperialism, in other words, was destructive only when Europeans did it. When Asians did it, it was a cultural exchange programme

Who should read it?

Every Indian definitely needs to read this. Urgently.

Book 4: Gujarat Files: Rana Ayyub

Summary:

This book is NOT written well, period. BUT, the reason it does feature on this list is because it is courageous. It is stupendously courageous of this fire brand journalist to get so close to the masterminds behind the Gujarat riots. I also think it is relevant in today’s time, because a lot of her “confessors” have been acquitted and have also gotten promotions. The strange thing is, there’s a lot of controversy surrounding the book and whether there’s truth in it; however, no one really seems to want to fact-check it or refute her claims. Scary insight into the workings of politics controlling the state police.

Takeaways:

1. Power misuse is rampant in our country and there is clearly a very wrong culture in our administrative machinery
2. The pursuit of truth is hard. Really, really hard.

Who should read it?

Someone who is okay with a poorly written book (grammatical and structural issues) but is curious about one of the scariest periods in India’s history