I've recently bought the authorized biography of Warren Buffet. I've read a couple others over the years. It'll be interesting to see how this one differs from the un-authorized ones.

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

Car Girl mentioned Ellery Queen -- the grand master of the puzzle. One called "The King Is Dead," from the '50s, features characterization, atmosphere, and a dynamite locked-room mystery. If you like those, a lot of things by John Dickson Carr would be up your alley -- "The Three Coffins" is considered his best.

On another level, Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe mystery novels and novelettes are compulsively readable -- and re-readable. I first read Stout in my teens, but I go back to him every couple of years and find new levels to enjoy every time. Try "And Be a Villain," "The Second Confession," and "In the Best Families," but read them in that order. It's a trilogy in which Wolfe, the seventh-of-a-ton orchid-fancying and beer-drinking private detective, engages in his titanic struggle with his own Professor Moriarty.

Josephine Tey is not everybody's cup of tea, but if you like British mysteries she's the queen of flavor. "The Singing Sands" (in which her hero, a Scotland Yard inspector, struggles with claustrophobia!), "Miss Pym Disposes," and "Brat Farrar" (which was adapted on Mystery! some years back) are her best.

Modern crime? Lawrence Block, Loren D. Estleman (who also writes the best Westerns of anybody today), and Dennis Lehane (the films "Mystic River" and "Gone, Baby, Gone" are both great adaptations of those novels of his).
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-- Paul W. (The Benzadmiral)
('03 Buick Park Avenue, charcoal/cream)
Formerly:
'97 C230, smoke silver/parchment; '86 420SEL, anthracite/light grey; '84 280CE (W123), dark blue/palomino

I should get one, I have been meaning to read about him for awhile. His investment style would be a good to learn from.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I'm struggling with a book entitled, "Mathematics in Nature" by John Adam. I say "struggling" because I really don't remember enough calculus to make understanding easy. The author is a very talented writer and I have had some glimpses into natural phenomena from his perspective that makes me (almost!) want to learn again what I thought I'd never need.

If you like math and are intrigued by patterns in nature, this is a fun book for you.

B

Just got into it, will report back when I finish. Its quite interesting.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Did you read Angels and Deamons? That was Robert Langdon's first adventure.

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2015 ML350 4Matic. Wifes DD
2015 GLK350 4Matic. My winter DD
2012 E350 4Matic. Road Trip car
2009 CLK350 Coupe Designo.Kleemann Tune For nice days/DD
2006 CL600. V12.Eurocharged Tune. Enough said
2005 CLK55 AMG Coupe.Kleemann Tune. For the sound and style
2004 CLK320 Cabriolet. 2005+ Interior swap. For the sunny Florida days & beach days

I've finished Snowball and I highly recommend it. It's very readable and Warren buffett's life is fascinating. I love reading about the lives of people who excell in their chosen fields.

As a result of reading Snowball, I've started reading The Intelligent investor by Benjamin Graham. Graham was Buffett's mentor It's considered one of th best books ever written on how to invest successfully.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

I love math, but ....pffft! Calculus is not math!

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I just finished Peter Egan's leanings....a collection of his Cycle World stories and columns....a christmas present (or birthday)....am now working on Bob Greene's "Once upon a town"...its pretty good. (Christmas present).

I bought myself a copy of Studs Terkel's Working days (IIRC) and a book on the Korean war last week when on vacation in Lexington KY.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I just finished Team of Rivals
Now I am about 1/4 of the way thru Chesapeake

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

Along similar lines, I'm reading The Character of Physical Law, a collection of lectures given by Richard Feynman. I've just finished the first part where he explains why understanding mathematics is essential to understanding physics. Now I'm getting to the part about how natural phenomena can be analyzed from different beginning points and yet end up with the same result. I love reading stuff by and about Feynman. As geniuses go, he was pretty much of a kook, which I mean as a compliment.

Yes, I read OLD books like from the 70s and 80s.

Also, speaking of books, the trunk of my 1988 Mercedes smells like books... like an old library.

Mathematicians are not scientists.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Calculus is almost art. When you see the proof of it, it's hard to believe that it works. But it does. The steps all have a logic to them but the twists and turns it takes are fascinating. I wish I could present the proof of it on a blackboard but I can't, not w/o major brushing up anyway.

Ol' Newton had a nimble mind.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

I have always had an admiration for those select few who master Calculus; not simply be able to solve textbook problems, but actually use it in their thinking.

Having said that, the one who originally codified it ( Newton) must be orders of magnatude higher intelligence than those who "simply" use it.
"Genius" is too common a word.

Typically, learning is from the known to the unknown, in small disceet steps--each step related to what preceded it. "Inventing" the Calculus is such a vastly bigger step that I have difficulty understanding how one ,akes that step.
Is there a good ( meaning readable) book that describes how Newton did it?

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags