in | Anmol Kabra

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Feb 03, 2019 Logicomix Apostolos Doxiadis and Christos Papadimitriou

I have usually been reluctant to reading comics, but the history of logic in the form of comics sounded interesting to me. The comic uses Bertrand Russell’s public lecture as a backdrop to discuss the history of logic, and how logicians, mathematicians, and philosophers during the industrial age pressed hard...

Jan 19, 2019 What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions Randall Munroe

Probably one of the funniest non-fiction + fiction book I’ve read yet. The author also works on the XKCD comics, and the illustrations in the book are hilarious (and quite helpful often). The egregiously hypothetical questions are definitely fictional, but the answers are not, and I really like how this...

Jan 05, 2019 Robot-Proof: Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence Joseph Aoun

I found this book recommended in the Stanford Engineering reading list, and I thought it would be apt for me to learn more about how AI could impact future jobs, and how to adapt to the change. I liked that the book was direct and descriptive on higher education and...

Apr 04, 2018 B. R. Ambedkar speaks on M. K. Gandhi (BBC Radio) Ambedkar Archive

Ambedkar talks about Gandhi’s influence and persona in this interview with BBC Radio. Watched this for the course ASIAN 2275: History of Modern India in Spring 2018.

Mar 24, 2018 Annihilation of Caste B. R. Ambedkar

Ambedkar is not a very popular mainstream nationalist of the Indian independence struggle in the current times, and I did not know about him a lot. Born in a lower caste Hindu family, Ambedkar struggled to mobilize through the social hierarchy of the Hindu society, and went on to challenge...

Mar 17, 2018 Hind Swaraj M. K. Gandhi

Although I have studied Indian history for a long time, I did not have a chance to read first-hand accounts of famous figures in the making of Indian history. Gandhi is undoubtedly one of the most popular Indian revolutionary who played a central role in Indian politics leading the 1947...

Dec 31, 2017 Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions Edwin A. Abbott

Although this 1884 book reeks of rampant sexism or appears to openly denigrate females even in a 2-dimensional world, it provides a comprehensive way to visualize vector spaces and subspaces. These mathematical abstractions form bases for higher studies in linear algebra and other relevant fields, and I was curious when...

Dec 22, 2017 An Insignificant Man Khushboo Ranka and Vinay Shukla

Probably the most riveting political thriller/documentary I have seen in a while. Contrary to the hopeless Indian media coverage on Indian politics, this film provides a unique and unprecedented look on the insides of political drama. I remember how the Delhi elections between 2013 and 2015 stood out in the...

Dec 20, 2017 Coming Up Short Jennifer M. Silva

I am grateful to Conor Hodges for gifting me this book. The book discusses narratives from American young working-class adults who face challenges and opportunities in 21st Century United States. Silva creates a beatiful compilation of these narratives and binds them with context to showcase grave challenges that current-day United...

Aug 09, 2017 Vice Vice

Just amazing! Though I have watched random episodes in the past, I regularly follow this agency — at least on YouTube. Sadly, I cannot find time to subscribe to full daily shows, but that’s okay. Vice covers many arenas from The White House to Climate Change to Marijuana in West...

Aug 04, 2017 Fool's Gold Gillian Tett

Wherever I read about the 2008 recession, I always found a demeaning attitude towards all bankers and regulatory bodies. This book took a mostly neutral stance, talking about how the people at J.P. Morgan were enthusiastic about derivatives and BISTRO schemes, which were foundations for the disastrous innovations CDO and...

Aug 01, 2017 Infinite Series PBS Digital Studios

Although I don’t understand many concepts even after watching some videos multiple times, I like to watch how math transcends so many elements in our lives. Now and then I feel demotivated to watch videos on math due to the amount of focus I would need to understand the 10-minute...

Jul 21, 2017 Risky Drinking HBO

Drinking alcohol is not harmful unless consumed in excess in a single go or even in regular but rampant spouts. It’s kind of a college-life culture in the United States to endlessly go to frat-parties on weekends and pass out in a bad shape, only to ruin the next day....

Jul 17, 2017 Four Horsemen Renegade Inc.

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Jul 05, 2017 Inside Job Sony Pictures Classics

This was one of the first ins that got me interested in the unfolding of the 2008 financial recession. It’s quite thrilling at times and very informative — for a first impression of the financial crisis. However, I do think that some expressions about blaming the whole of Wall Street...

Jul 02, 2017 Climate Change MIT Press

Edited by Joseph F.C. DiMento and Pamela Doughman, this book contains a number of articles on international policies, perception, coverage, and impact on our lives with respect to Climate Change. It higlights where the scientists fall short of delivering the truth, how governments and media warp facts in both ways,...

Jun 25, 2017 Crossroads (XRDS) ACM

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Jun 24, 2017 Silicon Valley HBO

Started watching random episodes because it was computer scienc-ey, but I have mostly watched all episodes now. I usually watch some episodes on weekends to satiate my hunger of computing, and the fun that can be extracted out of transistor-powered mathematical powerhouses.

Jun 24, 2017 Communications of the ACM ACM

The articles revolve around computing in a very vague sense. They are non-technical, conversational, and intriguing.

Jun 09, 2017 Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman! Richard P. Feynman

I am not a big fan of autobiographies; often they are mundane and too plain. Feynman’s was different though — it was intellectual, plain and funny at the same time. Innocuously, I tried relating to his experiences at Cornell, but often in vain as most of the landscape and people...

May 27, 2017 Genius National Geographic

As depicted in this exhilarating TV series, Einstein had a tumultuous life, in times of both war and peace. Einstein’s was a brilliant mind, which he complemented with his tenacity and curiosity beautifully. The series is as interesting as Sherlock (Genius is less thrilling though), and quite moving. National Geographic...

May 22, 2017 TED Radio Hour NPR

Short talks from speakers at TED conferences with some discussion. Interesting podcasts to hear while travelling.

May 22, 2017 CrashCourse Computer Science PBS Digital Studios

As someone interested in Computer Science, I like this new playlist by PBS Digital Studios, even though the discussed topics are introductory (to some extent). PBS Digital Studios has always done a great job!

May 18, 2017 Years of Living Dangerously National Geographic

Climate Change is not funny, and a major part of it today is caused by Humans. If you’re reading this, you’re fortunate enough to be living, but amidst grave danger on nature and life on Earth. I do not want to sound ominous, but if we don’t change how we...

Apr 30, 2017 Mr. Robot USA Network

It’s dark, addictive, and thrilling; though I can control most of these feelings. The opinion may be affected by my interest in computers, but I’ll let you decide. Like other TV shows, I started watching random episodes, then completed a season, and then completely forgot about it — typical of...

Apr 30, 2017 How to Lie with Statistics Darrell Huff

Don’t judge a book by its cover. Also, I do not plan on using statistics to deceive people. This 1954 book is as relevant in 2017 as it was then. Using anecdotes, cartoons, and light humor, Darrell Huff does a great job explaining how easy it is to use phony...

Mar 31, 2017 TED Talks TED

I don’t even remember how many TED Talks I have seen till date. These are some off the top of my head: Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator by Tim Urban Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are by Amy Cuddy Do Schools Kill Creativity? by Sir Ken...

Mar 31, 2017 Doing Good Better William MacAskill

Should you donate? When should you donate? Where should you donate? Using concrete information and statistics complemented with moving rhetoric, MacAskill discusses how to make the most of your donation by contributing to best charities in the world. The book not just enumerates those charities, but also provides frameworks to...

Mar 31, 2017 The Bhagavad Gita Penguin Random House

Contrary to popular perception of this Hindu text, I did not find the Gita overtly religious. The Gita, which is a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna in an active battlefield, discussed more on what a human life should aim and espouse, and less on how central or important the...

Mar 19, 2017 Algorithms to Live by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths

This book was one of my first dive into analyzing algorithms and using computing concepts in real life. The authors skillfully explain how concepts in Computer Science like optimal stopping (the basic 37% rule), scheduling, cache, networking, sorting etc. can be juxtaposed to reality (deciding when to park your car,...

Dec 31, 2016 Thinking, Fast and Slow Daniel Kahneman

After procrastinating on reading the book for more than year in high school, I finally found time after graduating out of it. I was very excited to read the book, but my enthusiasm dwindled near the end of it. It is a good book, reflecting of Daniel Kahneman’s studies on...

Dec 31, 2016 Nine Algorithms that Changed the Future John MacCormick

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Nov 30, 2016 The Universe in your Hand Christophe Galfard

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