The Nothing that Is: A Natural History of Zero by Robert Kaplan

A fascinating history of the number zero. From its beginnings in Mesopotamia -- where the Sumerians first conceived of this concept -- to its subsequent development by the Greeks, Indians and Arabs, Kaplan outlines the wonderful story of this curious "nothing" that somehow exists. From a symbol signifying the "absence" of a number / something, to its eventual development as an integer in its own right within positional notion, this book explains why the creation of zero was one of the most important developments in mathematics, and the very important role that it plays in such areas as algebra and calculus.

3 out of 5 stars

The Artist and the Mathematician: The Story of Nicolas Bourbaki, the Genius Mathematician Who Never Existed by Amir Aczel

This book tells the intriguing story of Nicolas Bourbaki, one of the most famous mathematicians of the 20th century, who also never existed. (Bourbaki was the collective pseudonym of a group of French mathematicians).

Unfortunately for the reader, however, this original story is undermined by a lack of focus. For instead of describing a clear tale of the Bourbaki math collective, we are instead presented with a hodgepodge of chapters that cover a wide range of topics. Though I found this book interesting overall, I was disappointed by this lack of focus, which is a shame given this fascinating subject matter.

2 1/2 out of 5 stars

Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

As an avid viewer of the TV show Dexter, I found this book to be quite enjoyable. (The first season of Dexter is based on this story). Though there are key differences between the TV show and book -- especially at the end -- I was pleased to see that the novel was a well-written page-turner. This being said, if I were to have one criticism of the book, it would be that the ending was fairly abrupt. Nevertheless, overall found this novel to be a good read.

3 out of 5 stars

Confessions of a Political Hitman: My Secret Life of Scandal, Corruption, Hypocrisy and Dirty Attacks That Decide Who Gets Elected (and Who Doesn't) by Stephen Marks

From 1994-2006, Stephen Marks worked as an opposition researcher for the Republican Party. Travelling across the United States, he dug up dirt on Democratic candidates and Republican clients who wanted to know how to defend themselves from political attacks. After working in numerous electoral campaigns (from local to state to national), Marks became disillusioned with both major U.S. political parties after uncovering countless cases of corruption and political hypocrisy.

When I first spotted this memoir in the public library I was intrigued. After reading it, however, I was disappointed to learn that it doesn't provide many political insights. It also very uneven. For while some parts of the book contain interesting stories, other chapters are simply “notebook dumps” of badly-written prose, with a few typos thrown in for good measure.

If you are interesting in learning how negative political campaigns are formed then you can skim through this book. But if you are looking for Machiavellian pearls of wisdom I would recommend looking somewhere else.

2 out of 5 stars

Taking On the System: Rules for Radical Change in a Digital Era by Markos Moulitsas Zuniga

This book is a valuable guide for political activists in the Internet age. Written by Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas, it is an excellent read for progressives who want to work towards social change.

This being said, after finishing this book, I couldn't help but wonder if Moulitsas and other left-wing bloggers and pundits (e.g. Daily Kos, Firedoglake, Huffington Post, Ed Schultz, Keith Olbermann) were paying attention to the advice in this book.

For instance, in Taking on the System, Moulitsas writes this: “

“Some battles are worth fighting to force rapid change, and choice and civil rights certainly qualify, but the fact remains that the most desirable pathway to change is slow, steady, and incremental, a process that can bring whole societies along. It’s the difference between having courts force something on the people, and having the people – through their elected representatives in a legislature – make that decision themselves. (p. 214).”

Given the health care debate in the U.S., I almost gagged when I read this. Taken at face value I completely agree with the above statement. In the real world, however, it seems that Moulitsas (along with a significant portion of the netroots) have completely disregarded this very sensible advice. For instead of recognising the value of incremental change, it appears that the left are insisting instead on certain reforms (e.g. the public option) that simply cannot be passed by this Congress.

In short, Taking on the System is an excellent book that is filled with great advice for activists. What I am less sure about, however, is whether the activists who read this book will be pragmatic or ideological.

3 1/2 out of 5 stars