Monteiro Del Prete

My library

The following is a list of books with a brief personal opinion and rating.

Books read in 2024: 6

sort by rating
Back
The universal computer
Martin Davis - 5/10
As my passion for computer science history grew, I followed my professor suggestion and bougth this book. It is full of historical facts, great names and a lot of dates. The most important concept can be summarized in few words: even little ideas can grow and shake the world.
Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow
Yuval Noah Harari - 10/10
I just fell in love with this book. Harari is in my top three people whose words are printed in my head. Here his perspective is completely visionary. What is our society goal for this century? Are we playing gods too much? Where are we moving toward?
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
Yuval Noah Harari - 9/10
I started this book because I wanted to know more about our history. Why are we the first race? Where do we come from? I will go out on a limb and say that there is no better book than this one for these questions.
A Short History of Nearly Everything
Bill Bryson - 8/10
There are a lot of things I don't know. It is hard to solve this problem just by reading one book. No book can accomplish this. Nonetheless, Bryson's description of nearly everything is a good way to nurish your couriosity and perhaps going deep on some topic. It is not a 10/10 due to some (very few) parts with a bunch of names and facts.
The Alchemist
Paulo Coelho - 6.5/10
Honestly I had a lot of expectations. It is an introspective journey peppered with too much religion and spiritualism. When I say "too much" it is referred to an atheist (me). However I have never given bias a chance to influence my experience. So that's why I tried. It still remains a good trip.
How to live
Derek Sivers - 9/10
Derek Sivers is one of those people I take inspiration from. Even though the title is a bit pretentious, the "rules" pointed out make people think. Perhaps some of these may be contradictory; one cannot try to follow them all at the same time. It was probably not supposed to be done. However some of the "rules" are incredible. This is my favorite: "Make Memories".
Notes from underground
Fyodor Dostoevsky - 6/10
This was my first meeting with Dostoevsky. At the end I felt like a neo-reader. Perhaps its style is not for me, or I'm not able to comprehend deeply. The character and his behavior were the only things that fascinated me.
Death with interruptions
José Saramago - 8/10
I read this because Saramago is my father's favourite author. And my father is a book hunter. He was right. What would happen if the death went on vacation without killing anymore? Even more interesting: how can the death be affected by human feelings? Saramago's writing is not for everyone, but I understood why he was a Nobel price winner.
Computer's ethic: AI and robotics moral issues
Guglielmo Tamburrini - 7/10
The author was my professor at university and the book was summarized in his lecture "Psychological and Ethical Issues in AI". This reading just opened my mind on my future studies.
Flatland
Edwin A. Abbott - 7/10
A story in multiple dimensions. A society in which each individual lives on a single line. A more fortunate society has developed in a 2D space where invaders from the 3D world come together creating havoc: like a sphere becoming an expanding circle.
Why We Sleep
Matthew Walker - 10/10
One of those life changing book. I'm grateful I've read this at my age, I was too ignorant. Matthew makes you fall in love with all concerning the sleep. After this you will change your bed time.
Origin
Dan Brown - 10/10
I usually prefer scientific and popular essays, but this time was different. This novel strikes a different chord. Dan Brown tries to explain with his narrative the most important questions of our century: Where do we come from? Where are we going? The answers are incredibly real.
Crypto
Dan Brown - 8/10
Since I finished the book I consider Dan Brown my diamond arrow among novel authors. A great story, well written characters, fast-paced storytelling. I fall in love with the details and there are quite a few in the story.