Re:Zuckerberg's list of 20 must-read books
by deckard1 on Wednesday October 28, 2015 @03:37PM
(#10466781)
This is more interesting as a list of "what is Zuckerberg reading", than a list of things anyone should care about reading.
His reading and takeaway of Orwell's Revenge, for example, is astounding in the context of Facebook. You really start to wonder how self-aware old Zuck really is. Or isn't.
Re:Zuckerberg's list of 20 must-read books
by pen2l on Wednesday October 28, 2015 @05:41PM
(#10467630)
It isn't really "What Zuckerberg is reading" though, it's one of many PR/business moves. Just like learning Chinese (to reach China, a billion+ users), Sherylberg doing her part (to keep/reach 3.5 billion), and so on forth.
You'll notice that the Zuckerberg list is interesting for a few reasons.
Specifically, the authors. They're from all over the place. They're all races.
* White woman: Eula Biss
* Black woman: Michelle Alexander
* Indian man: Venkatesh
* Muslim man: Ibn Khaldun
* Chinese man: Suk-Young Chwe
* White man: Peter Huber
* Jewish man: Thomas Kuhn
It's a list designed to appease all people and paint Zuckerberg in a nice, relatable-guy light.
The subject matter is very diverse too: he's got the Pixar interest -- oh my, I love Pixar movies! He's got the nice nerdy physics interest? Me too! He's reading about Orwell! About spirituality! etc.
Look, I'm sorry if my reading comes of as being cynical... this is just how the game works. When I was writing for a magazine, my editor and I did the same thing. For whatever it's worth, the book list by itself is nice... go read the books, but don't read them because "Zuckerberg is suggesting" them to you -- he's not, this is a business, PR-move, read them because they are good books by themselves.
Re:Zuckerberg's list of 20 must-read books
by blacksmith_tb on Wednesday October 28, 2015 @03:33PM
(#10466755)
That was my knee-jerk reaction, but he has quite a few books I have read and liked on his list (and they aren't all obvious choices - Ibn Khaldun, for example).
His reading and takeaway of Orwell's Revenge, for example, is astounding in the context of Facebook. You really start to wonder how self-aware old Zuck really is. Or isn't.
You'll notice that the Zuckerberg list is interesting for a few reasons.
Specifically, the authors. They're from all over the place. They're all races.
* White woman: Eula Biss
* Black woman: Michelle Alexander
* Indian man: Venkatesh
* Muslim man: Ibn Khaldun
* Chinese man: Suk-Young Chwe
* White man: Peter Huber
* Jewish man: Thomas Kuhn
It's a list designed to appease all people and paint Zuckerberg in a nice, relatable-guy light.
The subject matter is very diverse too: he's got the Pixar interest -- oh my, I love Pixar movies! He's got the nice nerdy physics interest? Me too! He's reading about Orwell! About spirituality! etc.
Look, I'm sorry if my reading comes of as being cynical... this is just how the game works. When I was writing for a magazine, my editor and I did the same thing. For whatever it's worth, the book list by itself is nice... go read the books, but don't read them because "Zuckerberg is suggesting" them to you -- he's not, this is a business, PR-move, read them because they are good books by themselves.