A Titanic myth: The Californian incident

This is book is about the Titanic disaster but told from the perspective of the captain of the Californian - another steamer in the area which was in range of the Titanic distress signal.  The author is sympathetic to the captain of the Californian.

It very interesting to read a different point-of-view.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Titanic-myth-The-Californian-incident/dp/1854211846/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1400839425&sr=8-3&keywords=californian+incident

I originally borrowed this book from the local library about 10-15 years ago.    This was in a lull before the Titanic became recently fashionable with the release of the James Cameron movie and then more-recently the 100th anniversary of the sinking.

Immediately having read the book I was very sympathetic of Stanley Lord (the Californian captain) but my opinion gradually shifted over time.  I still think he got stitched up though.  Clearly the politicians just wanted to deflect blame and found a convenient scapegoat.

There also seemed to be a certain arrogance by the Titanic radio operators whereby they were not prepared to listen.

I best not give too much away though ....  It's a good book.

Nick Bilton - Hatching Twitter

Really enjoyed this.  It's the story of how Twitter was founded focusing on the relationship between the key players.  It's a bit of a morality tale really.  It seems human nature never changes.

“It is of the nature of desire not to be satisfied, and most men live only for the gratification of it.” - Aristotle

Daniel Suarez - Daemon

Daniel Suarez - Daemon
Format: Kindle

Heard about it via the Triangulation podcast.

I have read about 1/3 of it so far.  Lots of very technically accurate descriptions of internet technology.

It's like Dungeons and Dragons with Internet.

It makes me wonder if the author has not got some future writing Interactive Fiction.  It sounds like he'd be very good at it with that background.  It seems to me the technology is at a stage now where you could write different outcomes depending on the reader's choices. (e.g. protagonist lives, protagonist dies, protagonist opens a pet shop in Doncaster and lives happily ever after).  It seems to me a former Dungeon Master would be very good at that kind of thing.