Neil Gabrielson

Algebra – Michael Artin

I've been using this book to self-study Linear Algebra and Group Theory alongside my classes, and I will continue to use it to learn about Rings and Fields through Galois Theory. It's not a light read, but I would highly recommend picking up a copy (or finding a pdf) if you're beginning to study mathematics or any adjacent field. It's great to have on hand just to reference. A friend asked about an edge case of vector fields the other night and I whipped it out to check the wordings of the axioms. If you don't like math, don't get this book, but it's 10/10 for a nerd like me.

Another Country – James Baldwin

Fantastic, devastating, and nuanced, as expected from James Baldwin. This book has a whole cast of characters, which it uses to dissect a wide range of deeply human relationships, and one man who sits at the intersection of the struggles that they all face. It's an interesting reflection on romantic relationships, their inherent struggles, the way that society can amplify them, and the burden of intersectionality.

It's the kind of story that you keep digesting long after you turn the last page. My contender for the Great American Novel, but if you want an uplifting story, look elsewhere.

Collected Fictions – Jorge Luis Borges

I've been reading a short story or two from this book most nights before bed. The first collection, A Universal History of Iniquity, tells the stories of a number of villains, loosely or not-so-loosely inspired by real historical figures. Fictions is a collection of metafictional book reviews that dive into some wild philosophical themes. I particularly enjoyed Tlön, Uqbar, Orbus Tertius. I've read a couple of good stories from The Aleph, particularly "The House of Asterion," which is fantastic, particularly for how short it is.

The Stranger – Albert Camus

Good book. Quick read. This was my introduction to Camus and absurdism.

I found Mersault's narration really funny at times. He's so shockingly detatched from all but the simplest emotions. He seems to have no real concept of the past or future and no understanding of other people. He presents his thoughts logically but he is so oblivious to so much. He's like a caricature of himself.

Having read this book, I'm not sure how Camus would advise me to live my life. Mersault certainly isn't a role model, but his story did highlight some of the absurdities of life. I may have to read more on absurdism to grasp the exact message.

Gödel, Escher, Bach – Douglas Hofstadter

I went into a book store a few weeks ago not intending to buy anything, but temptation got the best of me as usual. Music, art, and math all in one 800 page, pulitzer-winning volume? I couldn't not buy it. I feel like it was written with people exactly like me in mind.

I'm currently making my way through this book and I love it. The writing style is conversational and engaging but does not shy away from getting deep into the little nerdy details of each topic discussed. Every other chapter is a dialogue between achilles and a turtle, which serves to introduce new ideas in a fun way before they're explored more formally.

I don't think any real mathematical knowledge is required to enoy this book, as long as you're interested in the subject. I'm really enjoying this book so far. 11/10.

The Complete Stories – Franz Kafka

I read The Metamorphosis in one sitting. I went into it with high expectations. It did not dissapoint one bit. I look forward to reading more by Kafka.

Pale Fire – Vladimir Nabokov

This is an excellent piece of metafiction, written in the form of a 1000 line poem by the fictional poet John Shade with long and rambling annotations by the entertainingly unreliable narrator Charles Kinbote. My copy was kindly lent to me by Hayden Jasper Roman Marquardt-Grainer.

The book is nonlinear and incredibly confusing. It forces you to jump around between sections and reveals information slowly. Understanding it feels like solving a puzzle and there's a lot that you miss the first time. After initially finishing it, it took me a couple of days of thought to try to interpret what I had read. I have picked it up a few times since then to try to figure certain parts out. You can't trust anything in this book. It has you wondering if anything in it is "real" at all

Besides the structure of the story, the poem is quite good. Certain lines stood out to me and have stuck in my head. The commentary is also quite funny at times. The whole thing is an absolute masterpiece of structure and craft.

American Prometheus – Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin

I haven't read this book yet, but I would like to.

Frankenstein – Mary Shelley

Great book. Quite short. Everyone should read it at some point in their life.

Notes on Complexity – Neil Theise

I read this book the summer of 2024, right before beginning college, and it made me confident that I had made the right choice in becoming a math major. It's one of those books I wasn't able to stop thinking about (or talking about) for months after finishing it because it put so many things into a new and fascinating light. When I got to college, I made my friend Henry read it just so I'd have someone to talk to about complex systems.

I've was flipping through it again recently because the topics discussed turned out to be relevant to my summer research. This is a fantastic (and quick) read that requires no mathematical background whatsoever. It discusses complexity in a philosophicl light. Topics range from factals to Kurt Gödel to Zen Buddhism. I would reccomend this book to everyone. (and by now, I just about have)

Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy

I was trying to read Ada or Ardor by Nabokov. The first line of that book quotes this book, so I put it down and looked this book up. I had heard people call this the greatest book of all time, but I didn't get how such a lengthy period-piece could be so fascinating. I found a pdf sample of the book and within a few pages, I immediately got it. I went out and purchased a hard copy of the book the same day. The cashier at the bookstore seemed really happy to sell it to me.

The descriptions of the characters, how they think, and how they interact are so intimate, detailed, and relatable that it feels like I know all of them personally. As long as the book is each chapter is only a couple of pages. Once I finish one, I always feel like I might as well read the next, and that process can go on indefinitely. Reading this book honestly feels like watching a TV show at times. It's a fantastic way to relax before bed.

I am about halfway through the book now, but I imagine that the rest won't take me long. Incredible book.