Chris Padilla/Bookshelf

HopePage Web Craft – by Daniel Murray (Melon)

Wild maximalist zine on making websites! A beautiful mess.

Sam & Max: Surfin' the Highway – by Steve Purcell

The original comics that lead to the Lucas Arts and Telltale games. Absurdist humor at its finest. The dynamic between the boys is such a fine balance between chaos and cheese. Cheesy chaos, yes. The art is, of course, dynamic and detailed.

What It Is – by Lynda Barry

This book vibrates. There's a pitch I hear in my ear as I read it, perhaps it's actually a soft voice... Evocative mix of comics, collage, and personal essays on finding on losing then finding creativity.

Designing Data-Intensive Applications – by Martin Kleppmann

Wildly thorough look at massive scale system design considerations.

• Are Document Databases Schemaless?

Like, Comment, Subscribe: How YouTube Conquered the World – by Mark Bergen

A Journalist take on the rise of YouTube. Takes a global prospecting exposing some of the uglier sides of the platform's effects. Crazy to see names like John Green and PewDiePie in print.

A Life of Meaning – by James Hollis

One of Hollis' most recent works. Similar themes return: finding meaning in servicing "what is seeking expression through me?" Some thoughts on embracing our imperfection humanity in the chapter on the Seven Deadly Sins, similar to ideas in The Happiness Hypothesis. Wonderful to listen to the author reading the audiobook!

What Matters Most: Living a More Considered Life – by James Hollis

My favorite of Hollis' works so far. An assortment of essays geared towards wrestling with the question of personal meaning. Book goes beyond the usual list of "Friends, family, love, honor, good work, etc." to look more closely at what our unique calling is. A wonderful follow up to "Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life". The first book asks questions, the second helps move the reader towards finding answers.

• 2024

Progressive Sight Reading Exercises: Piano Technique – by Hannah Smith

My recommended "Start Here" book for sight reading at the keyboard. I came to this book realizing I was hitting a wall with my playing, looking back and forth at the page and then the keyboard. This won't get you all of the way there, this book focuses on five finger patterns. Though, it's a great place to get going reading several short, bite sized lines.

Super Sight-Reading Secrets – by Howard Richman

A no nonsense book that does exactly what it says on the tin! The best exercises in the book deals with gradually building up a tactile relationship to the keyboard. Progress will seem very slow, but the payoff is so worth it! Having played piano for a number of years, I'm only starting to feel I really know the instrument after working through part of this book. A must have for every pianist!!

Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life: How to Finally, Really Grow Up – by James Hollis

Picked this up hoping I could get ahead of the curve on my midlife crisis! Essential reading for anyone who's "Reached the end of their scripts for success." Came away with no answers, but better questions. Namely: "What is seeking expression through me?"

• Two Years of Blogging
• What is Divine

Harmonic Experience: Tonal Harmony from Its Natural Origins to Its Modern Expression – by W. A. Mathieu

A true music theory book that focuses on resonance as the basis for understanding harmony. This is not so much a quick road to learning how to compose as much as it is theory in guided practice to understand where our harmonic language comes from. If you enjoyed Bernstein's introduction to tonal harmony, this is an entire textbook exploring that foundation.

• 2024
• Lessons From a Year of Painting

A Slip of the Keyboard: Collected Nonfiction – by Terry Pratchett

Wonderful collection. Great for true fans of his fiction work. The biography is a deeper dive, though these are great as quick glimpses behind the curtain, presented by the author himself.

• Pratchett on English Gardens

Free Play – by Stephen Nachmanovitch

Wonderful essays on creativity and true improvisation from professional violinist. Highly recommended for any musician, especially those that feel stuck from being classical focused.

• Creative Projects Start in Dark Caverns
• Childhood's End

Painting As a Pastime – by Winston S. Churchill

A love letter to color and light from an enthusiastic amateur.

• Winston Churchill on Painting as a Pastime

Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals – by Oliver Burkeman

A countermelody to the productivity driven ethos of modern self help. Highly recommended!

• Burkeman on Hobbies

Terry Pratchett: A Life With Footnotes: The Official Biography – by Rob Wilkins

Beautifully written biography of a favorite author, written by his assistant. A wonderful window into the man behind Discworld. A must read for any fan!

• Vehicles as Eras of Life
• The Best Time To Be an Autodidactic Polymath
• Terry Pratchett and Real Life Inspirations
• Pratchett Had Libraries, We Have the Internet

The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom – by Jonathan Haidt

An interesting review of research that supports the author's proposed equation for what truly makes us happy. Makes case that there may be no objective meaning to life, we find meaning in the context within our lives.

• Marching In Step

Gesture Drawing for Animation – by Walt Stanchfield

I've picked up drawing this year, and this was my first book on it. Walt Stanchfield was a Disney animator and teacher to other Disney artists. Plenty of the techniques are still beyond me, but it's fun all the same. Walt writes with such a fire and emphasis on expression over accuracy. Not to mention his life story - an animator, tennis player, piano player, musician, poet, a real renaissance man!

• Dynamo
• Creative Legacy
• Writing is Efficient Creativity
• The Best Time To Be an Autodidactic Polymath
• Impression Minus Expression Equals Depression
• Walt Stanchfield & Performing with No Audience

The Listening Book: Discovering Your Own Music – by W. A. Mathieu

Everyone should read this! Even non musicians. The book takes the pure meditative quality of listening to and reveling in sound from the start and further combs towards practicing music. Absolutely beautiful. So many wonderful insights on our relation to sound and being a creative musician in the world.

• Mathieu on Learning Pace
• Holding With a Loose Grip
• Many Pots Boiling

Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World – by Jane McGonigal

Fun read on how games improve our lives, and how they can be a model for rethinking our systems and organizations IRL. The case studies date the book, though the principles and takeaways are evergreen.

• Games as Hard-Work

American Gods – by Neil Gaiman

"Meandering" in the author's words, in the best way.

• Creative Projects Start in Dark Caverns
• Neil Gaiman on Writing