I recently mentioned I was changing my attitude for the new year. I found this book by accident a few days later (coincidence?). Besides some interesting concepts, also some excellent photography. Check out their site (and the book!):

Asset-Based Thinking

As planned, I finished reading The Da Vinci Code before the movie is released on May 19th. Once again, Dan Brown did not fail to deliver. As with all of his novels I’ve read, The Da Vinci Code kept me engaged and was a great read… very thought provoking. It’s no wonder he’s sold over 40 million copies.

As you’ve probably heard, this book has been very controversial since it challenges traditional teachings of the Catholic Church. I won’t go into all the details (there’s no shortage of that discussion in the media and on the web), but I intend to research the claims raised in the book. Although Dan Brown mentions at the beginning that “All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate”, I’d still like to dig-in deeper and see for myself.

In a previous post I mentioned I read Angels & Demons (the prelude to The Da Vinci Code) as an ebook. I also read The Da Vinci Code as an ebook on my Cingular 8125 Pocket PC phone, which worked out well. However, after finishing this ebook I ran out and purchased the Special Illustrated Edition hardcover. I plan to read the book again and refer to the artwork, symbols, and photographs along the way.

I’m also looking forward to the movie (directed by Ron Howard) coming in May. The trailer and cast look pretty good (Tom Hanks and Ian McKellen).

BTW, I took the panoramic photograph above during a visit to the Louvre in Paris in September 2000. Click on the thumbnail for a full-size version. I can’t wait to visit again in the future.

I just finished reading Dan Brown’s Angels & Demons. Once again, I couldn’t put the “book” down. Great read!

Dan Brown has quickly become one of my favorite authors (move over Clancy). I’ve read his novels in chronological order — Digital Fortress, Deception Point, and Angels & Demons. I just started reading The Da Vinci Code and plan to finish it before the movie comes out in a couple of months. I’m trying to avoid viewing the movie trailers, so I don’t influence my imagery as I read the book.

I emphasized “book” when referring to Angels & Demons because I didn’t read a traditional paperback or hardcover. Angels & Demons was the first novel I read as an eBook. Yup, no paper. I read the entire novel on my Cingular 8125 Pocket PC phone! Surprisingly, it worked out very well. The text was easy to read and it was convenient to always have access to the book.

Electronic books have been around for awhile, but mainstream adoption has been slow. With the advent of E Ink, there are some new devices making their way to market which may change the course of eBooks. Keep an eye out for Sony’s Reader and iRex’s iLiad coming this Spring. I think eBooks may have a better chance for success with these products (especially if they lower their proposed price points!).

If you’re interested in eBooks, check out eReader.com for a great selection of books and software. I’m using their eReader Pro for Pocket PC, but they also have readers for Windows XP, Mac OS, Palm, and Symbian. If you want to experiment, there are lots of FREE books to download on Memoware.com. Also checkout Zinio for magazines in electronic format.

Electronics books and magazines may not be for everyone, but it’s just a matter of time before we’re all carrying entire libraries in our pockets. Just look what the iPod has done for music. I never thought I’d be carrying >5,000 songs (and movies) in my pocket!

I just finished reading Deception Point, by Dan Brown (well known for his bestselling novel The Da Vinci Code). I’m not usually into books with political content, but I enjoyed Deception Point very much. As with his other novel I recently read, Digital Fortress, I couldn’t put this book down. Great plot, characters, action, and suspense. I highly recommend both books. Now on to Angels and Demons.