Bookshelf Q1 2022
Hi there!
This post is about books that I read in the first quarter of 2022.
This is the first article of a series that I’m going to make permanent.
Real-World Cryptography
When I tried to understand how cryptography (and cybersecurity) on the web works, I was surprised how many engineers (!) know very little about the topic. It’s hard to underestimate the importance of cryptography in the modern world. It’s everywhere: your e-mail, bank transactions, or cryptocurrencies. But the cryptography remains a field studied by few. In addition, there are a lot of fallacies about crypto algorithms. Let’s say people still believe that an SSL certificate is a thing that you should trust, even though it easy to get one.
In addition, there are very few books that are a balance between complex math (Galois field, isomorphism, Euler’s theorem, etc) and real-world usage. In addition, every book about cryptography that I have read before is talks about the history of cryptography. The history section is quite entertaining, but completely useless because none of the historical algorithms can ever be used in modern life. To conclude, “Real-World cryptography” has only actual information that is useful in the real-world and everyday life.
To summarize, if you would like to get real-life knowledge and understanding of modern cryptography techniques then “Real-World Cryptography” is a brilliant book. I think every IT professional will benefit from this book.
The Fall and Rise of China
The book starts with the famous words of Napoleon about China “Let China Sleep, For When She Wakes, She Will Shake The World”. The country that a few decades ago had never been considered a World Power. But in the most recent decade, nobody could refuse the fact that China is one of the global superpowers. The book covers the relatively modern part of the country’s history - from the 18th century to the modern days.
Would you like to understand why Hong Kong belonged to British Empire for a century? Why Taiwan is separate from mainland China? What happened in Tiananmen Square? Then this book is definitely for you. Richard Baum, the book’s author, is a USA ex-china watcher (pekinologist) who had a unique opportunity to contemplate the formation of the country’s development from a third-world country to a first world country.
Obviously, you should be a little bit skeptical about his views due to the current ideological tension between USA and China. On the other side, the author is trying to be balanced in his opinions to avoid picking sides.
To conclude, if you are looking for a decent book about a modern piece of Chinese history, I would recommend this book to read.
The chronicles of Amber
“The Chronicles of Amber” is an unperishable classic of fantasy literature. I have a hypothesis that many modern books are influenced by the chronicles like the game of the thrones or the series “Keeper of the Swords” by Nick Perumov. Why do I believe this? The chronicles have a lot of unique features that have been borrowed by other authors: a deep and complex political game between members of the royal family of Amber, a rich storyline that is heavily based on traditional British mythology (the legend about King Arthur, stories about Avalon, etc), and, lastly, a unique concept of the multiverse where each world is a projection of one true place.
If you like a well-built fantasy that is full of intrigue, violence, and politics then “The chronicles of Amber” is the right choice.
Stay tuned!