[Book] Hit Refresh: by Satya Nadella

A boy from a middle-class family in Andhra Pradesh, son of a Marxist father and Sanskrit scholar mother, emigrates to United States at the age of 21 for higher education. He then joins a software company, rises through the ranks and after a span of 28 years becomes its CEO. All of this made possible through sheer talent, hard work and equally importantly, a culture that rewards meritocracy.

Such is the inspiring life story of Satya Nadella, the current CEO of Microsoft.
However, when Satya took the helm, the company was facing an existential crisis. Once the dominant and belligerent player in the arena of software industry, it was now trailing behind Apple and Google. Its ambitious products like Windows Vista, Windows 8, Windows Phone, acquisition of Nokia, had failed to make any improvements in market share. 

In his book "Hit Refresh", Satya narrates how all this came to be, and what he plans to do bring Microsoft back to its glory. This is a story of how a company, just like an individual, sets out to retrospect, introspect and seek its soul.
Along the way, Satya has had to make some unpopular decisions (one of it being to sideline the Windows Phone, driving away many of its loyal users like me), but he explains his reasoning and over-arching strategy behind it.

Of course, the journey has just barely begun, and the results are yet to come in. But that's what makes this book unique and exciting; it would have been easy to write a book after he retired, with a perfect 20/20 hindsight. By sticking out his neck now, Satya has shown he means business.

Apart from developments unique to Microsoft, this book also covers Satya's thoughts about a vast range of topics, with emphasis on artificial intelligence and quantum computing. He writes about the much-sensitive issues of privacy and security, as well as the importance of a global framework for creating AI. One of the important takeaways from the book is that next age would be about the shift from know-it-alls to learn-it-alls. 
This book was released just last week, and I was eager to read it after reading a splendid review by Bill Gates on his site, GatesNotes.

[Book] Master Algorithm: by Pedro Domingos

The folks working in the field of Information Technology and related industries would be well aware of 'Machine Learning'. Hardly a day goes by without us reading one or the other news about how the machines are getting better at analyzing, predicting, and in some cases taking over the various fields once dominated by us. 

If like me, you too are a newbie to this Next Big Thing, and wondering about where you can get a bird's eye view, this book is a good place to start.

In 'The Master Algorithm', author Pedro Domingos begins with real-life, familiar examples of how ML pervades our lives even today. Next, we get an overview of various high-level methodologies that comprise ML. The book concludes with an insight into a 'master algorithm', a mind-boggling concept, one that means the rise of learning machines that would create more learning machines.

This book makes for a persuasive and captivating read. Of course, it barely scratches the tip of a giant iceberg, and the author is quick to admit that the current techniques may not only evolve vastly but in many cases, there could be completely unforeseen breakthroughs. 

No matter what your area of work is, one thing seems certain: Machine Learning is going to impact all of us, it is here to stay and evolve into general artificial intelligence. 
As humans, we better be scared... And be better prepared.

[App] Chess app from AI Factory

If you are a casual/amateur chess player, then the Chess app from AI Factory is for you.
This mobile app, available on Android and iOS, allows you to play chess either with the software or another human player. 

The chess engine is pretty strong, and you can adjust its strength at levels 1 to 12 (which correspond roughly to Elo ratings 700 to 2100). There is an excellent 'Tutor' that can suggest and analyse each move. 

The user interface is very intuitive and graphics are top-notch. After a game, you can record it, replay it, save it, or share it online. In short, this app offers all you can expect from a free mobile game, and much more. 

After installing it last week, I have played 15 games so far across various levels, with 9 wins and 6 losses. Interestingly, no draws so far.

[TV Series] The Big Bang Theory

I was feeling withdrawal symptoms after the Game of Thrones Season 7 ended. So, last weekend, I went back and watched some episodes from another series.... and enjoyed them as much as I did the first time almost 9 years ago!

“The Big Bang Theory” was/is a popular series on CBS from 2007 onward, revolving around a group of scientists and their antics. Most of the nerds could identify themselves with the razor-sharp repartees of Sheldon, the good-natured humour of Leonard, the lovable personality of Raj and the sleazy but witty Howard. 
Interestingly, although Leonard was perhaps the lead character, Jim Parsons as Sheldon did such an amazing job that he practically swept up the show, earning a couple of Grammy awards in the process.

And then, there was Penny… Oh, she deserves a special write-up, but... ahem, perhaps for a select audience  😉

The show was unique in the sense that quite a few of REAL scientists, including Stephen Hawking and NASA astronaut Mike Massimino, appeared on it in cameo roles. 

I thoroughly enjoyed watching first 5 seasons. Seasons 6 and 7 were also quite good; but there was a feeling that the show was having less and less of nerdiness and more leaning towards a generic sitcom like ‘Friends’. I stopped watching it after a few episodes of 8th season, and haven’t watched seasons 9 and 10.

It seems that season 11 will be aired this year (Sept 25, 2017) and season 12 the next year. Perhaps it’s a good time to catch up on these old friends.

[Book] Mossad: Greatest Missions of Israeli Secret Service

Mossad, the secret service of Israel, is widely regarded as the deadliest agency in the world. Be it the daring rescue of Israeli hostages from the Entebbe airport, or the abduction of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann from Argentina, or the 'Operation Wrath of God' that destroyed Black September terrorists... Missions of Mossad have been the stuff of folklore, yet these are just the tip of a vast iceberg. 
For six decades since its inception Mossad has been conducting equally daredevil yet clandestine missions.

And this book covers 20 of best of them. 

This is a world of legendary spymasters like Isser Harrel, Meir Amit, and Meir Dagan, from whom even James Bond could borrow a few notes and tips. We meet the intrepid commandos of Sayeret Matkal, who would make acts of Mission: Impossible seem like kids play. We learn of fantastic gadgets and poisons that seem like the stuff of science fiction. And, we come to admire the gutsy politicians like Golda Meir and Benjamin Netanyahu who put country first and foremost. 

Reading this book was never a dull moment. The only thought after finishing it was: Wish there had been an equally detailed book about missions of India's secret service, RAW.

[Book] Deep Thinking : Garry Kasparov

Garry Kasparov is a multifaceted personality. He is an author of several critically-acclaimed books, much sought-after orator, political opponent to none other than the mighty Vlad Putin... And, did I mention that he is a former World Chess Champion and widely regarded as one of the greatest chess players of all time?

I have been a die-hard Kasparov fan (except when he was playing against the Indian chess prodigy V. Anand), and yet I was reluctant to pick up this book, thinking it to be some half-baked pseudo-science. 

Boy, was I so happy to be proved thoroughly wrong!

"Deep Thinking" has three main threads running in parallel throughout the book. 
At the core of it, Kasparov writes about his chess 'wars' with Deep Blue, the IBM supercomputer. 
On top of this, he elaborates the history of chess-playing machines: Deep Junior, Hydra, Fritz, et al. 
Encompassing this, he muses about machine learning, human-machine interfaces and artificial intelligence in general. 

You need not be a chess pro or an AI expert to enjoy this book. Kasparov has an engaging writing style, and his razor-sharp, no-holds-barred approach makes for a delightful read!

[Book] The Decision Book

Ever wondered why our past experiences don't make us much wiser? 

or, why being structured actually makes a person more creative? 

What does our phone contact list say about us? 

Would you like to know how to choose a gift? 

Are you aware of your "Johari window"? 

Struggling with problems of converting your group of employees into a cohesive team? 

What's a "long tail"? How to determine if a business proposal is worth investing in? 

And most importantly, why do printers seem to break down just before an important deadline?

Well, as it turns out, there are proven statistical models and matrices that answer all these questions and much more. "The Decision Book" by Mikael Krogerus and Roman Tschappelr puts together a collection of 50 of them. 

Some of them are quite well-known and straightforward, such as Eisenhower matrix, the SWOT analysis, or the Pareto principle. But many are fairly complicated, with exquisite names such as Uffe Elbaek model, or the Sinus Milieu model.

Whether you are a student of management, a professional in a managerial position, or like me, simply interested in mathematical models and personal productivity tools, this book is definitely for you.

[Movie] Dunkirk - Christopher Nolan

If you loved watching World War II-related movies such as Schindler’s List, The Pianist, Saving Private Ryan, or -- from the more recent times -- 'Valkyrie' and 'Fury', then you must—and I repeat, you MUST – watch Dunkirk.

But before you set out to watch this movie, two things:

1. Do your homework. Christopher Nolan provides no background information except a couple of lines of text at the beginning. To fully appreciate the importance of this moment in history, you must read beforehand about the Dunkirk siege and evacuation.
2. Watch this in a good movie hall. It’s more of an ‘experience’ that just fills you up at multiple levels. If you can go to an IMAX, please do! This movie deserves to be seen in its full glory, or gloom.

“Dunkirk” has no ‘hero’ or ‘villain’ in the traditional sense of these words. It has no female lead, no ‘family moments’, and it has no comic relief whatsoever. There are no lengthy, dramatic dialogs, no emotional and inspirational speeches. The movie provides no backstories of the characters. What unfolds before you for 110 minutes is war… pure, unadulterated, not-dumbed-down war in its full harshness, seen through the point-of-view of three groups of people -- on land, on the sea and in the air -- with their nonlinear timelines eventually converging together.

Nolan captures the WW2 era perfectly… the muted color tones, the staccato gunfire, the ominous hum of Heinkel and Messerschmitt aircraft of Luftwaffe, the Spitfires from Royal Air Force engaging them in a dance of death over panoramic views of English Channel. 

There are times when you hardly breathe, not just because of unrelenting action and mind numbing cinematography but also due to the heart-thumping background score by Hans Zimmer. It begins on a subtle level, and gradually grows on you until it firmly grips you… body, mind, and soul.

I noticed that nowhere in the movie does anyone refer to “Nazi Germany”. It’s always ‘the enemy’. In fact, no ‘enemy’ soldiers are ever seen throughout the movie. They are always represented by bullets, bombs, and torpedoes.

The movie primarily depicts fights over the sea and in the sky. I would have loved to see some action underwater (the U-Boats!), and over the land (especially the Panzer tanks!). They are referred to multiple times, but never actually shown on the screen.

If you wish to 'virtually live' a war scene, see 'Dunkirk'.

[Movie] Rush

After Michael Schumacher retired, I had stopped keeping 'track' of Formula-1 races. So, watching this movie last evening was a trip down the memory lane, reminiscing about the days of cutting photographs of 'Schumi' from Sportstar and other magazines. 

The movie portrays the intense rivalry between two F-1 pro's of the 1970s, Niki Lauda and his arch rival, James Hunt. Directed by Ron Howard (Apollo 13/ A Beautiful Mind), the plot remains largely true to the historical accuracies, complemented by some top-notch acting and snippets of dialog, especially by Lauda. 

If the VROOM, VROOOOM sound and the sight of huge tyres scorching the tracks send an adrenaline rush through you and if you enjoy watching tightly-edited, fast-paced movies, this one is for you.

[Series] Game of Thrones

Everyone who is following the Game of Thrones (series on HBO) has a favourite character of their own. Some liked Ned Stark, some adore Arya. Some marvel at the manipulations of Lord Baelish and Lord Varys, some like the daredevilry of John Snow. 

But there's one character which, in my opinion, outshines them all: Tyrion Lannister. 

This short-heighted fellow who has neither a gift of arms nor the support of any of the feudal families, spins such a complex web out of sheer ingenuity that it's like a spider stalking its prey. He has some of the best lines in the series and he delivers them with passion and conviction. 

A hat tip to Peter Dinklage for his power-packed performance. We hope to see more of him as the murderous game for the Iron Throne nears its conclusion in Season 7 (2017) and season 8 (2018).

[Book] चार नगरांतील माझे विश्व : Dr Jayant Naralikar

It is rare to see an autobiography of an Indian scientist. It's even more rare to see an autobiography of Indian scientist in Marathi. So, coming across चार नगरांतील माझे विश्व by Dr Jayant Naralikar was something special.

Dr. Naralikar is well known for his Quasi-Steady State Theory, an alternative theory to Big Bang Model of the origin of the universe. 
In his autobiography, Dr. Naralikar narrates his life as a sequence of his living in four cities: His childhood and formative years in Benaras (Varanasi), doctoral and research years with Fred Hoyle at Cambridge, a professorship at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai, and as Founder- Director of IUCAA, Pune. 
The narrative is extremely detailed, running about 600 pages, and has a good collection of photographs, and a superb index. In fact, I read the book primarily using the index rather than the traditional start-to-finish approach.
The book has received a Sahitya Academy award.

[Book Review] Tap Dancing to Work : Warren Buffett

Frankly, I wouldn't have picked this book in a library, forget about buying it. 
But when Bill Gates writes a compelling review of a book on his site Gates Notes and your wife brings the review to your notice, you better read the book. 

Last weekend, I finished reading "Tap Dancing to Work: Warren Buffett on Practically Everything", compiled by Carol Loomis, editor of Fortune magazine... and am glad I did read it!

Here are some excerpts...

There is never just one cockroach in the kitchen.

~ Warren Buffett in "Tap Dancing to Work", implying that when you notice a defect/bug/fault, almost always many more exist.

You are never right or wrong just because people agree or disagree with you. You are right because your facts are right and your reasoning is correct.

On management:

I have seen too many companies in which the top management should rather focus on managing the business rather than managing each other.

On his senior managers:

Jack and Bill only do two things: Set clear goals and clear obstacles... including themselves. That's just what any manager should do.

On career:

When selecting a career, choose the work that you would do if you were independently wealthy and didn't have to work for a living. 

On success:

Most people have 400-horsepower of IQ or talent and through sheer laziness they make do with 100-hp output. I would rather have a 200-hp engine and get 150-hp through hard work and focus. 

And, here's the last one... 

Why some smart people succeed and most don't? It's because people get in their own way. Success needs talent, focus, hard work and perseverance; but it's also much to do with rational, logical thinking... doing the right thing no matter what the temptation to do otherwise be.And more than anything, success is about your habits and character. I have one small suggestion for you: Write down the names of five successful people you admire and five good habits you'd like to learn from them. Next write down five habits that you really hate in others. If you make those five good habits your own and avoid those five bad ones, you would go a long way to be successful.

Sharing more excerpts would diminish the ROI for those who wish to read it.