WallStreetJackass

books

Recent notables, can recommend them all...

12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson

Ally by Michael Oren

The Boy Crisis by Warren Farrell

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

SPQR by Mary Beard

The Force by Don Winslow

Lake Success

Started off strong, with very clever, absurdist humor and a clear understanding of the ridiculousness of our business and life in NYC. But faded at the end and ruins the whole experience almost like he's celebrating the Wall Street hedge fund culture. Unimpressed. Going back to my Joe Rogan podcasts.

RIP Gore Vidal

'...his dispute with Norman Mailer, whose attitudes towards women had brought rebukes from Gloria Steinem and Kate Millett. Vidal entered the fray with an article suggesting there was "a logical progression" from Henry Miller to Mailer to Charles Manson. Mailer responded at a Manhattan dinner party in 1977 by throwing a glass of whiskey in Vidal's face, head-butting him and then throwing a punch. Vidal is said to have replied: "Lost for words again, Norman?"

recommendations

I work in what has been described as a "high-beta" industry, so I'm getting my hours in while they're still available to me. Here's what I've been up to when I'm not working, drinking and working, or [working] with my kids.

Books:

I highly recommend "Dark Pools" which is about how we've come to the point where trades are measured in picoseconds (a trillionth of a second) in order to remain competitive. Sounds boring, but it's written in the same style as a Michael Lewis book and if you ever wanted to know how a guy with lizards running around in his server room helped narrow the average holding period for a stock from two years to twenty seconds, well this is the book for you.

I also read "Savages" and it's prequel (probably not worth reading). This was before I knew Oliver Stone was doing the movie. A cross between Weeds and No Country For Old Men - really very entertaining fiction.

Other books I enjoyed the last six months: Ready Player One, Deer Hunting with Jesus, This Book Will Save Your Life, The George Martin series, Open City (about NYC), 1Q84, Horns: A Novel, The Fear Index, 11/22/63, Smonk, & The Digital Plague.

Movies:

Believe it or not, "The Help" is excellent. I also finally saw "Too Big To Fail" which was surprisingly good and I liked "Rampart" about an LA cop in the 90's. I watched "The Grey" because Liam Leeson lives near me and he is one cool cat. That's about it - since I rarely have more than 30mins to myself, we've been watching TV (Mad Men, Big C, Dexter, Homeland, Boardwalk Empire).

Video Games:

I get around 10 hours a week in and played have played through ME3, Uncharted, Battlefield, Darkness, Gears of War, Arkham City, Modern Warfare and Fear on their most difficult settings this year. I actually just told a high school class that video games are good for you (hand-eye coordination, nonlinear progression, pattern recognition etc), which left their teachers understandably perplexed.

By far the best game I have ever played is Max Payne 3. Below is a screengrab from a fairly typical gameplay scene, so not for the fainthearted:

George Martin's a game of thrones

Let me give you some counsel, bastard. Never forget who you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be for weakness. Armor yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you.

tried the HBO series and couldn't get through it. but the books are excellent so far

bitch-slapped

snow day