Navigating experiences and states

An annotated reading of the books I finished in August 2026.

Books Read in August 2026

  1. Swann’s Way (In Search of Lost Time, #1)
  2. Sisters in Science
  3. The Infinity Machine
  4. Cryptonomicon

Surreal detail

“Proust can change your life” is a quote I’ve occassionally heard thrown around in tech circles. This got me curious to see what it is about Marcel Proust’s writings that resonates so deeply with certain readers. After finishing Swann’s Way, the first part of Proust’s expansive collection of essays In Search of Lost Time, I believe I understand part of the reason why: it’s his vivid descriptions of everyday life (thoughts, feelings, surroundings, experiences) that are like none other. Proust’s writing, albeit sometimes difficult to follow linearly, is ethereal in a keen sense, encouraging readers to lose track of time and immerse themselves in the world of his experiences.

Fleeing for safety, finding solidarity

During World War II, many women scientists in Germany quickly found their safety and employment situations uncertain. Sisters in Science documents their unique stories of how life in Germany soon became untenable for women scientists, particularly those of Jewish heritage. Out of desparate situations to secure work visas in the United States and elsewhere was born a tightnit community of women supporting one another in their journeys to restart their lives abroad. Importantly, in several cases, such women may never have met each other had the circumstances of their communication been different, illustrating the power of comradery amidst societal prejudice and persecution.

All eyes on AI

Not just another book about AI, The Infinity Machine introduces readers to one of its most influential and curious contemporary leaders: Demis Hassabis. Inspired by the prospect of “making sand think”, Demis began working on AI as a game developer in high school. From there, he continued exploring AI from different institutional angles, including academia and industry, until in 2010 he founded Google DeepMind, one of today’s frontier AI research labs producing AI models such as AlphaGo, MuZero, AlphaStar, AlphaFold, and Gemini. One of the unique contributions of this book is its dissection of Demis’ philosophy and why he believes AGI should be built (and how it will change our understanding of the universe as we know it).

Historical fiction, maybe?

Cryptonomicon is a whirlwind novel that jumps back and forth between the perspectives of World War II Allied-codebreakers and 1990s computer nerds who are motivated to spark social change through cryptography and information systems. Dazzling is the novel’s ability to balance both perspectives without overwhelming readers with detail. From the sandy beaches of the Philippines to the dreary TSA line in the San Francisco International Airport (SFO), this book keeps readers visualizing how both narratives will eventually interweave and converge into a compelling finale. For those curious to learn more about cryptography, Unix, World War II history, and how they all connect to modern day technologies, help yourselves.

Alex