Hawking Index for most-unread books

bfisher · 07-08-2014, 11:09 AM

Read this in the National Post
http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/07...ple-never-read

Which lead me to this:
http://online.wsj.com/articles/the-s...-is-1404417569

I have to admit that I have Piketty's "Capital" on my TBR list.

BTW, the author of the WSJ piece, Jordan Ellenberg, is also the author of "How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking" - to my intense chagrin, also on my TBR.

JoHunt · 07-08-2014, 11:36 AM

The current Hawking Index of most unread books (but Hard Choices is fairly new so perhaps this result is not accurate):

[Image exceeds guidelines for size - MODERATOR]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-30-pages.html

DrNefario · 07-08-2014, 11:53 AM

I'm kind of amazed at The Goldfinch's score, especially compared to Catching Fire, which I found to be a remarkably easy read (and which is the only one in that image I have read or attempted to read.)

I don't follow links to the Daily Mail, so I don't know what they're claiming about that.

Edit: OK, I read the methodology from the other two links, and it's pretty badly flawed. A score of 50% means the popular highlights are evenly spread throughout the book. Or that they are all from the middle. Low scores are probably more significant than high scores. I strongly suspect it has more to do with book industry PR than anything else.

GeoffR · 07-08-2014, 12:12 PM

"While admitting his theory was for entertainment only and 'not remotely scientific', Prof Ellenberg's test produced some interesting results."

It's easier to get interesting results if you don't limit yourself to using scientific methods. That is probably why I enjoy reading science fiction more than scientific journals.

bfisher · 07-08-2014, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joehunt

The current Hawking Index of most unread books (but Hard Choices is fairly new so perhaps this result is not accurate):

It started with a July 3 WSJ blog post as a bit of a joke, so I don't know if it will have legs.

I do think readership for political memoirs of active politicians always seem a bit suspect; do people buy them to read, or merely to say that they have the book.

Sydney's Mom · 07-12-2014, 10:43 AM

I have Capital on my ereader, and believe I have made it about as far as Hawking said. I was pleased to see it wasn't just me.

07-08-2014, 11:09 AM	#1
bfisher Wizard Posts: 1,638 Karma: 28483498 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Ottawa Canada Device: Sony PRS-T3, Galaxy (Aldiko, Kobo app)	Hawking Index for most-unread books Read this in the National Post http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/07...ple-never-read Which lead me to this: http://online.wsj.com/articles/the-s...-is-1404417569 I have to admit that I have Piketty's "Capital" on my TBR list. BTW, the author of the WSJ piece, Jordan Ellenberg, is also the author of "How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking" - to my intense chagrin, also on my TBR. Last edited by bfisher; 07-08-2014 at 11:19 AM. Reason: added comment

07-08-2014, 11:36 AM	#2
JoHunt I am what I am Posts: 6,625 Karma: 62235665 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: iPad3, Voyage	The current Hawking Index of most unread books (but Hard Choices is fairly new so perhaps this result is not accurate): [Image exceeds guidelines for size - MODERATOR] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-30-pages.html Last edited by Dr. Drib; 07-09-2014 at 01:34 PM.

07-08-2014, 11:53 AM	#3
DrNefario Wizard Posts: 2,187 Karma: 12000000 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle, Kobo Touch, Nook SimpleTouch	I'm kind of amazed at The Goldfinch's score, especially compared to Catching Fire, which I found to be a remarkably easy read (and which is the only one in that image I have read or attempted to read.) I don't follow links to the Daily Mail, so I don't know what they're claiming about that. Edit: OK, I read the methodology from the other two links, and it's pretty badly flawed. A score of 50% means the popular highlights are evenly spread throughout the book. Or that they are all from the middle. Low scores are probably more significant than high scores. I strongly suspect it has more to do with book industry PR than anything else. Last edited by DrNefario; 07-08-2014 at 12:04 PM.

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07-08-2014, 12:12 PM	#4
GeoffR Wizard Posts: 3,821 Karma: 19162882 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Te Riu-a-Māui Device: Kobo Glo	"While admitting his theory was for entertainment only and 'not remotely scientific', Prof Ellenberg's test produced some interesting results." It's easier to get interesting results if you don't limit yourself to using scientific methods. That is probably why I enjoy reading science fiction more than scientific journals.

07-12-2014, 10:43 AM	#6
Sydney's Mom Wizard Posts: 2,896 Karma: 6995721 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Idaho, on the side of a mountain Device: Kindle Oasis, Fire 3d Gen and 5th Gen and Samsung Tab S	I have Capital on my ereader, and believe I have made it about as far as Hawking said. I was pleased to see it wasn't just me.

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