William Poundstone

Quotes

• “Are there any mythical beasts which aren't simple pastiches of nature? Centaurs, minotaurs, unicorns, griffons, chimeras, sphinxes, manticores, and the like don't speak well for the human imagination. None is as novel as a kangaroo or starfish.”

• “The best paradoxes raise questions about what kinds of contradictions can occur—what species of impossibilities are possible.”

• “In American culture the coin toss is the paradigm of the random event. A coin toss decides who kicks off the Super Bowl. Looked at another way, a coin toss is not random at all. It is physics.”

• “Shannon's most radical insight was that meaning was irrelevant.”

• “Your second ducat, like your second million, is never quite as sweet.”

Books by William Poundstone in order

Books by William Poundstone in the order they were published, from Big Secrets (1983) to How Do You Fight a Horse-Sized Duck? (2021).

1. 1Big SecretsBig Secrets1983
2. 2The Recursive UniverseThe Recursive Universe1984
3. 3The Big Book of Big SecretsThe Big Book of Big Secrets1985
4. 4Bigger SecretsBigger Secrets1986
5. 5Labyrinths of ReasonLabyrinths of Reason1988
6. 6The UltimateThe Ultimate1990
7. 7Prisoner's DilemmaPrisoner's Dilemma1992
8. 8Biggest SecretsBiggest Secrets1993
9. 9Carl SaganCarl Sagan1999
10. 10How Would You Move Mount Fuji?How Would You Move Mount Fuji?2003
11. 11Fortune's FormulaFortune's Formula2005
12. 12Fuji Dagini Nasil Tasirsiniz?Fuji Dagini Nasil Tasirsiniz?2005
13. 13Gaming the VoteGaming the Vote2008
14. 14PricelessPriceless2009
15. 15Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google?Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google?2012
16. 16How to Predict the UnpredictableHow to Predict the Unpredictable2014
17. 17Rock Breaks ScissorsRock Breaks Scissors2014
18. 18El dilema del prisioneroEl dilema del prisionero2015
19. 19Head in the CloudHead in the Cloud2016
20. 20Head in the Cloud [Paperback] [Sep 01, 2016] William PoundstHead in the Cloud [Paperback] [Sep 01, 2016] William Poundstone2016
21. 21Doomsday CalculationDoomsday Calculation2019
22. 22How to Predict EverythingHow to Predict Everything2019
23. 23How Do You Fight a Horse-Sized Duck?How Do You Fight a Horse-Sized Duck?2021
24. 24Are You Smart Enough to Work For Google?Are You Smart Enough to Work For Google?