Author Archives: twsobey

Practical Lock Picking

Posted on December 22, 2025 by twsobey

Title: Practical Lock Picking, A Physical Penetration Tester’s Training Guide Author: Deviant Ollam Completed: December 2025 (Full list of books) Overview: I’ve been into lock picking for years. I don’t remember when I got started but it was probably around … Continue reading →

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Hell Yeah or No

Posted on November 23, 2025 by twsobey

Title: Hell Yeah or No what’s worth doing Author: Derek Sivers Completed: November 2025 (Full list of books) Overview: For many years, I’ve been interested in the writings of Derek Sivers. It goes back far enough I don’t have any … Continue reading →

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The 99% Invisible City

Posted on November 16, 2025 by twsobey

Title: The 99% Invisible City A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design Author: Roman Mars and Kurt Kohlstedt Completed: November 2025 (Full list of books) Overview: I’ve been listening to the 99% Invisible podcast for over a … Continue reading →

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Second Annual First Mistake 5k

Posted on November 10, 2025 by twsobey

Last year we had a lot of fun with the First Mistake 5k. We had 40 runners, lots of hills, and four Mistake Station (including one bottle of Malört, free haircuts, and firefighters hosing us down). I wonder if we … Continue reading →

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Ring and Other Metalwork

Posted on October 26, 2025 by twsobey

I learned to weld in shop class in 8th grade. Two years later, my new shop teacher showed me how to weld well. Working with middle schoolers now, I’m shocked that we ever let any of them near metalworking equipment … Continue reading →

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A Closed and Common Orbit

Posted on October 17, 2025 by twsobey

Title: A Closed and Common Orbit Author: Becky Chambers Completed: October 2025 (Full list of books) Overview: After finishing The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, the first in the Wayfarers series, I assumed the second book would continue … Continue reading →

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Potholes and Pavements

Posted on October 12, 2025 by twsobey

Title: Potholes and Pavements: A Bumpy Ride on Britain’s National Cycle Network Author: Laura Laker Completed: October 2025 (Full list of books) Overview: This book was harder for me to get through than many of the others about infrastructure and … Continue reading →

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Picks and Shovels

Posted on September 9, 2025 by twsobey

Title: Picks and Shovels Author: Cory Doctorow Completed: Sept 2025 (Full list of books) Overview: This is the third book in the Martin Hench series and having read the first two earlier this summer, I moved onto this one. It … Continue reading →

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The Lost Subways of North America

Posted on August 30, 2025 by twsobey

Title: The Lost Subways of North America: A Cartographic Guide to the Past, Present, and What Might Have Been Author: Jake Berman Completed: August 2025 (Full list of books) Overview: I’ve had one or two people tell me recently that … Continue reading →

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The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

Posted on August 22, 2025 by twsobey

Title: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet Author: Becky Chambers Completed: August 2025 (Full list of books) Overview: A few years ago I came across A Psalm for the Wild Built. I don’t remember how I found it, … Continue reading →

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