The Emperor’s New Mind: Concerning Computers, Minds, and the Laws of Physics

by Roger Penrose
The Emperor’s New Mind: Concerning Computers, Minds, and the Laws of Physics cover
Good Books rating 4.0
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  • ID: 6273
  • Added: 2025-11-07
  • Updated: 2025-11-07
  • Reviews: 4
Reviews
goodreads.com · Unknown · 2025-11-14
great 4.00

The book is a collection of interrelated short stories that defy easy definition, with each story following someone connected to a record company executive. The stories are well-written and meticulously crafted, but the book can be frustrating to read due to its complexity and the need to keep track of various characters and connections.

A Visit From The Goon Squad is a unique and complex book that reads like a novel but is actually a collection of thirteen interrelated short stories. Each story follows someone connected to record company executive Bennie Salazar, exploring different stages of their lives and various locations and time periods. The book is well-written and meticulously crafted, but it can be challenging to keep track of the characters and their connections, especially if read over several days. The stories are interconnected and come full circle, with themes of losing innocence, relevance, or success. The most iconic chapter is told through Powerpoint slides, but there are other standout stories as well. Overall, the book is a great read for those who have the time and brain space to dedicate to it, but it can be frustrating due to its complexity.

Quick quotes

    How did I go from being a rock star to being a fat fuck no one cares about?

    The book is a great book in the sense that it’s incredibly well-written and meticulously crafted.

    It’s one I’d only recommend picking up if you’ve got the time and brain space to dedicate to it, as it deserves no less.

linkedin.com · Unknown · 2025-11-14
enjoyable 4.00

The book is a bittersweet exploration of an ensemble cast, focusing on the interconnected lives of its characters. It's an enjoyable and effortless read, with a coming-of-age and coming-to-terms-with-aging theme, and experiments with form and viewpoint that work well.

The book is a bittersweet exploration of an ensemble cast, focusing on the interconnected lives of its characters. It's an enjoyable and effortless read, with a coming-of-age and coming-to-terms-with-aging theme. The story unfolds at a fair clip, with shifts in perspective that create a slight Rashomon effect. The experiments with form and viewpoint, such as a second-person narrative and a PowerPoint presentation, are well-executed and add depth to the story. The book is a sprawling investigation of an ensemble cast in order to circumscribe one particular individual, and it's a work possessed of an extraordinary reserve of empathy that pulls off an incredibly audacious idea and makes it look easy to boot.

Quick quotes

    They liked the book, but think some of the plot is thin

    Like all failed experiments, that one taught me something I didn’t expect: one key ingredient of so-called experience is the delusional faith that it is unique and special, that those included in it are privileged and those excluded from it are missing out.

    The pause makes you think the song will end. And then the song isn’t really over, so you’re relieved. But then the song does actually end, because every song ends, obviously, and THAT. TIME. THE. END. IS. FOR. REAL.

web-archive.southampton.ac.uk · Unknown · 2025-11-14
mixed 3.00

The book is praised for its unique structure and rich prose, but the reviewer found it heavy and depressing, with too many characters and a lack of plot. They appreciated the book's exploration of taboo topics and its literary merit, but ultimately didn't enjoy it as much as they hoped.

The reviewer found 'A Visit from the Goon Squad' to be a unique and literary work, with a rich tone and complex point of views. They appreciated the book's exploration of taboo topics and its challenging of social norms. However, they found the book to be heavy and depressing, with too many characters to keep track of and a lack of plot. The reviewer also felt that the book lacked the promised redemption in the cover summary, and that the passing of time was used as a brusque way of gaining redemption for the characters. They ultimately gave the book a rating of 3 out of 5, finding it fresh, unique, and controversial, but also heavy.

Quick quotes

    Structural dissatisfaction: Returning to circumstances that once pleased you, after having experienced a more thrilling or opulent way of life, and finding that you can no longer tolerate them.

    I liked that it touched on more ‘taboo’ topics usually absent from mainstream lit such as hard core drug use, offensive language, homosexuality, mental illness, and suicide, this gave the novel a whole new level of perspective.

    I was impressed by the complex point of views, character, and mixing of culture and social taboos but I can’t say that I particularly enjoyed the book.

sciencedirect.com · Unknown · 2025-11-14
rave 5.00

The reviewer found Jennifer Egan's 'A Visit from the Goon Squad' intelligent and engaging, praising its complex characters and unique storytelling techniques. They recommend reading it before 'The Candy House' and found the book's themes of time and self-promotion compelling.

The reviewer returned to Jennifer Egan's 'A Visit from the Goon Squad' after enjoying 'The Candy House' and was impressed by the connections between the two books. They recommend reading 'A Visit from the Goon Squad' first to appreciate the character development and themes. The reviewer found the characters complex and flawed, which they found fascinating. They enjoyed the literary games and the way they drew them deeper into the stories. The themes of time and self-promotion were particularly compelling, and the final chapter's take on influencers felt prescient. The reviewer rarely reads books a second time, but they found this one as smart and exciting as the first time, leading to a rave review.

Quick quotes

    I found this book intelligent and engaging.

    I didn’t necessarily see myself in any of them, or want to be any of them, but that’s not the only reason for reading fiction.

    The final chapter has a prescient take on Influencers that has probably become more accurate since publication.

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