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Book Overflow

Latest episodes

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Jun 30, 2025 • 40min

One Year of Book Overflow!

In this special episode of Book Overflow, Carter and Nathan celebrate one year of the podcast! Join them as they reflect on what's suprised them, share some stats, and discuss which of the authors they'd most like to pair program with!----------------Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5kj6DLCEWR5nHShlSYJI5LApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/book-overflow/id1745257325X: https://x.com/bookoverflowpodCarter on X: https://x.com/cartermorganNathan's Functionally Imperative: www.functionallyimperative.com----------------Book Overflow is a podcast for software engineers, by software engineers dedicated to improving our craft by reading the best technical books in the world. Join Carter Morgan and Nathan Toups as they read and discuss a new technical book each week!The full book schedule and links to every major podcast player can be found at https://www.bookoverflow.io
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Jun 23, 2025 • 1h 7min

Developing a Mental Model for AI - Thinking Like a Large Language Model by Mukund Sundararajan

The hosts dive into the fascinating world of AI, discussing the art of prompt engineering and how to think like a large language model. They share personal experiences of career transitions, highlighting the shift from big corporations to startups. The impact of biases on expertise evaluation sparks an interesting dialogue, while humor weaves through their exploration of AI's role in tech. The evolving job landscape and the introduction of new specialized roles like 'prompt engineers' are also key points in this engaging conversation.
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Jun 16, 2025 • 1h 7min

Chasing Taillights - In The Plex by Steven Levy

In this episode of Book Overflow, Carter and Nathan discuss the final third of In The Plex by Steven Levy! Join them as they discuss Google's decision to withdraw from China, their war with book publishers, and their struggles to compete in social media!-- Books Mentioned in this Episode --Note: As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.----------------------------------------------------------In The Plex by Steven Levyhttps://amzn.to/3T2I6NX (paid link)----------------00:00 Intro05:10 About the Book and Author06:10 Initial Thoughts on the Book11:27 The Real Story Behind Google Leaving China20:44 Google's Moral Dilemmas Part 1 - DoubleClick & Lobbying23:55 Riff: "Corporate Values" and Founder Mode29:22 Google's Moral Dilemmas Part 2 - DoubleClick & Lobbying37:59 Google's Book scanning project42:56 Google vs Amazon's Different Approaches to Book Scanning43:20 Innocent Arrogance - Street View and Privacy46:40 Pirvacy and Surveillance Concerns49:57 Epilogue: Chasing Taillights55:53 Final Thoughts----------------Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5kj6DLCEWR5nHShlSYJI5LApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/book-overflow/id1745257325X: https://x.com/bookoverflowpodCarter on X: https://x.com/cartermorganNathan's Functionally Imperative: www.functionallyimperative.com----------------Book Overflow is a podcast for software engineers, by software engineers dedicated to improving our craft by reading the best technical books in the world. Join Carter Morgan and Nathan Toups as they read and discuss a new technical book each week!The full book schedule and links to every major podcast player can be found at https://www.bookoverflow.io
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Jun 9, 2025 • 1h 4min

How Google Created the Cloud - In The Plex by Steven Levy

In this episode of Book Overflow, Carter and Nathan discuss the second third of In The Plex by Steven Levy. Join them as they discuss how Google popularized the concept of cloud computing, the invention of Gmail, and more!-- Books Mentioned in this Episode --Note: As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.----------------------------------------------------------In The Plex by Steven Levyhttps://amzn.to/3T2I6NX (paid link)----------------Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5kj6DLCEWR5nHShlSYJI5LApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/book-overflow/id1745257325X: https://x.com/bookoverflowpodCarter on X: https://x.com/cartermorganNathan's Functionally Imperative: www.functionallyimperative.com----------------Book Overflow is a podcast for software engineers, by software engineers dedicated to improving our craft by reading the best technical books in the world. Join Carter Morgan and Nathan Toups as they read and discuss a new technical book each week!The full book schedule and links to every major podcast player can be found at https://www.bookoverflow.io
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Jun 2, 2025 • 1h 2min

The Origins of Google - In The Plex by Steven Levy

The discussion dives into Google's intriguing rise from a Stanford project to a tech giant. Key topics include the innovative PageRank algorithm and the skepticism faced by its founders during the 2000 market crash. The hosts reflect on Google's legacy, ethical data practices, and the influence of the cypherpunk movement. They also highlight the importance of balancing AI's role in personal growth with maintaining creativity and critical thinking. Finally, insights on data-driven decision-making encourage listeners to pursue ambitious goals.
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May 26, 2025 • 1h 10min

Making a Dent in the Universe - ReWork by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson

Dive into a discussion on the revolutionary ideas in ReWork, where the hosts share their top insights. They tackle the anti-workaholism philosophy and the need for intentional business practices. Discover how they emphasize the importance of sleep for productivity and the concept of prioritizing vision over customer demands. The joys of creating products that genuinely solve personal problems come to light, urging listeners to rethink their approach to meaningful work and productivity.
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May 20, 2025 • 1h 1min

Coordination in Distributed Systems - Grokking Concurrency by Kirill Bobrov

Dive into concurrency as the hosts tackle mutexes, semaphores, and the reactor pattern! Discover the complexities of race conditions and synchronization while drawing parallels to creativity in engineering. Explore the significance of telemetry in the age of AI-driven code and unravel the dining philosophers problem for a fun yet insightful take on resource management. From blocking vs. non-blocking IO to the vital connection between frontend and backend roles, this discussion is packed with valuable insights for software engineers!
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May 5, 2025 • 1h 1min

Basics of Concurrency - Grokking Concurrency by Kirill Bobrov

In this episode of Book Overflow, Carter and Nathan discuss the first half of Grokking Concurrency by Kirill Bobrov! Join them as they discuss the basic building blocks of concurrency, how concurrency has evolved over time, and how building concurrent applications can increase performance!Go Proverbs: https://go-proverbs.github.io/-- Books Mentioned in this Episode --Note: As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.----------------------------------------------------------Grokking Concurrency by Kirill Bobrovhttps://amzn.to/3GRbnby (paid link)Web Scalability for Startup Engineers by Artur Ejsmonthttps://amzn.to/3F1VWwF (paid link)----------------00:00 Intro02:07 About the Book and Author03:35 Initial Thoughts on the Book09:12 What is Concurrency vs Parallelism12:35 CPUs and Moore's Law22:19 IO Performance, Embarrassingly Parallel and Conway's Law28:25 Building Blocks of Concurrency: Processes and Threads33:05 Memory Sharing vs Communicating39:13 Multitasking and Context Switching45:24 Task Decomposition and Data Pipelines52:35 Final Thoughts----------------Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5kj6DLCEWR5nHShlSYJI5LApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/book-overflow/id1745257325X: https://x.com/bookoverflowpodCarter on X: https://x.com/cartermorganNathan's Functionally Imperative: www.functionallyimperative.com----------------Book Overflow is a podcast for software engineers, by software engineers dedicated to improving our craft by reading the best technical books in the world. Join Carter Morgan and Nathan Toups as they read and discuss a new technical book each week!The full book schedule and links to every major podcast player can be found at https://www.bookoverflow.io
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Apr 28, 2025 • 1h 15min

Graduate Algorithms and Georgia Tech OMSCS

Carter shares his triumph in Georgia Tech's notoriously tough Graduate Algorithms course. The duo dives into how AI advancements have reshaped learning dynamics and course policies. They highlight the diverse backgrounds of OMSCS students, proving that unconventional paths can lead to success. The conversation covers challenges in preparing for rigorous exams and mastering complex topics like dynamic programming and NP-completeness. They emphasize the importance of clear communication in algorithm design and the long-term benefits of tackling tough coursework.
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8 snips
Apr 21, 2025 • 1h 6min

High-Leverage Thinking for Engineers - Thinking in Systems by Donella Meadows

Carter and Nathan dive into systems thinking with insights from Donella Meadows. They explore concepts like stocks, flows, and feedback loops, connecting them to software engineering. The discussion highlights the role of systems thinking in preventing burnout and understanding organizational dynamics. They reflect on societal changes, from shifting music consumption to evolving predictive models. Listeners learn how small changes can drive significant impacts, emphasizing the importance of adaptability in both personal and professional settings.

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