Karavansara

East of Constantinople, West of Shanghai

Tag Archives: Humble Bundle


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88 cents of dystopia

Well, isn’t it a bummer: I had just time to discuss with some of my friends about how I do not like dystopian science fiction (I’m more of a positivist, optimist sort of guy), that the Humble Bundle went and did a Dystopian Worlds book bundle offer, and I ended up shelling out 88 hard-earned eurocents. And then I thought you might like to take a look at it. So here is the link.

For 1 dollar, or the equivalent 88 cents of a euro, you get an incredibly good selection of great books:

Continue reading →


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Unexpected book haul

android-developmentYesterday we had a little celebration, because yesterday my brother got his Nanodegree as an Android Software Developer, a professional certificate he’d been working on now for two years thanks to a Google scholarship he was awarded.
It was hard work, and there were a lot of frustrating moments because we live at the edge of the map, and there were often some very silly hang-ups; for instance, yesterday my brother had problems actually getting his certificate because the delivery system required a photo of his digital ID Card, but hereabouts we are still routinely issued with a non-digital, paper ID card. You can see how crazy it is.

I am very proud of my kid brother’s achievement, and I hope this new professional qualification will give him a ticket out of Astigianistan.
Anyway, we had a celebration (we also plan a night out and a dinner, but that’s yet to come), and I ended up splurging on some books, and as it usually happens, I bought more books for myself that I did for the guy that was the one being celebrated.
So here’s a quick overview of my unexpected book haul, that doubles as a collection of recommendations. Continue reading →


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The Keyword is Survival on the New Frontier

A brief post to point out the latest offering from Humble Bundle, the aptly named Survive Anything bundle, featuring books by Skyhorse Publishing.
For a very small price you’ll be able to download a full library of survival-oriented handbooks – the lowest rung, that will cost you a buck, includes a general survival handbook, a first aid handbook, and five other interesting titles.
The complete package will set you back fifteen bucks, but will land you 23 books, including guides to homesteading, and survival guides from both the Army and the Navy.

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Now I’m not the survivalist type – but I like hiking and stuff, and therefore the first aid book is something I’m likely to keep on my smartphone. Ditto the guide about getting lost and getting found again.
Also, I am a writer, and a writer of adventure – and the skills in these books are the sort of skills my characters have or need to learn fast to survive what I put them through. So, research!

You might have different interests, but give the bundle a look – as an added bonus, your money will help the International Rescue Committee.
And I have to admit that helping International Rescue sends a shiver through my old Thunderbirds fan bones.


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Of book bundles and past traumas

I feel like reading. A lot.
I’m actually reading three books at the same time, like I did back when I had more free time and less worries.
It’s good – I’m recharging my batteries, getting ready for another burst of activity: more stories (I’m late fulfilling my promises to myPatrons!), new/old projects getting refurbished, stuff to be done, more courses.
But right now, I’m reading. A lot.

And as I mentioned in the past, initiatives like Humble Bundle and StoryBundle are great if you want to stay well stocked with reading material while spending just a few bucks, with the added bonus of doing some charity. Continue reading →


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Cook books and other writer’s resources

A quick heads-up.
As I think I mentioned already I love cooking – it’s a relaxing activity, a way to leave problems behind and be good to ourselves, and what the heck, somebody’s got to do it, right?

cooking-techniques_hero

Through the years I have collected a number of cookbooks and recipe collections, and I’m always on the lookout for new sources of gastronomic adventure.
Selection_999(030)From which, the heads-up: The Humble Bundle is doing a special Sous Geek Cookbooks bundle, offering 21 books about food and cooking aimed at the geek, and part of the money you pay goes into a charity.
The offer is open for another twelve days.
As usual with the Humble Bundle, the offer is tiered. Continue reading →


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The right book at the right time

Selection_805There’s a big stack of For Dummies handbooks about tech jobs and productivity available at the Humble Bundle website, one of my one-stop places to stock on reading matter on a tight budget.

This Bundle looks like it’s perfect for me (productivity and job seeking) and my brother (a code monkey looking for a career).
And this one pictured here is the first I’ll check out, for reasons my last post should have made obvious.
We invested one buck in the basic Bundle.

You might like to go there and invest a few bucks yourself – you also help a charity doing so.


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Christmas before time

You guys know this has been a hard year for me and my brother. We lost our father in May and our lives shifted and rotated and changed. We had to face bureaucracy, expenses, problems. Solitude, sometimes.
We found ourselves broke and in a mortgaged house, lost at the bottom of a depressed rural area, with the economic crisis raging and no job in sight. And finally we faced hell and high water when the rivers flooded the countryside.
But we managed, and if the end of the tunnel is still a long way off, we keep going in the right direction.

And it’s not always bad news and hard work. Thanks to the Black Friday and associated things, we sort of celebrated Christmas one month earlier this year. Continue reading →