sc Stefan Coburn
Indiana · est. 1988

Stefan
Coburn.

Engineer, volunteer firefighter, beginner pianist, pragmatic optimist. Writing about technology, society, and the good life — one book at a time.

Stefan Coburn
216
Books read
7
Book notes
14
Quotes kept
5
Essays written
Currently
reading
The Count of Monte Cristo
The Count of Monte Cristo
Alexandre Dumas
The Machine Stops
The Machine Stops
E. M. Forster
The Score
The Score
C. Thi Nguyen
Book Notes All notes →
The Machine Stops Jul 2026 Humanity builds a machine to serve its every need, then kneels before it. A cautionary tale for the present day.
Factfulness Sep 2025 Hans Rosling on why we're wrong about the world and why things are better than we think.
Gates of Fire Sep 2025 A fictionalized retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae and what it teaches about honor, duty, and courage.
A Conflict of Visions Sep 2025 Thomas Sowell's framework for understanding the roots of political disagreement.
Same as Ever Sep 2025 Key lessons from Morgan Housel on finance, risk, and timeless human behavior.
The Shallows Sep 2025 How the Internet is changing the way we think, read, and remember.
Essays All essays →
Fear Jul 2026 On facing fear head-on — from rock walls to skydiving — and what it taught me about courage.
Comparison and Perspective Jul 2026 Warnings and tactics for making sure comparison doesn't ruin your life.
On Minimizing Regret Jul 2026 Heuristics for making decisions and minimizing future regret.
Reflections on the USA's 250th Jul 2026 Reflections on America's 250th birthday.
Science & Faith Jun 2026 Why science and faith are not at war — and why learning both is a religious duty.