TITLE: On the Tenth Day of Christmas...
AUTHOR: Eugene Wallingford
DATE: January 03, 2021  5:08 PM
DESC: 
-----
BODY:
 ...  my daughter gave to me:

<center>
<img src="http://www.cs.uni.edu/~wallingf/blog-images/books/hofstadter-gifts.jpg"
     alt="Christmas gifts from Sarah!"
     width="400"
     align="center" />
</center>

 We celebrated Part 2 of our Zoom Family Christmas this morning.
 A package from one of our daughters arrived in the mail after
 Part 1 on Christmas Day, so we reprised our celebration during
 today's weekly call.

 My daughter does not read my blog, at least not regularly, but
 she did search around there for evidence that I might already
 own these titles.  Finding none, she ventured the long-distance
 gift.  It was received with much joy.

 I've known about <em>I Am a Strange Loop</em> for over a decade
 but have never read it.  Somehow, <em>Surfaces and Essences</em>
 flew under my radar entirely.  A book that is new to me!

 These books will provide me many hours of enjoyment.  Like
 Hofstadter's other books, they will probably bend my brain a bit
 and perhaps spark some welcome new activity.

<center>
 ~~~~~
</center>

 Hofstadter appears in this blog most prominently in a set of entries
 I wrote after he visited my university in 2012:
<ul>
<li> Hofstadter's thoughts on
     <a href="http://www.cs.uni.edu/~wallingf/blog/archives/monthly/2012-03.html#e2012-03-07T17_35_34.htm">
        questions, proofs, and passion</a> </li>
<li> a reflection on
     <a href="http://www.cs.uni.edu/~wallingf/blog/archives/monthly/2012-03.html#e2012-03-30T17_22_07.htm">
        Alan Turing, the Turing Test, and machine intelligence</a> </li>
<li> a few
     <a href="http://www.cs.uni.edu/~wallingf/blog/archives/monthly/2012-03.html#e2012-03-09T15_33_32.htm">
        miscellaneous observations</a>
     of his attitude and style</li>
</ul>

 I did mention <em>I Am a Strange Loop</em> in a later entry
 after all,
<a href="http://www.cs.uni.edu/~wallingf/blog/archives/monthly/2012-04.html#e2012-04-06T16_29_33.htm">
   a reflection on Alan Turing, representation, and universal machines</a>.
 I'm glad that entry did not undermine my daughter's gift!
-----