HN Explorer

Ask HN: What books have made the biggest impact on your mental models?

692 points by baran ↗ HN
It's ok to "forget" what you read (https://medium.com/the-polymath-project/its-okay-to-forget-what-you-read-f4ef1c34cc01) as books update our mental models or how we perceive the world. What books have made the biggest impact on your mental models?

253 comments

[ 4.3 ms ] story [ 260 ms ] thread
omnibrain
Fiction: Peter Watts - Blindsight Nonfiction: Gödel Escher Bach CS: David West - Object Thinking
autarch
In no particular order ...

I Am a Strange Loop by Douglas Hofstadter - strongly influenced my beliefs about how consciousness works

Godel, Escher, Bach by Douglas Hofstadter - made me think more deeply about so many topics

Animal Liberation by Peter Singer - made me both an animal advocacy activist and strongly influenced me towards a consequentialist moral

Neuropath by R. Scott Bakker - more on how consciousness works, this time through a work of fiction

The Dispossessed by Ursula K. LeGuin - strongly influenced my beliefs about political systems

The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins - changed how I thought about animal behavior and what living things do

Republic, Lost by Lawrence Lessig - strongly influenced my beliefs about US government

Manufacturing Consent by Herman & Chomsky - made me rethink my view of the media and news

colordrops
Yes! "Godel, Escher, Bach" and "The Mind's I" completely broke down the rigid models I had for how I perceive objects around me and my place in the world.
austenallred
Great list. Stealing the ones I haven't read.
autarch
I will warn you that reading Neuropath left me feeling depressed for a couple weeks. It's a great book, but the conclusions it might lead you to may not make you happy.
[deleted]
(comment deleted)
alphapapa
What kind of conclusions do you mean?
autarch
That humans are just machines and there's no such thing as free will. I already knew that to some degree before reading the book, but it frames it in a particularly bleak way.
andrewb1
Poor Charlie's Almanack. It's a compilation of talks and essays from Charlie Munger, Warren Buffet's business partner. This book has single-handedly changed my invest strategies and mindset. Instead of trying to buy low and sell high, Berkshire Hathaway holds a large cash position, until they find something they consider to be a sure bet, take a large stake and hold. I now have the quote "Be right and hold tight" written at my work table.
MarkMc
Poor Charlie's Almanack is a fine book, but as it's just a collection of speeches and short stories the content is somewhat unstructured. I prefer "Seeking Wisdom from Darwin To Munger" by Peter Bevelin: https://www.amazon.com/Seeking-Wisdom-Darwin-Munger-3rd/dp/1...
arc_of_descent
Mind is a myth - UG Krishnamurti

Godel, Escher, Bach - Douglas Hofstadter

Unweaving the rainbow - Richard Dawkins

palerdot
The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson

Thinking fast and slow by Daniel Kahneman

jaco8
Poor no more - Robert Chester Ruark A Coffin Full of Dreams - Frisco Hitt Oblomov - Ivan Goncharov The Man Without Qualities - Robert Musil
kilian
The Dance of Gods novels by Mayer Allan Brenner, free download here: http://www.mayerbrenner.com/download/ They are like a Discworld where magic and programming are basically the same, of sorts, with a large, sprawling world with overlapping storylines. It's a great read and I came away with many interesting lines of thought whilst reading a very fun story.
ssivark
Among my recent reads:

1. Finite and infinite games, by James Carse

2. Antifragile, by Nassim Taleb (IMHO the book rambles on a little too much; some of his hour long YouTube talks convey the ideas almost as well)

3. Obedience to authority, by Stanley Milgram

kyoob
Finite and Infinite Games blew my mind. I re-read it every couple of years and it recalibrates me every time.
BrandiATMuhkuh
hitchhiker guide to the galaxy: it taught me how small the earth is. And therefore we should use the limited time we have wisely. Also, Don't Panic.
ozim
I would say not even earth but life, everything and universe is insignificant but it does not matter. So does using your time wisely does not matter, just try to have fun (in a nice way) and don't panic. I am reading it again this week.
thedeep_mind
Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday. The book tells you all there is to know about ego and will change the way you see yourself.
jventura
No More Mr. Nice Guy by Robert Glover. Raised as a peaceful kid whose introversion taught me to try to control my world and keep things to myself, I am now more aware of how much healthier it is to set boundaries and just let the world run its own course. Immensely happier!
mikesabat
I'm on a streak of reading Neuromarketing/behavioral economic type books. 1. Predictably irrational is particularly good. Especially the first half. 2. The Confidence Game explains the steps of how con trick people to fool themselves. 3. Buyology is very focused on purchases/retail. 4. Brainfluence. I'm halfway through it. Mostly bite-sized chapters and it's similar to Buyology, but I prefer this book.
austenallred
Fantastic question.

The selfish gene - for understanding human behavior

Meditations of Marcus Aurelius - for understanding how to be content

Debt, the first 5,000 years - for understanding money and finance from the ground up

Wright Brothers - for understanding how technological breakthroughs happen

Snowball (Warren Buffet), Andrew Carnegie and Rockefeller biographies - for understanding the mental mindset to win in business (it's not what you think)

Hackers and painters - for understanding startups and how/why they work

Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance - for understanding beauty in the routine

Essentialism, the disciplined pursuit of less and Walden - for understanding how "stuff" gets in the way of happiness

Les Miserables - for understanding love

yodsanklai
> Debt, the first 5,000 years

It's often cited on HN, but I've found it very dense and difficult to read.

mashmac2
I've had the audiobook version recommended for this exact reason - easier to listen to than to read :)
thefuzz
I've heard exactly this about the book, audio book > text
eliben
It is dense and difficult to read, I agree. But it's also very insightful, and hence recommended. I agree with the other comment that listening to difficult books is generally easier than reading.
ashark
Probably depends on the kind of stuff you're used to reading, but I thought it was relatively light and lively, haha.

My favorite part was the author's knack for writing a paragraph that caused me to think of several critical questions or potential holes, then immediately follow it up with a few paragraphs addressing most or all of those questions and plugging the holes.

luckyt
I agree 100%. The beginning was good, gave many unconventional views of what is the essence of debt and money, especially in other cultures and periods in history. But in the middle of the book, the author started rambling about the history of everything with a loose connection to money or debt, with no real point to be made. I gave up reading somewhere around there.
shubhamjain
> Debt, the first 5,000 years - for understanding money and finance from the ground up

Having picked this a few weeks ago, I am finding it hard to finish because of the ponderous writing. I admit that first few chapters were a revelation, but the cultural verbosity regarding everything becomes wearing quickly. "The Ascent of Money" is much better primer on the evolution of financial system.

vpribish
I started "The Ascent of Money" and was very happy with the first half or so - then I set it aside for a few years and worked for a hedge fund. When I picked the book up again I couldn't stand how basic, boring, and mistaken the second half was. I wish I could follow your example and suggest a better book :)
sirspacey
enlighten us - what did you learn?
vpribish
fair question, but I don't recall the specifics that disappointed me. It's totally possible that the first half of the book was just much better than the second, and it wasn't anything about my thinking that was responsible. it wasn't a controlled experiment :)

ok - paged through the book a bit again and the main thing is that the early stuff was totally new to me (18th century Dutch bonds!) - and the latter is a well-researched rogue's gallery of recent, well-known failures (Enron, Japan's lost decade(s), the recent financial crisis (the book was published in 2008) ). Overall there is a focus on failure and a bunch of editorializing that didn't impress me on the recent stuff and casts doubt on the objectivity of the more distant historical parts.

edit: uh - i didn't answer your question. i learned that, holy-crap, it's hard to attribute cause to effect and very very easy to fool yourself. The market is not efficient - but it's usually close enough that correcting doesn't pay that much.

etplayer
>Debt, the first 5,000 years - for understanding money and finance from the ground up

For me it's nice to see this is being recommended even outside social anarchist/Communist circles.

austenallred
Interesting, I see it most often in anarcho-capitalist circles
etplayer
That's very strange for me to hear, considering the position of the author himself and some of the views espoused in the book. Though I shouldn't be saying that books ought to be restricted to certain ideological followers. As a Communist myself I have my own favourites but I doubt they'd be so useful to anyone here.
alehul
I'm definitely pro-capitalism personally, but I think a collection of books that offer a convincing argument towards another perspective would be well received in the HN community. You should consider posting some.
padobson
I have to agree with this. I have strong opinions about economic and political systems, but I also recognize these are some of the most contentious questions and viewpoints out there.

In light of that, a thoughtful and reasonable look at alternatives is the best way to reduce some of that contention.

frgtpsswrdlame
The Progressive Assault on Laissez-Faire by Barbara Fried.

It's more pragmatic, aka not Marx/theory but it has some good arguments against our current econ/legal framework.

PappaPatat
I am... shocked as this 80% is is my list for the very same reasons. Surely you've enjoyed Gödel, Escher, Bach by Douglas Hofstadter as much as I have, if not (yet), this is my thank you to you.
synapse0
To anyone who read GED in the past, more than a few years ago I mean, I highly recommed reading it again. Your updated self will appreciate its beauty even more.
arsmoriendi
Yes. I found this to be true in general, and not just with books but also film, music and even programming languages.
phaus
For Andrew Carnegie and Rockefeller, which biographies do you recommend?
kornish
Not the OP, but Ron Chernow's Titan is a phenomenal chronicle of Rockefeller.
austenallred
Yes. And the Carnegie biography by Nasaw is long but very good.
pklausler
The Selfish Gene is a great book but human behavior is hardly its main topic.
austenallred
Yup, that's just the mental model I gleaned from it
steelframe
Selfish genes can result in completely altruistic and sacrificial behavior in an individual.
LrnByTeach
Great to see my favorites here ...

> Snowball (Warren Buffet), Andrew Carnegie and Rockefeller biographies - for understanding the mental mindset to win in business (it's not what you think)

> Hackers and painters - for understanding startups and how/why they work

> Essentialism, the disciplined pursuit of less and Walden - for understanding how "stuff" gets in the way of happiness

sprafa
Can you please list which biographies of Carnegie and Rockefeller you recommend ?
krishna2
For Rockefeller, there is Ron Chernow's.

There is also this book : The Tycoons: How Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, Jay Gould, and J. P. Morgan Invented the American Supereconomy Reprint Edition, Kindle Edition by Charles R. Morris

Links: https://www.amazon.com/Titan-Life-John-Rockefeller-Sr-ebook/...

https://www.amazon.com/Andrew-Carnegie-David-Nasaw-ebook/dp/...

https://www.amazon.com/Tycoons-Carnegie-Rockefeller-Invented...

xutopia
The Demon Haunted World by Carl Sagan. I come from a very religious background and it helped shape my way of thinking around superstitious thoughts of all kinds.
wolco
The Sugar Barons: Family, Corruption, Empire, and War in the West Indies
almost_usual
The Intelligent Investor - Benjamin Graham

A Guide to the Good Life - William B. Irvine

BeetleB
Bargaining for Advantage : Negotiation Strategies for Reasonable People

The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion

Lies my teacher told me : everything your American history textbook got wrong

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life

Thinking, Fast and Slow

fillskills
On Intelligence - taught me how our brains work

Sapiens - How the world works

Biographies of Steve Jobs and Einstein - Taught me that even geniuses dont work in a vaccum

Lean Startup and essays from PG - taught me how to start a business

yotamoron
'Deschooling society' by Ivan Illich.
andrei_says_
Could you elaborate on the concepts and effect they had on you?
Exuma
https://www.amazon.com/Six-Pillars-Self-Esteem-Nathaniel-Bra...

Hands down

andrei_says_
What's the gist of the premise? 370 pages for a list of six items seems a bit inflated (forgive my judgment but am a slow reader and love efficiency)
Exuma
All I can say is... I stopped reading self-help books 10 years ago because they all bored me to tears. I HATE fluff. I hate repeated ideas and concepts, I hate long intros... I usually will stop reading books 30% in because it's like "I get it".

This book, however, is written by a guy who basically died at 87 and studied self-esteem since he was very young. So basically he's studied the same topic for 60 years, and his ability to convey certain concepts is absolutely profound. He truly understands the concepts down to the core. And it's such a hard thing to explain when you get past the 'surface level', but he repeatedly does over and over throughout the whole book. I probably have over 100 passages highlighted on my Kindle, of particular sentences or paragraphs where I put the book down and was like........... DAMN.

I've referred the book to 2-3 people and they all were blown away. It's a book in a league of it's own. I heard of the book from my friend who mentioned it's his #1 self help book out of his favorite 10, and I can definitely see why.

Basically it just comes down to how well he can talk about such an abstract topic in many different ways, without repeating himself, and eventually one of those ways will 'click' for you.

I find it's also affecting me day to day, in a positive way, which is something books like this have never really done in the past. I tend to like/absorb the info but I don't vibe with the author or their knowledge on the subject enough to commit to whatever exercises they say to do, etc.

nur0n
How to Design Programs. It helped make explicit the very concept of mental models.
shadowtree
The Wealth and Poverty of Nations - David S. Landes

Agree or disagree with his findings, but it was the first book I read as a teenager that tried to connect seemingly disparate things into a single narrative - culture, technology, luck.

Jared Diamond had a similar, but more simple premise.

I still think of certain passages of Landes' book to this day. The impact of clockworking, the start of the modern tech industry. The impact of protocol and bureaucracy, especially the Spanish one.

RockyMcNuts
The Emperor's New Mind, by Roger Penrose

The Tao of Physics, by Fritjof Capra

Dancing Wu Li Masters, by Gary Zukav

The Naked Ape, by Desmond Morris

The Road to Serfdom, by Friedrich Hayek

The Worldly Philosophers, by Robert Heilbroner

The Story of Philosophy, by Will Durant

Grammatical Man, by Jeremy Campbell

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Robert M. Pirsig

Flow, by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

maaaats
Not aimed at only you, but a trend in posts like these: When it's no particular order and you don't comment on what a book is or why you recommend it, I feel the list becomes kinda useless. And when a post is upvoted much that contains a lot of elements, I don't know which book gained those votes.
RockyMcNuts
Well Pirsig's Zen and the other ones related to eastern religions and science, are around the idea that there is no locus of reality or meaning, the reality is how everything interrelates. It's kind of like word2vec, the context of other words and real-world situations in which each word is used tells you everything about what it means. Take away a particle's charge and mass and the other numbers we associate with it, and is it still a particle? Those numbers describe how it interacts and all we can really say about it is how it interacts. Plato was off the mark when he talked about the ideal form of different objects. There is no ideal form of a chair, except that chairness is an abstract idea about how things (asses and furniture) interact.

Then I think that Grammatical Man and Penrose are around the nature of information, and what can be communicated and understood. And I sort of think that question is at the top of the tree of abstraction about what we think about. Then comes computer science and math which are about any symbolic systems or formal systems that can be computed and reasoned about. Then most everything else is applying those systems to various problems.

Then I think The Naked Ape and Hayek and Flow are around the notion that humans are their own thing. They are tribal and hierarchical and territorial and violent and not nearly as self-aware or even aware of our surroundings as we think we are. You get a lot more mileage out of just observing what they do than about listening to the rationalizations of why they say did it, things like God and blood and soil, i.e. superstitions and us-and-them-ing arbitrary physical features of a pack of mongrels and arbitrary lines on maps. Invitation to Sociology by Berger was another big one on those lines.

And the Heilbroner and Durant are basically inventories of major mental models that people have come up with in philosophy and economics.