I’m going to be “that guy” and not recommend books. I have read many (well 40-50) books and I wouldn’t say that books have taught me anything I couldn’t have learned by experiencing it.
I mean, of course, Computer Science has made me read a lot of books, articles, blog posts, etc. but from the personal point of view, experiences (traveling, meeting new people, moving to a new city, getting a new job) are the things that have taught me more.
I don’t know, maybe I’m an illiterate or maybe I was bad choosing books (I think the later could be true).
So, keep reading but also keep having new (healthy) experiences!
1632 by Eric Flint - Very interesting alternative history, which really gets you thinking about what it takes to run civilization. It's a series, and 1632 is the first book.
16 comments
[ 2.9 ms ] story [ 50.1 ms ] threadA good book to grasp the meaning of influence on other people (or from them upon you)
Brave New World, Huxley
Animal Farm, Orwell
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Heinlein
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Persig
Cat's Cradle, Vonnegut
Catch-22, Heller
The first 3-4 books of the Foundation Series, Asimov
The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien
> ask hn books impact > ask hn books made you > show hn books > ask hn favorite books > top hn books
The last one especially since someone already thought of attempting to compile lists.
The only problem is your question is too broad. Fiction, nonfiction, technical books? What are you trying to accomplish?
I mean, of course, Computer Science has made me read a lot of books, articles, blog posts, etc. but from the personal point of view, experiences (traveling, meeting new people, moving to a new city, getting a new job) are the things that have taught me more.
I don’t know, maybe I’m an illiterate or maybe I was bad choosing books (I think the later could be true).
So, keep reading but also keep having new (healthy) experiences!
100 Years of Solitude by Marquez
The Culture series by Banks