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Ask HN: What books do you keep on your desk?

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Re: Ask HN: What books do you keep on your desk?

#112
post #73
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My guess is he has "Algorithmic Trading & DMA" and "Trading and Exchanges". Both are excellent.

I have the Ernest Chan books. "Options, Futures, and Other Derivatives (10th Edition)" and a few other Economics and Finance books. Happy to share a complete list if anyone really wants it.

I would be interested to know if there was a 'gold standard'/'bible' of finance books for someone who knows very little, but doesn't mind a technical read.

Re: Ask HN: What books do you keep on your desk?

#113
post #55

Commodore 64 User Guide http://www.commodore.ca/manuals/c64_users_guide/c64-users_gu...

I read that book cover-to-cover and worked most of the examples back in my middle school days. Animating that hot air balloon in the "Sprites" section...memories!

Re: Ask HN: What books do you keep on your desk?

#115
post #43

I keep ~10 books at my desk. 9 of them are related to Javascript / Python / Probability etc [1]., There is one book though, that I really love to see everyday. Arabian Nights. That was the first book that was gifted to me when I was 11. I always had it with me. It reminds me of my childhood when things get too stressed and I read excerpts out of this book. [1] https://www.amazon.com/JavaScript-Definitive-Guide-Activa…

Among the books, you included Thinking, Fast and Slow which really stands out, and I was wondering what you gained from it, and how you'd summarize its relevance/value? I've been meaning to read it, and I think it's really interesting that it provides enough value to be among the others.

This book has helped me recognize various cognitive biases and heuristics that I or the people around me are demonstrating. Sometimes people say things that just "feel" wrong and this book has helped me identify and name why it feels wrong. It can get a little dry at times, but for the most part the research and examples are memorable. I also find the framework of the "two systems" to be a simple reminder to slow down and think about things that surprise/frustrate me before arriving at conclusions (or responding to that frustrating coworker :P).

Re: Ask HN: What books do you keep on your desk?

#116
post #20

A few Stroustrup books. A few Chinese language books (to help communicate with co-workers) A few Algorithmic Trading related books as well as a few math books. And, laugh if you wish, a few Buddhism books to help remind myself patience, no negative energy, etc. If I am feeling frustrated I can read a few quick thoughts.

I hate that the default attitude of our society about people with religious beliefs necessitates your disclaimer.

What attitude can you expect from rationalists towards those who decide to believe in claims without requiring evidence or justification? The moral high ground which you seem to think exists for you, does not.

Re: Ask HN: What books do you keep on your desk?

#119
post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Among the books, you included Thinking, Fast and Slow which really stands out, and I was wondering what you gained from it, and how you'd summarize its relevance/value? I've been meaning to read it, and I think it's really interesting that it provides enough value to be among the others.

This book has helped me recognize various cognitive biases and heuristics that I or the people around me are demonstrating. Sometimes people say things that just "feel" wrong and this book has helped me identify and name why it feels wrong. It can get a little dry at times, but for the most part the research and examples are memorable. I also find the framework of the "two systems" to be a simple reminder to slow dow…

I would also recommend You are not so Smart and You Are Now Less Dumb if you like the cognitive bais theme

Re: Ask HN: What books do you keep on your desk?

#120
I keep a wide variety of references around this desk. Some of my favorites:

Manuel Lima's "Visual Complexity", "The Book of Circles", and "The Book of Trees". These are useful as references and as visualization inspiration.

Jacques Bertin's "Semiology of Graphics". Gorgeous and immensely useful.

Desmond and Nicholas Higham's "MATLAB Guide, 3rd Edition", and Yair Altman's "Accelerating MATLAB Performance". Both are invaluable for serious MATLAB work.

Titus A. Beu's book on Numerical Programming is very good as a reference.

For anyone needing to work on military simulations, "Engineering Principles of Combat Modeling and Distributed Simulation" by Tolk is the best reference I have found on the subject.

And TAOCP and CLRS are here for reference purposes as well.

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