Behind the Cloud by Marc Benioff
http://www.amazon.com/Behind-Cloud-Salesforce-com-Billion-Do...
Ask HN: Best book you read in 2010 and briefly why
151–160 of 211 posts
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2010 and briefly why
#152Rework
Some things are exaggerated. That's what I like about it.
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2010 and briefly why
#153Pillars of the Earth. It's a historical fiction novel by Ken Follett about the building of a cathedral in 12th century England. Brilliant book. http://www.amazon.ca/Pillars-Earth-Ken-Follett/dp/0451166892
Brilliant indeed. Now available as a TV-series as well. And a sequel is out, World Without End: http://www.amazon.com/World-Without-End-Ken-Follett/dp/05259...
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2010 and briefly why
#154The Baroque Cycle trilogy by Neal Stephenson was good. It took me about a year (off and on) to finish though. It's historical fiction through the eyes of a computer geek and sci-fi writer.
I read those a few years back and they obviously come highly recommended, but in the same vein of historical fiction the best this year was: "Drood", by Dan Simmons.
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2010 and briefly why
#155In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust, because he shows that there's writing after Dostoyevsky, and because he probably was a hacker.
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2010 and briefly why
#156Earlier quoted context omitted.
Be forewarned. If you don't deal with cliffhangers well, it may be better for your mental health to wait for the series to be finished. The author is thoroughly committed to the quality of the series, no matter how long it takes. At the current rate it will probably be a decade before the final three books are finished. On the other hand there is an HBO series in the works that looks to be very high quality.
I came to a similar realization but unfortunately not until 5 or so books into the Wheel of Time series. I think I found myself reading a 10+ page section in which several women were doing their hair and gossiping about the men in their lives and realized (based on that scene plus some other trends I started seeing in previous books) that the series had jumped the shark and the author was now just trying to pump up t…
You might look back into the WoT. Since Jordan's death, Brandon Sanderson has been finishing up the series, and (IMO) the latest books have returned to a level of quality rivaling the first three.
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2010 and briefly why
#157Book: Straight Man, by Richard Russo
Why? It was funny. Might appeal more to those of us who have experienced academia.
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2010 and briefly why
#158"Where Good Ideas Come From" by Steven Johnson I'm fairly stubborn, so it takes a lot for me to change my ways. This book has changed my daily work routine. Johnson outlines 7 environments that have historically produced the most innovative ideas. It's easy to apply the lessons to your typical working day. Best book I've read in probably 5 years. 4-minute Teaser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NugRZGDbPFU TED Talk: h…
> TED Talk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0af00UcTO-c
Also on the TED site: http://www.ted.com/talks/steven_johnson_where_good_ideas_com...
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2010 and briefly why
#159Country Driving: A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory - by Peter Hessler
A fascinating book about everyday life in today's China. It's actually 3 books in one: - Book 1 is an account of his driving trip along the route of the great wall from near Beijing to the Western deserts and steppes, the people he meets, and the towns he visits. - Book 2 is an account of his experiences in the village of Sancha where he bought a house and came to know a family with dreams of setting up an inn and restaurant. Eventually the village becomes a suburb of Beijing and the family gets wealthier and wealthier, at a price. - Book 3 is an account of his experiences in the town of Lishui, a small city on the way to becoming a major manufacturing center. The focus is on a couple of entrepreneurs who set up a factory that makes bra rings.
Besides the excellent writing style, what I liked about this book is that it focused on ordinary people and their hopes and dreams. It was impossible to avoid mentioning corruption of small time party leaders, but it didn't dwell on them. It was the first book about China I've read that didn't make the country seem like a dark menace or an unstoppable economic dynamo.
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2010 and briefly why
#160The Baroque Cycle trilogy by Neal Stephenson was good. It took me about a year (off and on) to finish though. It's historical fiction through the eyes of a computer geek and sci-fi writer.
I read those a few years back and they obviously come highly recommended, but in the same vein of historical fiction the best this year was: "Drood", by Dan Simmons.
Agreed. I actually liked his previous book "The Terror" even more, although I read it last year. A great book for cooling off on a hot summer day... Simmons is probably the most versatile writer I know.