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Ask HN: Best books read in 2022?

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Re: Ask HN: Best books read in 2022?

#171

Post by bloopernova »

Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors by James Hornfischer.

An astonishing tale of daring and determination about the Battle off Samar in WW2 Pacific. Told with respect and admiration for the 6 USA escort carriers, their planes, and their destroyer escorts, that faced 4 battleships, 6 heavy cruisers, 2 light cruisers, and 11 destroyers of the Japanese navy. One of the greatest last stands in history, and a riveting story.

It made me realize the utter horror of the conditions the sailors fought under. The ordinary backgrounds of them all. That training and a culture of excellence can multiply the effectiveness of people far beyond what feels possible. That accurate information is critical to making good decisions. And that for all your preparation, you are still at the mercy of chance.

Re: Ask HN: Best books read in 2022?

#172

Post by ycombinete »

prepend wrote: post #41

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood by Quentin Tarantino, a great companion to the movie and expands on characters in really unique ways that make me think about them. Termination Shock by Neal Stephenson, a near future book about climate change and trying to fix it with an interesting geopolitical look of China acting like the US. I also liked Ministry of the Future but it was less fun of a read. Coddling of the American…

If you like audio books Kenneth Branagh’s reading of Heart of Darkness is incredible. I listen to it all the time. He really brings out the dark humour in Marlow’s narration.

Also, Apocalypse Now was based on Heart of Darkness; so it’s definitely worth rewatching after having read HoD.

Re: Ask HN: Best books read in 2022?

#173

Post by rocketbop »

prepend wrote: post #41

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood by Quentin Tarantino, a great companion to the movie and expands on characters in really unique ways that make me think about them. Termination Shock by Neal Stephenson, a near future book about climate change and trying to fix it with an interesting geopolitical look of China acting like the US. I also liked Ministry of the Future but it was less fun of a read. Coddling of the American…

> Borne by Jeff VanderMeer, a weird near future declinepunk with bioengineering and evil corporations.

I loved Shriek: An Afterword, and have wanted to read more VanderMeer for a while. Did you just coin the term 'declinepunk'? I've never heard it before.

Re: Ask HN: Best books read in 2022?

#174

Post by chiefalchemist »

edmundsauto wrote: post #55
chiefalchemist wrote: post #12

"Thinking in Bets" Annie Duke. Changed how I feel "bad" decisions because, per Duke, bad outcomes can happen to good decisions. I also enjoyed how she framed truth seeking as the preference over groupthink. Finally, it was fact that she was speaking from experience (as a professional poker player) and just some idea she researched.

Warning: this book can make it difficult to communicate with other people, if you expect them to think like you do. So many people evaluate the quality of decisions based on results, and so many of them are outright hostile to the ideas suggested herein. Further, in any given situation, variance swaps all - so don't expect to be able to say "i told ya so". I firmly believe this book helps make my life better in terms…

Yes and no. But ultimately ironic. Duke's position on truth seeking is rock solid. Any disagreement is, in the eyes of Duke, is a positive. I would take names, and then buy them the book. If they choose not to read it then self identifying groupthinkers might be best avoided going forward.

As for Gladwell. That's the problem, isn't it? Beige ideas and slanted research, etc. Yeah, I read him to see what the "average reader" is slurping down, but he's a candy coated pop star to Duke's Radiohead ideas.

Re: Ask HN: Best books read in 2022?

#175

Post by anhner »

Brajeshwar wrote: post #105
throwawayosa wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which one of these did you like the most?

I have read many parenting books, and those listed above are the ones I believe others parents should read through. However, if you want to pick just one, you might want to settle on the Good Enough Parents. It is a fun read.

> Good Enough Parents

There are at least three books with similar name, can you please say the author as well?

Re: Ask HN: Best books read in 2022?

#176

Post by florg »

In the fiction category I thouroughly enjoyed the "Green Bone Saga" by Fonda Lee:

  - Jade City
  - Jade War
  - Jade Legacy
The story sits somewhere between Asian mafia clan drama, crime and magical fantasy. They were the kind of books where I buy both audio and paperback to keep reading wherever possible..

Re: Ask HN: Best books read in 2022?

#177

Post by jostylr »

Up From Slavery by Booker T Washington

After being prepped for an understanding of the conflict of visions by Thomas Sowell, Booker T Washington's autobiography really brings it all home as to what could have been. The accomplishments, the respect, the fulfillment.

A close second is Shelby Steele's White Guilt, in particular, his description of the difference of his parents' civil rights attitude (change the laws, get along) compared to his own in his youth (burn it down) with his eventual understanding of where that came from and what the consequences were.

I haven't finished it yet, but I am currently working through Thomas Sowell's Ethnic America which has a very satisfying history so far of different ethnic groups in America.

I also have to say that most years, I have barely been able to read even a few books. But this year I got audible and have now listened to 35 books. Of course, I have a growing queue which now stands at 176 books.

Re: Ask HN: Best books read in 2022?

#178

Post by Brajeshwar »

Brajeshwar wrote: post #26

As parents we wanted to be one of the better ones. A while back, we started with Bringing up Bébé , and since then learnt How to Talk so Kids will Listen and Listen so Kids will Talk ; we were even Prepared while Reviving Ophelia . This year , we realized, we want to just settle on being A Good Enough Parent . 1. https://www.amazon.com/Bringing-Up-Bébé-Discovers-Parenting/... 2. https://www.amazon.com/How-Talk-Kids-W…

I didn't realize I might have the wrong link to the book everywhere I wrote until now (this comment thread). "A Good Enough Parent: A Book on Child-Rearing" by Bruno Bettelheim.

It is not a popular book. The approaches and ideas were great though, and that was indeed the beauty of the book. Here is the correct link - https://www.amazon.com/Good-Enough-Parent-Book-Child-Rearing...

Re: Ask HN: Best books read in 2022?

#179

Post by Brajeshwar »

anhner wrote: post #113
Brajeshwar wrote: post #26

As parents we wanted to be one of the better ones. A while back, we started with Bringing up Bébé , and since then learnt How to Talk so Kids will Listen and Listen so Kids will Talk ; we were even Prepared while Reviving Ophelia . This year , we realized, we want to just settle on being A Good Enough Parent . 1. https://www.amazon.com/Bringing-Up-Bébé-Discovers-Parenting/... 2. https://www.amazon.com/How-Talk-Kids-W…

> https://goodenoughparenting.com/ wow, the book is only physical and it costs $60 to get it where I live... (without import taxes)

"A Good Enough Parent: A Book on Child-Rearing" by Bruno Bettelheim. Here is the correct link - https://www.amazon.com/Good-Enough-Parent-Book-Child-Rearing...

Re: Ask HN: Best books read in 2022?

#180

Post by Brajeshwar »

anhner wrote: post #175
Brajeshwar wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have read many parenting books, and those listed above are the ones I believe others parents should read through. However, if you want to pick just one, you might want to settle on the Good Enough Parents. It is a fun read.

> Good Enough Parents There are at least three books with similar name, can you please say the author as well?

"A Good Enough Parent: A Book on Child-Rearing" by Bruno Bettelheim. Here is the correct link - https://www.amazon.com/Good-Enough-Parent-Book-Child-Rearing...
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