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Ask HN: What book has been most influential in your life?

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Re: Ask HN: What book has been most influential in your life?

#21

Post by skydhash »

Getting Things Done by D. Allen: I don't really follow the methodology, but it taught me the importance of always having a clear task list for your days and projects you may have.

Value-based fees by A. Weiss: I was a freelancer and it taught me the importance of building a relationship that's more than just providing a service.

So Good They Can't ignore you by C. Newport: Got my head of the sand and makes me realize that no one really thinks that you're special. You can only get ahead with your project by being valuable (Not sure this is the exact message, but that's what I learned)

Atomic Habits by J. Clear: Helped me realize that big changes comes from small actions. So I always try to frame what I want to achieve in that way.

Re: Ask HN: What book has been most influential in your life?

#22

Post by antwerp1 »

gnz11 wrote: post #12
aristofun wrote: post #8

You may not like it, but the bible is still the most influential book today. Even if you’re not spiritual or never read it yourself - all the story archetypes used in modern fiction are there. Not to mention ethical standards. Literally there is very little fundamentally new in literature that isn’t there already in the bible in one way or another.

Somewhat related, several months ago I read Karen Armstrong's "A History of God" based on a recommendation in a similar thread. While not the most influential book I've read (I'm not even sure what that would be), it provided a nice perspective on the history and evolution of Judaism/Christianity/Islam and changed a lot of my opinions on the matter. Would recommend a read for anyone interested in the matter.

The problem with her book is that it presents a fairly Eurocentric view of “God.” It also uses a historical/ anthropological approach, so there’s no claim of higher truth being made.

Re: Ask HN: What book has been most influential in your life?

#25

Post by gwnywg »

swah wrote: post #9
aristofun wrote: post #8

You may not like it, but the bible is still the most influential book today. Even if you’re not spiritual or never read it yourself - all the story archetypes used in modern fiction are there. Not to mention ethical standards. Literally there is very little fundamentally new in literature that isn’t there already in the bible in one way or another.

Does anyone really read it, though? I'm a catholic and never read it in full... Someone said it on X "if christians really believe that that is the word of God, they should be reading it much more than they actually do". Applies to me..

I'm reading it line by line, some parts are really difficult to ingest and other parts go very easily. Once I finish reading it first time I plan to read it again, this time I hope to get more from difficult parts based on the context I already have.

Re: Ask HN: What book has been most influential in your life?

#26

Post by trumbitta2 »

defrost wrote: post #20
trumbitta2 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't care what film critic Roger Ebert wrote. The book is a masterpiece every person should read, several times, at different ages.

I have read it several times at ~12, ~25, and again in my late 40s. It has the illusion of depth and will certainly strike a chord with some, but its not altogether that great a book in the opinion of many, but exactly the kind of book that others will swear by.

That's because most focus on what I was supposed to be indoctrinated by: Jonathan's journey and ascension.

Nobody expected I would fall in love with Fletcher, read the book as a long prologue to Fletcher's part, and make his words the hymn to my liberation: "No limits, Jonathan?".

Re: Ask HN: What book has been most influential in your life?

#28

Post by syncbehind »

aristofun wrote: post #8

You may not like it, but the bible is still the most influential book today. Even if you’re not spiritual or never read it yourself - all the story archetypes used in modern fiction are there. Not to mention ethical standards. Literally there is very little fundamentally new in literature that isn’t there already in the bible in one way or another.

Obligatory disclaimer that influential does not, with it, come a positive connotation.

Re: Ask HN: What book has been most influential in your life?

#29

Post by aristofun »

syncbehind wrote: post #28
aristofun wrote: post #8

You may not like it, but the bible is still the most influential book today. Even if you’re not spiritual or never read it yourself - all the story archetypes used in modern fiction are there. Not to mention ethical standards. Literally there is very little fundamentally new in literature that isn’t there already in the bible in one way or another.

Obligatory disclaimer that influential does not, with it, come a positive connotation.

I wonder how you decide if the influence is positive or not

Re: Ask HN: What book has been most influential in your life?

#30

Post by warrenm »

farseer wrote: post #7
warrenm wrote: post #4

Here are a few of mine: Flatland by Edwin Abbott - if it doesn't break your brain thinking about seeing in shadows of reality, and never being able to all of anything at once, you need to read it again A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking - read it a couple years ago on vacation as my "beach read". Thought a bunch of what he wrote was pretty interesting/entertaining (though I disagree with some of his presuppos…

An A-10 has limited range and no radar to hunt for warships. The scenario you described would perhaps work best against a mass amphibian assault with hundreds of landing craft approaching, such as something Taiwan would face.

That was pretty much the scenario in which Clancy used them in the story - strafing enemy vessels when they got within a couple-few hundred miles of land
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