Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?

#201

Post by vinchuco » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 1:02 AM UTC

agentgt wrote: post #191

vinchuco wrote: post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Define inherently mathematical.

I'm probably not doing the justice of describing the book particularly since I am especially weak at writing. Before I go on and waste everyones time with me falsely explaining things I recommend you just read up on the book (ie just read some summaries). What I mean by "inherently mathematical" is that everything is based on math. That all thing in the universe are mathematical and everything can be represented with…

I'll take a look at both! I did not expect a definitive answer to a hard question (I myself wish I had a good one). The "unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics" is a really interesting topic.

A spider may wonder if the universe is inherently spiderthought-like. Spiderwebs work great, after all.

Re: Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?

#202

Post by dahart » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 1:02 AM UTC

qwertyuiop924 wrote: post #35

durga wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I tried to read this book but never quite understood it. What's it really about?

It's about the thing it's about.

Maybe you should add "spoiler alert"? ;)

Re: Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?

#203

Post by dmourati » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 1:02 AM UTC

The Little Prince, or Le Petit Prince if the recipient is a francophile. A wonderful story that I personally try to read every year. Netflix has recent plans to release as a film as well.

Re: Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?

#204

Post by dredmorbius » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 1:07 AM UTC

nickbauman wrote: post #69

"Ishmael, An Adventure of Mind and Spirit" by Daniel Quinn. The book that created and destroyed the Turner Tomorrow Foundation Fellowship Award. It will make you examine some of the most profound myths at the center of our civilization and how those myths will determine our destiny, for better or for worse. It's a book that changed the way I think fundamentally. I will never be the same because of it.

Curious about that "created and destroyed" bit.

I found this at NY Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/1991/06/05/books/judges-in-turner-awa...

Re: Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?

#205

Post by nether » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 1:10 AM UTC

Being Peace by Thich Nhat Hanh

Great primer on mindful meditation.

Re: Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?

#206

Post by gravypod » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 1:11 AM UTC

The Kamasutra to a friend.

Didn't work sadly.

Re: Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?

#207

Post by bluejekyll » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 1:11 AM UTC

MichaelGG wrote: post #124

bluejekyll wrote: post #81

"The Four Agreements", I wish I had read it when I was younger, I give it to anyone who seems to feel other people are their problem.

Isn't this the book that starts off with the guy claiming he (or his ancestors) could transform into Jaguars? IIRC, the book was littered with falsehoods.

Native American traditions often don't distinguish between hallucinations and actual transmorphing into something else. So while it's been a few years since I read it, it wouldn't necessarily surprise me.

But the four agreements are what are important:

1) always do your best

2) never make assumption

3) don't take things personally

4) be impeccable with your word

2&3 were the most help to me in both work and dating.

Re: Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?

#208

Post by Amezarak » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 1:12 AM UTC

hoppa_liza wrote: post #172

jfoutz wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He really doesn't have the rhetorical flair. Hitler was a monster, but that poem about mothers was very pretty. Trump is charismatic, but not really at that level.

One point I always think of whenever the comparison between current day politicians and Hitler arises; was it apparent to the people when Hitler was elected that this is a man that will start the onslaught of millions of people? When I assume the answer is no, the current political situation seems very scary.

By that logic, anyone might be the next Hitler; no politician can be trusted.

The lessons of history are manifold indeed, but it has been my observation that when one reads a good book on any period of history one suddenly discovers its immense applicability to the present. WWII is very popular, therefore its histories are popular, therefore we find Hitlers in 2016. In 2020 there will be a new Hitler. In the past, every political opponent was a Nero or Caligula. In the future they will be someone else.

History does repeat itself, but never in a crass or obvious way.

Re: Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?

#209

Post by peckrob » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 1:12 AM UTC

SwellJoe wrote: post #28

The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. I've given it to just about everyone I've known who seriously wanted to be a writer, journalist, etc. as well as some folks who just wanted to write better. It's a small, beautiful, book about writing better. This is the book I've gifted the most. Several scifi books have also been gifted to friends, mostly Asimov (both the Foundation and Robots series), Herbert's Dune , and…

I have large portions of that book memorized thanks to the Journalism courses I took in college.

"Omit needless words. Vigorous writing is concise."

Re: Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?

#210

Post by qwertyuiop924 » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 1:14 AM UTC

dahart wrote: post #202

qwertyuiop924 wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's about the thing it's about.

Maybe you should add "spoiler alert"? ;)

Nah. if you haven't read GEB, your brain won't evaluate the previous statement correctly, and you won't gain any information.

Neurolinguistic hacking! (it works, just ask Stephenson)(JOKE)