I didn't read much this year, but Norm Macdonald's death was a bit much for me, so I picked up a copy of his book 'Based On A True Story.' It's not for everyone but if you were a fan, a great read.
Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?
231–240 of 651 posts
Re: Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?
#232The Hungry Brain: Outsmarting the Instincts That Make Us Overeat
by Stephan Guyenet
Gives a good base to understand how we are tricked into consuming much more food that we need
Re: Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?
#233Team of Rivals - Doris Kearns Goodwin. Lincoln's cabinet was filled with representatives of the different wings of northern and border state politics, all of whom became key figures in the fight against the CSA. Very lovely book about Lincoln's genius as a master of men and of personalities, of being downright kind and truly listening to the people.
You also might want to read this: https://harpers.org/archive/2013/02/team-america/
> Nor is the “team of rivals” concept an innovation of the early 1860s, though Goodwin assures us it is.
What an odd critique: Lincoln did this great thing, but he didn't invent it, so who cares?
Beyond that being an odd critique, I've read that book twice and although Goodwin highly praises Lincoln's leadership style, I don't recall her assuring us that that was an "innovation" at all. Of course, like most book critics, this writer spent more time on snark than citations.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?
#234I just finished a re-read of the "Commonweal" series by Graydon Saunders, which begins with The March North : https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=MoIOAwAAQBAJ I've never been sure how to sum up these books. They're thoroughly strange fantasy books, oddly written and frequently chewy reads. They have an interest in politics and metaphysics; but they also have magical railguns, the sorcerous application of F…
You sold me! Starting it now
Re: Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?
#235Lexicon by Max Barry. Excellent sci-fi novel. In fact I heard of the book from an HN comment (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28199207), checked it out, and loved it.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?
#236I didn't read much this year, but Norm Macdonald's death was a bit much for me, so I picked up a copy of his book 'Based On A True Story.' It's not for everyone but if you were a fan, a great read.
That's rich...
IF that were a memoir, he would have put juicy things in there from his own life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7K-kaelQEs
It has been the only celebrity death to get me as well. I was on the tail end of one of my regular Norm video binges when it happened, and like most, I had no idea he was even sick. He was such a complex man, it's hard to look away.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?
#237The new Graeber, Dawn of Everything Completely tears apart recent trendy anthro books like Sapiens for ignoring both old and very new research and tries to set a new framework for understanding humanity’s potential
This book is lovely. It made me reflect on our current state of affairs. Covid was and still is a test of the value systems of the so called "Western" or "first world" societies. We have failed this test through and through. On a local level, many people didn't care about their communities enough to mask and vaxx and in turn the communities had no way to pressure them. Many, many people have mental health problems --…
+1 to the book even though I’m still 40% in.
> As humanity, we didn't help each other.
This was one of the aspects that has stuck with me. Where an indigenous leader visiting Europe comments on affairs of the French society. He says how can you (French) completely ignore the destitute sleeping on your city streets and call yourself a civilized society?
If I introspect, it’s clear that, at least in the cities, helping other humans has completely vanished. It’s literally every human for themselves. Community support has completely vanished.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?
#238Been reading A Gentleman in Moscow for a while. Haven’t finished yet, but I find it thorougly enjoyable.
This was perhaps the most beautiful book I read this year. Thanks for reminding me. The main character's take on life was inspiring.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?
#239I didn't read much this year, but Norm Macdonald's death was a bit much for me, so I picked up a copy of his book 'Based On A True Story.' It's not for everyone but if you were a fan, a great read.
That's rich... IF that were a memoir, he would have put juicy things in there from his own life. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7K-kaelQEs It has been the only celebrity death to get me as well. I was on the tail end of one of my regular Norm video binges when it happened, and like most, I had no idea he was even sick. He was such a complex man, it's hard to look away.
> I had no idea he was even sick.
Unsure if I'm being 'whooshed', but coincidentally that's one of his most famous jokes as well - https://youtu.be/SVswkvCK6_0
Complex he was. Always full of deep thoughts and just kinda shooting from the hip, in that he seemed able to listen to reason and explore new ideas when challenged.
Back on the death topic, he had a lot of really deep thoughts on that as well, if you hadn't seen - https://youtu.be/WWpRCN46mi8
I think his death being a surprise is exactly what he wanted. RIP Norm.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?
#240The Library at Mount Char came from a Reddit recommendation for weird/bizarre fiction, and it did not disappoint. It's about kids who were abducted by a very powerful person, and that's all I'll say about it. If you like house of leaves or some of the strange chuck palahniuk stuff, you'll like this.
I also read The Library at Mount Char this year. I picked this up off the shelf at the library somewhat randomly. I didn't know anything about the book and so I was a bit skeptical. It took me a while to crack it. But wow, once I did...this is one of the strangest books I've ever read. Super messed up. But it was hard to put down.