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Ask HN: What is the best book you have read with the greatest impact on you?

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Re: Ask HN: What is the best book you have read with the greatest impact on you?

#41

Post by elymar »

NoboruWataya wrote: post #15

A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton Malkiel heavily informed my attitude to investment/savings and put to bed any dreams I had of magically day-trading my way to wealth in my spare time. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman is just generally a really interesting book and impacted the way I view decision-making. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami really opened my eyes to unconventional plotlines…

I don’t know the third one, but feel similarly about the first two. Excellent books.

Re: Ask HN: What is the best book you have read with the greatest impact on you?

#42

Post by pull_my_finger »

Oh Look. Hacker News attacking my finances again. This is like the 5th book thread within a week and they're largely filled with _really_ good recommendations.

I haven't read it in a while, but Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse, resonated with me a lot and I (used to) read it every so often to stay humble and focus less on winning life and more on enjoying it. It's a short read and I recommend it often.

Re: Ask HN: What is the best book you have read with the greatest impact on you?

#44

Post by potta_coffee »

NoboruWataya wrote: post #15

A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton Malkiel heavily informed my attitude to investment/savings and put to bed any dreams I had of magically day-trading my way to wealth in my spare time. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman is just generally a really interesting book and impacted the way I view decision-making. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami really opened my eyes to unconventional plotlines…

I wouldn't say that The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle changed my life, but I've enjoyed the book three times now, one of my all-time favorites.

Re: Ask HN: What is the best book you have read with the greatest impact on you?

#45

Post by lamp_book »

Fezzik wrote: post #36
lamp_book wrote: post #9

Still working on it but I think 'Sometimes a Great Notion' by Ken Kesey will meet this criteria when I am finished with it.

I often envy people who get to read these great books for the first time - I promise you that you will not be disappointed. If you have not read Lonesome Dove I would recommend that in the near future. For some reason they remind me of one of another.

Thanks for suggestion! Certainly looking for more books in this vein and added it to my book list.

So far it has blown my brain a couple times - some of the most illustrative prose I've read.

Re: Ask HN: What is the best book you have read with the greatest impact on you?

#48

Post by nicbou »

Grapes of Wrath solified my empathy for the poor amd the difficulties they face.

How to Win Friends and Influence People taught me that negotiation is not adversarial, and that most businesses is about mutual respect.

Surely You're Joking, Mr Feynman made me want to be more curious and more adventurous. Not to be successful, but to have an interesting life.

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