I recently posted a similar question to HN and just found this thread. Incredible suggestions.
Here are mine: http://farhan.org/?p=22
Ask HN: Summer reading
41–48 of 48 posts
Re: Ask HN: Summer reading
#42Two books which helped me to understand people and to organise my own thoughts: Applying Psychology to Everyday Life: A Beginner's Guide http://www.amazon.co.uk/Applying-Psychology-Everyday-Life-Be... A Whole New Mind - Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future http://www.amazon.co.uk/Whole-New-Mind-Right-brainers-Future...
There is actually little evidence for the left/right brain division we see so often in popular culture (and from what I see in the reviews, in the second book?)
From Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lateralization_of_brain_functi...
>although a lateral dominance is measurable, these characteristics are in fact existent in both sides,[1] and experimental evidence provides little support for correlating the structural differences between the sides with functional differences.[2]
Re: Ask HN: Summer reading
#43The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks:
It's the history of the first lab-grown human cells, _kind of_ stolen (it was normal at the times) from a black woman who died from cancer, her family had never really heard or learned what the science was actually about - very cool insights into bioethics and how modern science/medicine came about.
http://www.amazon.com/Immortal-Henrietta-Lacks-Thorndike-Non...
Re: Ask HN: Summer reading
#44Here are some of my recommendations:
1. Hacking: The Next Generation (Animal Guide) - http://www.amazon.com/Hacking-Next-Generation-Animal-Guide/d...
2. Discrete Mathematics for Computer Scientists - http://www.amazon.com/Discrete-Mathematics-Computer-Science-...
3. Imagine: How Creativity Works - http://www.amazon.com/Imagine-Creativity-Works-Jonah-Lehrer/...
4. The Information Diet: A Case for Conscious Consumption -http://www.amazon.com/Information-Diet-Case-Conscious-Consum...
Re: Ask HN: Summer reading
#45I just finished "A.B.C of relativity" from Lord Bertrand R.
May be a bit old now, but this is more a philosophical book than a scientific, as what is nice in it, is to see such a great (and kind) spirit giving us a way into modernity !
Re: Ask HN: Summer reading
#46The Smashing Book 3+3(1/2) is a great read if you are in the Web Dev (especially front-end) field. Not science or high-tech, but well put and designed content for the people working for the web.
I've got these and really getting a lot of good info. In fact, taking them to the beach next week for my "summer reading".
Re: Ask HN: Summer reading
#47I'm currently really enjoying "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by Robert Pirsig. http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Art-Motorcycle-Maintenance-Inquiry... A very interesting read for hackers.
Wow, that was our "bible" years ago in art school! Must revisit it.
Re: Ask HN: Summer reading
#48If you'd like a great non-technical tour of how computers really work conceptually, starting from simple morse-code switches through to assembler, Charles Petzold's "Code" is awesome: http://www.amazon.com/Code-Language-Computer-Hardware-Softwa... Even having understood for years how computers work in principal, nothing quite put it together for me like this book. There's a similarly great book on the history/methods…
Simon Singh's book was my introduction to crypto and the wonderful Mathematics and mathematicians behind its vivid history. I had it with me all the time while doing the crypto-class.com online course a couple of months ago for a good historic perspective supporting Prof. Boneh's hardcore crypto topics. Highly recommended. Actually, his Fermat's Last Theorem book is also fascinating if you are interested in Math history.