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Ask HN: What book changed your life?

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Re: Ask HN: What book changed your life?

#441

Post by kaladin-jasnah »

sshagent wrote: post #407
xedrac wrote: post #383

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was at Brandon's home just yesterday, although he wasn't present. Next time I see him, I'll have to ask him about this. I am also a Mormon, but nothing in the Cosmere stood out to me as being directly inspired by our religious beliefs. But I could certainly be wrong.

I'll piggy back here, I'm quite an anti religion person (people doing that in their own privacy, all power to you). But i mainly say that to state that overly religious preachy stuff in books usually irks me. Stormlight archives is my favourite series I hope the above came across as positive, it was meant that way

I think that Sanderson's faith influences his writing but his novels are very accepting of other religions and he almost criticizes the "overly religious preachy" stuff (eg. through Jasnah's story and the hardships she faces because of her anti-religious stance) in Stormlight. Although I might be wrong.

Re: Ask HN: What book changed your life?

#442

Post by kaladin-jasnah »

Bhilai wrote: post #440
kaladin-jasnah wrote: post #249

The Stormlight Archive (series) by Brandon Sanderson has probably changed my life the most. I don't think I've enjoyed a book as much or have had one mean as much to me as I've have with this series. The series is incredibly inspirational since despite being a high fantasy novel. In fear of spoiling the plot, I'm being vague: it tracks the stories of (multiple) people who go through difficult life situations and lear…

+1 I loved Stormlight Archive so much that I read it twice and I would probably read some chapters over and over. The struggles of various characters with past failures and the way they overcome it gives me hope for myself. Not only the mental health angle is really meaningful, the whole storyline is super interesting. Anyway, I can keep going on and on about these books. You have to read them at least twice to appre…

I wholeheartedly agree and I read it twice as well. It's also the only book or series I've ever had the heart to read twice. It was just that good, and every time you read it, you pick up on new details and it's just as refreshing and beautiful as the first time.

Re: Ask HN: What book changed your life?

#443

Post by kaladin-jasnah »

kirso wrote: post #439
kaladin-jasnah wrote: post #249

The Stormlight Archive (series) by Brandon Sanderson has probably changed my life the most. I don't think I've enjoyed a book as much or have had one mean as much to me as I've have with this series. The series is incredibly inspirational since despite being a high fantasy novel. In fear of spoiling the plot, I'm being vague: it tracks the stories of (multiple) people who go through difficult life situations and lear…

I have heard so much about Sanderson but never read anything. Where should I start?

I recommend starting with Stormlight, but if you want to fully understand it, you should probably read the first Mistborn book before Rhythm of War and Warbreaker before Oathbringer (Warbreaker is probably my second-favourite Sanderson book, due to its "wholesomeness"). You should also read the novellas as you get through Stormlight, but I believe Dawnshard has far more more plot significance than Edgedancer. Mistborn is pretty good, but it's not as meaningful or deep as Stormlight.

Re: Ask HN: What book changed your life?

#444

Post by kaladin-jasnah »

derangedHorse wrote: post #431
kaladin-jasnah wrote: post #249

The Stormlight Archive (series) by Brandon Sanderson has probably changed my life the most. I don't think I've enjoyed a book as much or have had one mean as much to me as I've have with this series. The series is incredibly inspirational since despite being a high fantasy novel. In fear of spoiling the plot, I'm being vague: it tracks the stories of (multiple) people who go through difficult life situations and lear…

I think I read the first 3 books of this series (didn't finish the 3rd book), and if you liked it I would also recommend his Mistborn book and the A Song of Ice and Fire (the books behind Game of Thrones). I actually drifted towards Sanderson after looking for more fantasy books like Game of Thrones. The Arcane Ascension series by Andrew Rowe is also top-tier.

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll definitely look into them (especially A Song of Ice and Fire since I've received many suggestions for it from people who've seen me reading the Stormlight Archive). Never heard of the Arcane Ascension, but I'll look into it.

While not completed, I've also read the Gentleman Bastard series and the Kingkiller Chronicle which were also suggested to me since I read Stormlight and I really enjoyed them as well (although, well, not as much as the Stormlight Archive).

Re: Ask HN: What book changed your life?

#445

Post by Bhilai »

kirso wrote: post #439
kaladin-jasnah wrote: post #249

The Stormlight Archive (series) by Brandon Sanderson has probably changed my life the most. I don't think I've enjoyed a book as much or have had one mean as much to me as I've have with this series. The series is incredibly inspirational since despite being a high fantasy novel. In fear of spoiling the plot, I'm being vague: it tracks the stories of (multiple) people who go through difficult life situations and lear…

I have heard so much about Sanderson but never read anything. Where should I start?

I would highly recommend it. If you wanna go systemically, look up guides on how to go about Cosmere. Or you could start anywhere. Stromlight is definitely,imo,his best work.

Re: Ask HN: What book changed your life?

#446

Post by spicymaki »

parksy wrote: post #314
yucky wrote: post #199

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>agnostic atheist I don't think I've seen these words used together. I've always understood the difference to be that an atheist is as sure in his beliefs as the religious zealot, each with the same amount of proof backing their opinions up. An agnostic realizing this lack of proof simply says "I don't know".

Atheism is a rejection, non-acceptance, or indifference to theism, which boiled down to its essence is just a non-acceptance of deities being the creator or essence of reality. One can be atheist and hold hard-line rationalist views about the nature of reality, but one can also have spiritual beliefs and be atheist. Agnostics believe that in some way, metaphysical intelligences are involved in the creation or fabric…

Agnosticism does not mean you believe in a metaphysical intelligence that is involved with the creation of the universe. An agnostic believes the answer to the ultimate creation of the universe is unknowable due to the lack of data.

I would take it a bit further and say it is impossible to ever know. Even if a powerful being were to appear and perform miracles, I would claim that the evidence is still not sufficient. As Arthur C. Clarke says: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”

Re: Ask HN: What book changed your life?

#447

Post by bloopernova »

stuxnet79 wrote: post #201
bloopernova wrote: post #90

Dune. Specifically the parts about how a human can choose their reaction to an external event. And the ability to overcome fear. Man's Search For Meaning. Again, overcoming the worst situations and finding joy anywhere. How to Practice. Understanding what you are feeling and why you are feeling it. Emotional Intelligence. How the amygdala sends signals to the brain, why it does that, and how to recognize your negativ…

How to Practice and Emotional Intelligence are rather generic book titles. Do you mind providing the author names as well?

My apologies, I knocked that comment out super quick between chores and forgot about it.

How to Practice is by the Dalai Lama: https://smile.amazon.com/How-Practise-Way-Meaningful-Life-dp...

Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman: https://smile.amazon.com/Emotional-Intelligence-Matter-More-...

Re: Ask HN: What book changed your life?

#449

Post by issa »

jackthetab wrote: post #418
issa wrote: post #301

Difficult to pick just one, but I will go with The Stainless Steel Rat. It was a great introduction to the idea that society's rules don't always make sense. I haven't read it since I was in grade school, so I don't know if anyone older would enjoy it. But it definitely planted the seeds of anarchism, hacking, punk, and not taking rules too seriously. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat

> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat Yes, us olds would, and did, enjoy it. I Was in my early 30's when I read them. Now I'm getting nostalgic and need to go back and read them. Tsundoku is such a bad/good/fun addiction...

I think I'm going to dig out my copies too. Enjoy!

Re: Ask HN: What book changed your life?

#450

Post by CitrusFruits »

rramadass wrote: post #373
geocrasher wrote: post #95

First and foremost: The Bible. Not the watered down "everybody goes to heaven" theology that most people subscribe to, but rather an evidence based approach that uses the Bible to interpret itself as it was designed to do. Secondarily, this book saved my life in the sense that it helped me understand my depression, a clinical depression so deep that my psychologist had never seen such a thing previously: Get Out of Y…

The "only thing" worth reading from the The Bible are the "Wisdom Books". Robert Alter's translation The Wisdom Books: Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes: A Translation with Commentary is pretty good.

I mean if you like those you'd probably like Jesus's sermon on the mount.
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