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Ask HN: What did you read in 2025?

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Re: Ask HN: What did you read in 2025?

#51
I read Murder Must Advertise, by Dorothy L Sayers. Quote:

All over London the lights flickered in and out, calling on the public to save its body and purse: SOPO SAVES SCRUBBING—NUTRAX FOR NERVES—CRUNCHLETS ARE CRISPER—EAT PIPER PARRITCH—DRINK POMPAYNE—ONE WHOOSH AND IT'S CLEAN—OH, BOY! IT'S TOMBOY TOFFEE—NOURISH NERVES WITH NUTRAX—FARLEY'S FOOTWEAR TAKES YOU FURTHER—IT ISN'T DEAR, IT'S DARLING—DARLING'S FOR HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES—MAKE ALL SAFE WITH SANFECT—WHIFFLETS FASCINATE. The presses, thundering and growling, ground out the same appeals by the million: ASK YOUR GROCER—ASK YOUR DOCTOR—ASK THE MAN WHO'S TRIED IT—MOTHERS! GIVE IT TO YOUR CHILDREN—HOUSEWIVES! SAVE MONEY—HUSBANDS! INSURE YOUR LIVES—WOMEN! DO YOU REALIZE?—DON'T SAY SOAP, SAY SOPO! Whatever you're doing, stop it and do something else! Whatever you're buying, pause and buy something different! Be hectored into health and prosperity! Never let up! Never go to sleep! Never be satisfied. If once you are satisfied, all our wheels will run down. Keep going—and if you can't, Try Nutrax for Nerves!

Intriguingly familiar cynicism, vintage 1933.

Re: Ask HN: What did you read in 2025?

#52

Very much enjoyed the Hyperion Cantos series by Dan Simmons. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperion_Cantos

Spoilers, but the excerpt posted here [0] of Aenea was one of my favorite scenes from Hyperion Cantos. "Choose again" as a gentle reminder to reevaluate our beliefs and structures, and to really choose, not just go along with whatever. You can always choose again.

[0] https://raccaldin36.livejournal.com/1849917.html

Re: Ask HN: What did you read in 2025?

#53
post #50

Technically last year, but less than 365 days ago: * The Mom Test * The SAAS Playbook Actually in this year, the ones I remember the most: * Start Small, Stay Small * From Yao To Mao (more a series of lectures on chinese history) The most recent one I haven't finished yet but was surprised I liked: * Software Engeineering at Google Many more things described ring true or feel desireable, and I recognize too many of t…

I've heard a lot of good things about "The Mom Test". It's the next one I read.

Re: Ask HN: What did you read in 2025?

#54
I stumbled upon some great reddit posts this year with reading suggestions, and compiled my own "humanity is fucked" themed reading list, which included:

* Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey

* The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton

* Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

* Dawn by Octavia Butler

I then diverged from this list (I have more) to re-read (though it's not such a great divergence):

* If This Is a Man / The Truce by Primo Levi

Other books I enjoyed reading this year in no particular order:

* Tau Zero by Poul Anderson

* Machine Vendetta by Alastair Reynolds

* Elysium Fire by Alastair Reynolds

* Aurora Rising by Alastair Reynolds

* Shadow of the Silk Road by Colin Thubron (loved this)

* The Lord of the Rings (the god knows how many times re-read)

* The Centauri Device by M. John Harrison

* Future's Edge by Gareth Powell

* Blueshift by Joshua Dalzelle

* The Heart of a Continent by Francis Younghusband (I didn't quite manage to finish it, but it was a fascinating read nonetheless)

Re: Ask HN: What did you read in 2025?

#55
I'm on my fourth George Eliot novel this year, Adam Bede, which was her first published novel. I started with Middlemarch and proceeded to read Silas Mariner, Romola, and Daniel Deronda. The 1985 film adaptation of Silas Marner is very good and faithful to the novel. The 1970 Daniel Deronda film is similarly faithful and well-acted but the 2002 version is neither.

Re: Ask HN: What did you read in 2025?

#56
post #5

I mostly read fiction but I made time for a couple of nonfiction books this year. On the fiction side I really enjoyed "Luminous" and "When We Where Real". - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luminous_(novel) - https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/When-We-Were-Real/Dar... On the nonfiction side, I can recommend "Careless People" and "Apple in China". - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Careless_People - https://en.wikipedi…

"Apple in China" was pretty good! I can second that one. If you haven't checked it out, "Chip War" is also pretty good and along the same style. I'm reading it right now.

Re: Ask HN: What did you read in 2025?

#57
A few years ago I promised myself to read the top of "must reads" from world literature. Many of them were literally unreadable (hello Moby Dick). But some of them are true gems, must-reads indeed. I just finished "The Grapes of Wrath" and holy cow, this is an impressive piece of literature. And unfortunately, more relevant than ever. Why not give science fiction a break and try this classic instead.

Re: Ask HN: What did you read in 2025?

#58
post #12

My favourite SF book this year was "Translation State" by Ann Leckie. It is set in the Imperial Radch world so having read the Ancillary trilogy is useful but not essential. I like it because it contains the strangest aliens (the Presger) that I have come across. They are as far from humans in costumes as you could get. What the Presger do (and their proxies in the Human world the Translators) is totally unguessable.…

I enjoyed it too, but I was already a big fan of the Imperial Radch series. Does it work standalone also?

Edit: just to add that the audiobook is really well narrated

Re: Ask HN: What did you read in 2025?

#60
After reading Primo Levi's "The Drowned and the Saved", I went on a binge of his earlier works: "If This Is a Man", "The Truce", "If not now, when?". All great, but I keep coming back to "The Drowned and the Saved"; it's hard to put my finger on it, but it's a book that provides more meaning about life than anything I've ever read.
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