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Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?

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Re: Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?

#501

Post by aanet »

tb_technical wrote: post #142

"The best book I've ever read was Atlas Shrugged in 8th grade. Changed my life." Not because I remember anything about it, or believe anything it espouses, or even like it all that much, but because it's a useful filter for obnoxious people in meatspace. If someone I don't know too well asks me what my favorite book is, I say Atlas Shrugged. If they react inappropriately, I'll be cordial and treat them with respect,…

> _Not because I remember anything about it, or believe anything it espouses, or even like it all that much, but because it's a useful filter for obnoxious people in meatspace._

This made me chuckle wryly... :)

In a previous life, I might have been on who got along very well -- at least intellectually -- with those who loved Atlas Shrugged and swore by it as the bible of their lives. Now, with some age and wisdom, it's the exact opposite.

I myself wouldn't use a book as a filter for all things in social life... (for it generates way too many false positives), but I sheepishly admit to doing the same every now and then...

Different strokes, different folks. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Re: Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?

#502

Post by dmonitor »

joshdavham wrote: post #446

The best books I read last year were the "Three Body Problem" books by Cixin Liu. It's a science fiction series about aliens, space travel and the universe and they're easily the best books I've read in a while. I genuinely can't remember the last time I got that absorbed in a series. I'd read until the early hours of the morning and sometimes just sit at the edge of my bed for like 20 minutes just contemplating the…

I was interested in the series until I heard the worldbuilding bit about how the aliens have FTL 12-dimensional supercomputers the size of an atom that can cause hallucinations and interfere with particle accelerators from orbit. Author basically just gave the antagonists god-powers to prove some kind of point about how hopelessly pathetic humans are?

Re: Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?

#503

Post by snarf21 »

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

The first 90% of this box is awesome (I think the last part is a little too hand wavy). However, it helps you understand so much of how people think, including you. I think it also explains much of how we shorthand so much of our "thinking". It implies a lot of how tribal humans are in our actions and beliefs which bleeds into religion and philosophy. There is no book I recommend more and the implications and understanding this highlights can be life transforming.

Re: Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?

#504

Post by ataylor284_ »

adamhp wrote: post #168
diggan wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Fiction: Neuromancer I've tried twice to read this, but it looses me about 10% in for some reason. Is it worth continuing past that? Does it get "better"? Or does that just signal that the whole book isn't for me?

I was in your boat. I revisited later and powered through and it does indeed get better. The narrative forms into something more cohesive and you start being less exhausted by all the lingo because you've learned it. You settle in. You have to sort of try to immerse yourself. I'd recommend trying to read in larger chunks of time and really absorb the aesthetic of the world.

This is exactly how I feel about Dune. The invented words and world-building are overwhelming at first, but once you absorb them it makes the narrative richer.

Re: Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?

#506

Post by portaouflop »

malthaus wrote: post #318
cactacea wrote: post #213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Saying it is your favorite book is one thing. Saying it "changed your life" is another and yes, I'd think anyone who's life was changed by that particular book is indeed an idiot. I just don't see myself wanting to continue to engage with that person after a comment like that. Maybe I'm just impatient shrug

a better strategy would be a follow-up question on how it changed their life i'm with the parent commenter here as i find your response very much telling on how you evaluate things and frankly, more idiotic than someone's life being changed, even by the "intended" interpretation of the book e.g. would you say that everyone who liked / was influenced by reading "mein kampf" is a nazi?

Mein Kampf is so retarded and boring reading you have to be a nazi / facist fanboy to like it

Re: Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?

#507

Post by portaouflop »

synecdoche wrote: post #498
aloisdg wrote: post #415

Earlier quoted context omitted.

yes pretty much or at least a wanna be one. Who start reading "mein kampf" beside scholar anyway?

There may be as many reasons to read it as there are people on the planet. People who want to control other people's thoughts give me the chills.

you can read it - I have read portions of it - but it’s still a pretty bad book by a lot of metrics. It’s just famous like maos red bible is famous - but both are horrible literature

Edit: so if you read and like it there is something wrong with you

Re: Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?

#508

Post by carabiner »

krupan wrote: post #294

Nobody has mentioned: - The Lord of the Rings. It is the secret gateway for us nerds to get into literature and poetry (do not skip the poems!). Read all the reference materials like The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, J.R.R.'s letters, the books his son Christopher edited and published, etc. If the poems seem weird or don't make sense, research why they are worded and structured the way they are. - The Master and Margarit…

Obscure wtf? It's a classic of Russian literature and taught in every Russian lit class.

Re: Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?

#509

Post by snarf21 »

lotsoweiners wrote: post #106

I would probably have to say The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. I’m a sucker for fat historical fiction books and this one delivered everything I want from that type of book.

This is an amazing book and I've read it 10+ times despite it being ~1000 pages. I tried a lot of the "sequels" but they just didn't deliver the same way and felt too samey and not a great continuation.

Re: Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?

#510

Post by wsintra2022 »

djkivi wrote: post #14

Godel Escher Bach is the best book I've read. Very interesting topics and the sheer creativity of the writing is amazing.

Been reading it for about a year on and off, I did read I am a strange loop before and really enjoyed the ideas and also the emotional side of it.
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