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Ask HN: What book changed your life in 2014?

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Re: Ask HN: What book changed your life in 2014?

#81

Post by dirtyaura »

martythemaniak wrote: post #11

Introduction to Systems Biology - Design Principles of Biological Circuits, by Uri Alon. It opened my eyes to a whole new field that will become a massive industry over the coming decades. Much like a Systems course in engineering covers recurring design patterns in physical systems (feedback loops, noise filters, pulse generators, etc), this book uses the same approach for biological systems. It is written from an e…

This sounds a really interesting read. Though system biologists seem to disagree: http://www.amazon.com/gp/review/R1JC09V3NPULY3

Any thoughts on that?

Re: Ask HN: What book changed your life in 2014?

#84

Post by ElComradio »

suhailpatel wrote: post #45
conradfr wrote: post #31

Starting Strength - because this time I actually started lifting instead of just reading it :) The Pragmatic Programmer - It has been recommended to me by a good developer that is self-taught like me. So far so good. Some things are a bit dated though.

Also read Starting Strength. I'd been lifting before I read it but my technique was very poor. The most I got out of the book was cues (such as actively push legs out when squatting to avoid cave in). Would definitely recommend!

Getting a trainer is going to be better than trying to DIY from a book, at least to 'show you the ropes'. It's not like following a recipe or something where it's obvious if you have the right amount of ingredients; you might think you are doing it right when you are doing it wrong and have no way to tell.

Re: Ask HN: What book changed your life in 2014?

#87

Post by nilkn »

The Road to Reality, by Roger Penrose:

http://www.amazon.com/Road-Reality-Complete-Guide-Universe/d...

This has been a really refreshing book for me to read. I studied mathematics in college but haven't really exercised that part of my brain since graduating and working as a programmer. Although this book is probably inaccessible to someone without some formal mathematical training, it's still one-of-a-kind. Nobody else of Penrose's stature has ever attempted to go from zero to string theory in a single volume, with all the physics and mathematics explained and very little left out.

For me, it's really been nice to finally satisfy a lifetime of curiosity that had built up about quantum theory. My fascination with it has never been enough to drive me to be a physicist, but it was enough for me to feel uneasy about not really knowing the underlying mathematics.

Re: Ask HN: What book changed your life in 2014?

#88

Post by jknightco »

ElComradio wrote: post #84
suhailpatel wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also read Starting Strength. I'd been lifting before I read it but my technique was very poor. The most I got out of the book was cues (such as actively push legs out when squatting to avoid cave in). Would definitely recommend!

Getting a trainer is going to be better than trying to DIY from a book, at least to 'show you the ropes'. It's not like following a recipe or something where it's obvious if you have the right amount of ingredients; you might think you are doing it right when you are doing it wrong and have no way to tell.

I agree, as long as you find a good trainer. Most personal trainers are teaching extremely poor form.
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