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YC’s Summer Reading

themacro.com

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Re: YC’s Summer Reading

#3
I've not read the book version but "How Buildings Learn" is one of my favorite things ever (a great case-study for looking outside of software for lessons that can apply to well...software).

Stewart Brand (of Longnow fame) produced a really lovely 6 part series for BBC in the late 90's and they are on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/brandst/videos -- highly recommended (Warning: there is a very loud and obnoxious beeping during the first 10 seconds or so)

A look at "the evolution of buildings and how buildings adapt to changing requirements over long periods" -- replace buildings with software and you’ve probably got a best-seller from Pragmatic Programmers!

Re: YC’s Summer Reading

#8
I would add "Lords of Finance" to the list: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001QIGZEK

The book, which won a Pulitzer in 2010, describes the financial crises and global economic depression that followed the Great Crash of 1929 -- relevant to the current (post-2008-crisis) state of affairs.

Normally, books on these topics are dull and dreary. This one is surprisingly interesting and fun, in part because it shows how colorful personalities, prevailing wisdom, and political realities influenced events.

PS. The first chapter is available for free at the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/15/books/chapters/chapter-lor...

Re: YC’s Summer Reading

#9
post #3

I've not read the book version but "How Buildings Learn" is one of my favorite things ever (a great case-study for looking outside of software for lessons that can apply to well...software). Stewart Brand (of Longnow fame) produced a really lovely 6 part series for BBC in the late 90's and they are on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/brandst/videos -- highly recommended (Warning: there is a very loud and obnoxio…

I'm a huge fan of Stewart Brand, starting with the 'Next Whole Earth Catalog', which is where I learned how big a fan Brand is of Christopher Alexander and his 'A Pattern Language'. Alexander's work in patterns inspired the 'Gang of Four' to write 'Design Patterns'... so I think your best-seller prediction is not only correct, but empirically validated :)

Re: YC’s Summer Reading

#10
post #7

Nice, 2 out of 20 authors are women. Nothing like a balanced reading experience.

And every single one of the authors speaks English! Talk about unbalanced!

Seriously, they're just recommending a bunch of books which they think are interesting, insightful, and in many cases relevant to what they do. There is a large bias in the publishing industry in terms of what subjects men and women write about; YC has their hands full trying to bring more gender equity to technology without trying to fix the publishing industry.

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