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Ask HN: Interesting (Non software) books?

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Re: Ask HN: Interesting (Non software) books?

#111

Post by bisceglie »

ckopec wrote: post #47

I just finished 'A song of ice and fire' series by George R.R. Martin and it's an amazing read.

I've really enjoyed this series, even with the fear of it being left unfinished. Martin's characters remind me of the characters of Glen Cook's writing - also some kick-ass dark fantasy. Check out his Dread Empire series: http://www.amazon.com/Dread-Empire-Glen-Cook/lm/R1423C8TEEUL...

Also along this line of epic fantasy are the Malazan Empire books by Steven Erikson - http://www.amazon.com/Gardens-Moon-Malazan-Book-Fallen/dp/07...

Re: Ask HN: Interesting (Non software) books?

#113

Post by Estragon »

Human Smoke

http://books.google.com/books?id=8HKQEJlAl9gC&printsec=f...

Churchill, Hitler, and "the unnecessary war": how Britain lost its empire and the West lost the world

http://books.google.com/books?id=PYESsQRyIIMC&printsec=f...

Both books are iconoclastic looks at how WWII came to be, and whether it was truly a "just" war. The second is by Pat Buchanan, but neither book is crazy or racist. Both are extremely well-researched and documented. Pat Buchanan's book is explicitly in response to the "just war" trope which was used to justify the US occupation of Iraq, but I think I see the same motivation in Human Smoke.

The most interesting single tidbit I learned from the two books was that Roosevelt was an anti-semite:

http://books.google.com/books?id=8HKQEJlAl9gC&lpg=PP1&#3...

(I looked that vignette up in Morgenthau's memoirs. The story he tells there was meant to justify to the younger Morgenthau Roosevelt's policy of restricting emigration to the US by Jewish refugees.)

Re: Ask HN: Interesting (Non software) books?

#115

Post by olliesaunders »

lincolnq wrote: post #108
wooby wrote: post #4

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Can someone summarize this book? I've heard about it a bunch of times, but I don't know what it is about.

Yes. I think I must have heard this recommended over 10 times but I've never made any effort to get a copy because I'm not interested in motorcycle maintenance. Is that a legitimate reason not to read it?

Re: Ask HN: Interesting (Non software) books?

#116

Post by sonnym »

MikeCapone wrote: post #87
ktf wrote: post #46

Pale Fire, by Nabokov. A story of insane obsession, which I'm sure many HN readers could relate to...

I enjoyed it, but if you want epic Nabokov, check out ADA. It's a HUGE book, but very rewarding if you have the patience.

As much as I enjoyed both Pale Fire and Ada, or Ardor: A Family Chronicle, I cannot, in good conscience, let these be the only Nabokov books to be mentioned here. Having read all his nonfiction and his autobiography over the past three years, I must warn against starting with either of these, two of his most difficult, novels.

You see, Nabokov toys with his readers - he leaves puzzles throughout his books; he writes in defiance of literary criticism (part of his impetus in Pale Fire); he foreshadows with a trail of anagrams. To throw someone in media res of two of his most complex tales (perhaps only surpassed by Lolita and The Gift), might give a premature distaste for Nabokov's heady style.

What I would personally recommend for someone new to Nabokov would be any of Despair, The Real Life of Sebastian Knight, or Transparent Things.

If you like Nabokov, you may also want to try:

Rushdie, Salman - The Satanic Verses

Pynchon, Thomas - The Crying of Lot 49

Re: Ask HN: Interesting (Non software) books?

#117

Post by olliesaunders »

olalonde wrote: post #29

Richard Dawkins' "Selfish Gene" and "God Delusion" are excellent reads.

There are a number of problems with the God Delusion. The attitude its abhorrent, some of the arguments are bad, and its too long. Not worth it, IMO. There must be better pro-atheism books out there.

Re: Ask HN: Interesting (Non software) books?

#119

Post by bmj »

Some influential and interesting books on how humanity interacts with technology (and vice-versa):

  * The Technological Society, Jacques Ellul
  * Tools for Conviviality, Ivan Illich
  * Shop Class as Soulcraft, Matthew Crawford

Re: Ask HN: Interesting (Non software) books?

#120

Post by lionhearted »

Emore wrote: post #96
lionhearted wrote: post #61

If you're talented and get frustrated with stupid people, you have to read "Musashi" by Eiji Yoshikawa. I mean, you have to. Musashi was one of the greatest (maybe the greatest) swordsman of all time. He invented a Japanese longblade/shortblade mixed style of swordsmanship, at one point fighting himself out of an ambush when he was attacked by over 30 men. He was undefeated in over 60 duels, including defeating argua…

I must say you really sold the Musashi book to me. Definitely going to buy it next time I buy books. Thanks.

> I must say you really sold the Musashi book to me. Definitely going to buy it next time I buy books. Thanks.

You're going to love it :) I damn near never guarantee someone is going to love a book, but I figure almost anyone here would. Everyone, literally everyone I'd recommended or gifted a copy of Musashi too is crazy about the book.

At the risk of getting way ahead of myself, Taiko by the same author is quite good too, but larger in scope - more characters, more history, a bit more work but still a good story. If you really like Japan or Yoshikawa's writing style, check that out afterwards. But for now, you're in good hands with Musashi. Feel free to drop me an email if you've got thoughts as you're reading, my email is in my profile.

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