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Ask HN: Books on specific topics that have applied to many areas of your life?

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Re: Ask HN: Books on specific topics that have applied to many areas of your life?

#51

Post by megaman22 »

8x8squares wrote: post #48

The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. These two books taught me the importance of being true to one's values and not sacrificing them under any circumstances. They introduced me to Individualism and Objectivism which have profoundly impacted the way I look at the world.

Atlas Shrugged is one of those books that is often life-changing. Whether that is positive or not depends wildly upon the reader and their situation.

Other books I'd put in that category are Fight Club and Walden

Re: Ask HN: Books on specific topics that have applied to many areas of your life?

#53

Post by Cyph0n »

troydavis wrote: post #9

You’ll get enough non-fiction recommendations. Something fictional (barely) and a lot more relaxed: The Remains of the Day, Ishiguro. It’s a chance to think about work/life split, life accomplishments, and professional vs personal identity. If you like that, check out Larry’s Party by Carol Shields.

I just finished reading "The Remains of the Day" earlier today!

Re: Ask HN: Books on specific topics that have applied to many areas of your life?

#54

Post by ambrosite »

megaman22 wrote: post #51
8x8squares wrote: post #48

The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. These two books taught me the importance of being true to one's values and not sacrificing them under any circumstances. They introduced me to Individualism and Objectivism which have profoundly impacted the way I look at the world.

Atlas Shrugged is one of those books that is often life-changing. Whether that is positive or not depends wildly upon the reader and their situation. Other books I'd put in that category are Fight Club and Walden

So what is the big deal about Fight Club? I've heard so much about it but haven't read it yet; trying to decide if it's worth the time.

Re: Ask HN: Books on specific topics that have applied to many areas of your life?

#55

Post by muzani »

The 33 Strategies of War & The 48 Laws of Power.

Both of these are history books, but don't expect just the cliches of Napoleon and Genghis Khan. Robert Greene covers case studies throughout history, from Roosevelt to Gandhi, to some much lesser known figures of history.

Basically a lot of us deal with conflict. One book covers how to deal with politically, and the other one more directly. It's not all about attacking, but rather strategies around war - defense, deterrence, motivating your side, keeping the (moral) high ground, getting your adversaries to work for you.

Re: Ask HN: Books on specific topics that have applied to many areas of your life?

#56

Post by megaman22 »

ambrosite wrote: post #54
megaman22 wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Atlas Shrugged is one of those books that is often life-changing. Whether that is positive or not depends wildly upon the reader and their situation. Other books I'd put in that category are Fight Club and Walden

So what is the big deal about Fight Club? I've heard so much about it but haven't read it yet; trying to decide if it's worth the time.

It's not a huge commitment. Maybe 3 hours nonstop. The movie completely subverts the book, in my mind

Re: Ask HN: Books on specific topics that have applied to many areas of your life?

#57

Post by thisisit »

brad0 wrote: post #43

This is completely not tech related but I came across a PDF a few months ago called Endgame. I got it when I believed I was having issues with meeting and attracting women. It kickstarted a series of events that’s completely changed my life. Initially for the worse but in a whole a massive positive.

link please?

Re: Ask HN: Books on specific topics that have applied to many areas of your life?

#58

Post by wu-ikkyu »

gerdesj wrote: post #31
wu-ikkyu wrote: post #5

The Way of Zen by Alan Watts. The book is a historical analysis of the culmination of zen buddhism from its roots in hindu, buddhist, and toaist philosophies. Watts presents a perspective on how to approach your everyday life (relationships, communication, work, play, boredom, stress, anxiety, happiness, sadness) that is contrary to how we're taught to live in the "western world".

I'll present "Small Gods" by Terry Pratchett as foil that notes that one should be really careful about what happens when one presents a foil to a (any) religious based offering.

Zen is more like a philosophy of psychological judo rather than a religion, at least for me

Re: Ask HN: Books on specific topics that have applied to many areas of your life?

#59

Post by jmt_ »

brad0 wrote: post #43

This is completely not tech related but I came across a PDF a few months ago called Endgame. I got it when I believed I was having issues with meeting and attracting women. It kickstarted a series of events that’s completely changed my life. Initially for the worse but in a whole a massive positive.

Endgame by Samuel Beckett?

Re: Ask HN: Books on specific topics that have applied to many areas of your life?

#60

Post by _sdegutis »

"The Diary of St. Faustina" - it's the diary of a nun from the 1930s who had regular visions of Jesus for many years, which the Catholic Church has approved. As a Christian it's been difficult sometimes to interpret the gospels or to understand how to put virtues into action or even how to pray, and this book has given me plenty of concrete examples of all these.
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