AI - A modern approach by Russell & Norvig.
http://aima.cs.berkeley.edu/
Ask HN: What's the best textbook you've read?
31–40 of 72 posts
Re: Ask HN: What's the best textbook you've read?
#32The C Programming Language, by Kernighan & Ritchie (2nd Edition). I picked that up and was hooked.. 30 years ago
Really? I've read it a few times but I never thought it was a great book.
I liked the first edition of K&R a lot. Today I suspect it shines most when compared to recent intro language books. It was succinct yet offered insight into both the language's design concepts and its implementation -- an introduction to software based on Strunk & White's spartan model of exposition.
Given the abstract nature and swiss-army knife mission creep of today's languages, it's a rare intro PL book today that's smaller than 600 pages. (K&R 1978 fit into a mere 220.)
Re: Ask HN: What's the best textbook you've read?
#33AI - A modern approach by Russell & Norvig. http://aima.cs.berkeley.edu/
This is the one textbook that’s a common denominator at my work. Almost everyone seems to have a copy, and for good reason.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best textbook you've read?
#34The Elements of
Statistical Learning.
(https://web.stanford.edu/~hastie/Papers/ESLII.pdf)
Re: Ask HN: What's the best textbook you've read?
#35Introduction of Quantum Mechanics and Introduction to Electrodynamics, both by David J. Griffiths. He also wrote Introduction to Elementary Particles, but I have not read that one. Both books masterfully take exceptionally complex fields and break them down into easily digested chunks, with a clear progression of ideas as you go through the book. Do note that these are "Introduction" books written for Junior/Senior P…
>Griffiths
Yes!
I actually jumped in this thread to recommend Griffiths' Electrodynamics.
Even the review sections on how to think about things like divergence and curl is particularly well done by Griffiths.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best textbook you've read?
#36Earlier quoted context omitted.
You should also have a solid background in calculus before fully understanding these books. Typically, Physics majors take every undergrad calculus class offered in the math dept. at a college, then a few more in Physics just to be sure.
I'd say if you have a basic understanding of calculus (derivatives and integrals), you could get though Griffiths' books with another companion book, like what my college used: https://www.amazon.com/Mathematical-Methods-Physical-Science... I'm still upset that my copies of Griffiths' texts were stolen my senior year of college...
Yeah, I could see that. Mostly, you need to be really comfortable with multivariable integration.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best textbook you've read?
#37It's not the best textbook ever, but Shankar's book on quantum mechanics is interesting. It builds everything from ideas about vector spaces and the underlying mathematics (in an accessible way) before quantum magically pops out. You end up understanding bra-ket notation without realising it.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best textbook you've read?
#38Combinatorics, A guided tour - Mazur
Re: Ask HN: What's the best textbook you've read?
#39The Art of Electronics by Horowitz and Hill It covers nearly all aspects of electronics both theory and practice. It’s still relevant after all these years.
The third edition is still fairly current. So to speak.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best textbook you've read?
#40Unfortunately, someone stole it from me, but it was an introduction to philosophy book that really opened up my mind, introducing philosphers including Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Aquinas, Confuscious, Hobbes, Hume, Foucault, Kant, Kierkegaard, Lao Tzu, Locke, Marx, Mill, Rand, and more. It basically covered who they were, how they grew up, and what they've stated that has helped contribute to our society. Very interesting book. Can't recall the exact name of it, but I don't the book anymore to do my research and read any of these philosophers.