Ask HN: What is your comfort book? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: What is your comfort book?

#41

Post by mks » Mon, Jun 18, 2018, 11:37 AM UTC

Feynman: Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! - great inspiration for regaining playfulness. Particularly this quote applicable to many burnt out developers I believe:

Physics disgusts me a little bit now, but I used to enjoy doing physics. Why did I enjoy it? I used to play with it. ... So I got this new attitude. Now that I am burned out and I'll never accomplish anything,...I'm going to play with physics whenever I want to, without worrying about any importance whatsoever.

Re: Ask HN: What is your comfort book?

#42

Post by arethuza » Mon, Jun 18, 2018, 11:38 AM UTC

xevb3k wrote: post #15

Currently Anatham. Couldn’t tell why exactly but there’s something about the society described in the novel that I find very comforting.

My hardback copy of Anathem self destructed through continual re-reading of favourite parts. However, I now also have it on Audible so I can listen to it on my jeejah... ;-)

Re: Ask HN: What is your comfort book?

#43

Post by eddd » Mon, Jun 18, 2018, 11:39 AM UTC

Wiedźmin (The Witcher)

Re: Ask HN: What is your comfort book?

#44

Post by criddell » Mon, Jun 18, 2018, 11:39 AM UTC

dri_ft wrote: post #25

Poetry's always nice for familiarity and rereadability. Perhaps Shakespeare's Sonnets .

What was your entry into poetry?

Because Shakespeare was always presented as something you should read because it's good for you, not because you enjoy it when I was in high school, I don't think I'll ever be able to enjoy it.

Re: Ask HN: What is your comfort book?

#45

Post by yread » Mon, Jun 18, 2018, 11:41 AM UTC

The Good Soldier Švejk

Re: Ask HN: What is your comfort book?

#46

Post by FranzFerdiNaN » Mon, Jun 18, 2018, 11:41 AM UTC

Pride & Prejudice. There is something extremely silly about the squabbles of nineteenth century British upper class people.

Re: Ask HN: What is your comfort book?

#47

Post by chatmasta » Mon, Jun 18, 2018, 11:42 AM UTC

I’m surprised only one other comment mentions Harry Potter, which is definitely my answer. I was part of that “Harry Potter” generation that was right around his “age.” Those books really were incredible for spurring reading in children, and they definitely stimulated my imagination more than many activities in my childhood. Reading them now is comforting not because of the content of the book, but because of the feelings of nostalgia for and positive associations with my childhood that come with it.

Re: Ask HN: What is your comfort book?

#48

Post by oh-moses » Mon, Jun 18, 2018, 11:42 AM UTC

I don't read fiction much anymore, but when I was a teenager, I reread both The Hitchhiker's Guide and Youth In Revolt a few times

Re: Ask HN: What is your comfort book?

#49

Post by criddell » Mon, Jun 18, 2018, 11:43 AM UTC

I don't think I've ever read a book twice. My to-read list is so long that re-reading something doesn't even tempt me.

I'm the same with movies and tv shows. Music, for some reason, is different though. I play the same albums and artists over-and-over.

Re: Ask HN: What is your comfort book?

#50

Post by arethuza » Mon, Jun 18, 2018, 11:43 AM UTC

hardlianotion wrote: post #11

zgniatacz wrote: post #6

A Canticle for Leibowitz

I keep coming back this book and I think it's wonderful, but calling this a comfort book seems wrong somehow. I think I would say Consider Phlebas. Flamboyant space opera.

What is the term for something you keep revisiting because you find it profoundly disturbing?

Threads and A Colder War both belong to this category for me.