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Ask HN: Good books?

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Re: Ask HN: Good books?

#151

Post by coffeenut »

Havoc wrote: post #51
rglullis wrote: post #33

Am I the only one who is very libertarian-inclined but hated Atlas Shrugged? Instead of creating characters that are human (with flaws, weaknesses, subject to emotional reactions) but that manage to "win" by sticking to some ideal, she creates characters that are the personification of that ideal, completely out of touch of reality. I mean, not even Greek gods were perfect if you know basic mythology. Yet, you want m…

Rand claims that the characters were intentionally portrayed that way: "My characters are persons in whom certain human attributes are focused more sharply and consistently than in average human beings" I agree with you on the Rearden vs Galt issue though...that doesn't make sense.

I believe it does, in the context of the story.

1) Hank Reardon wouldn't tolerate a life of (self) deception; knowing Dagny wanted Galt, and accepting that truth, was the only internally consistent course available.

2) Hank Reardon loved and respected Galt. If he had to give up Dagny to be able to continue to be a part of Galt/D'Ancona/Dagny's life, then his rational response was to do that.

3) Hank Reardon embodied the self-confidence that allowed him to see Dagny's preference for Galt was not a rejection of Hank, nor did that diminish Hank Reardon (e.g. your value isn't shaped by others).

Re: Ask HN: Good books?

#154

Post by nova »

Two great books that really impacted me, both about the horrors of bad research:

"Good Calories, Bad Calories", by Gary Taubes, on nutrition and health.

"The Blank Slate", by Steven Pinker, on human nature.

Re: Ask HN: Good books?

#155

Post by flashcurd »

lionhearted wrote: post #113

Has no one recommended Musashi? Really? Here's a writeup I did in another comment - -- 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…

I bought the book based off of this comment and read it. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks

Re: Ask HN: Good books?

#156

Post by lispm »

kranner wrote: post #86
lispm wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Glass Bead Game is mostly about useless academics that play a useless game and are remote from reality. The main character tries to find true meaning, then dies a sudden death, unfit for life when confronted with it.

And Ulysses is about a man taking a walk... It's that perception of 'useless' that The Glass Bead Game addresses for me, at a personal level. YMMV.

The glass bead game is never really described in the book. It does not serve any real purpose. It is just an academic exercise with no grounding in reality. The players are academics who don't have to earn anything. The state pays for them. Even among other academics it is not clear if the glass bead game is useful. The main character feels this emptiness and tries to escape from that. The end is typical.

Re: Ask HN: Good books?

#157

Post by vosper »

macrael wrote: post #97
danilocampos wrote: post #24

Bill Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything . It's a history of human reasoning, tracking the emergence of science into what we know today. Fills in a lot of meaningful gaps you may have forgotten from your various science courses, while providing the human side of major advances (rivalries, disappointments, hoaxes, all of it). Science from a new perspective is excellent, but it's also such an interesting windo…

Another lovely counterpoint to Ayn Rand is "Sewer Gas and Electric" by Matt Ruff. It is absurdist science fiction that is hilarious and full of fascinating characters. I really enjoy Atlas Shrugged as well, I've read the whole book twice, actually. But I don't believe it is a good code to live by. My favorite quite about her books comes from The Daily Show. On the back of America The Book there is a fake blurb from R…

I loved that Rand "quote" too, when I saw it.

Reading Atlas Shrugged made me an asshole for at least 2 weeks - I remember some stormy arguments with my flatmates over drinks.

As polemic it's amazing; as a moral code it's callous.

Re: Ask HN: Good books?

#158

Post by seehafer »

rglullis wrote: post #33

Am I the only one who is very libertarian-inclined but hated Atlas Shrugged? Instead of creating characters that are human (with flaws, weaknesses, subject to emotional reactions) but that manage to "win" by sticking to some ideal, she creates characters that are the personification of that ideal, completely out of touch of reality. I mean, not even Greek gods were perfect if you know basic mythology. Yet, you want m…

What basis do you have for equating the "Philosophy of Ayn Rand" with the "Theology of L. Ron Hubbard"?

Re: Ask HN: Good books?

#159

Post by RobGR »

I have recently finished reading Adam Smith's "The Wealth of Nations." I highly recommend it. At over 1200 pages it is not a quick read, however all of it was worth it.

I recommend setting it beside your computer, and every evening reading a few pages and then looking up on wikipedia all the names and other terms.

Re: Ask HN: Good books?

#160

Post by preek »

pquerna wrote: post #36

One of my all time favorites is Zen and the art of motorcyle maintenance.

I've read it three weeks ago and am still astonished about the impact. I have also ordered "LILA" - which Mr. Pirsig wrote 20 years later. Very much looking forward to reading it.
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