Ask HN: What are your favorite non-fiction books of all time? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: What are your favorite non-fiction books of all time?

#71

Post by hannasanarion » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 1:18 AM UTC

Upvoter33 wrote: post #68

briga wrote: post #22

The Beginning of Infinity by David Deutsch. The sheer breadth of the ideas covered in this book is breathtaking, and there are some truly mind-bending ideas explored in this book. If you're looking for a good general science book I highly recommend this one. Superintelligence by Nick Bostrom. Few thinkers have thought about this issue as deeply as Bostrom, and it was fascinating to hear his thoughts on AI. Bury My He…

I would love to hear more commentary on Bostrom. From the parts I've heard (in podcasts - still haven't read the book), it is a lot of talking about technology that is nowhere near where we are today, and thus (to me), a waste of time. But I am open to being convinced otherwise...

The prologue to Superintelligence was written with just for you. It is available here:

The Unfinished Parable of the Sparrows https://blog.oup.com/2014/08/unfinished-fable-sparrows-super...

Re: Ask HN: What are your favorite non-fiction books of all time?

#72

Post by hannasanarion » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 1:19 AM UTC

TheAlchemist wrote: post #60

dominotw wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> it nearly broke my mind. Can you perhaps mention some examples?

There are a lot of fantastic ideas (whether one agree or not with the author) in this book. 2 that come to my mind: - we tend to think that our species was a result of evolution - a concept that's somehow nice and smooth. In reality, the author argues, at each step of the evolution, the 'better' species simply exterminated the previous one. Think about that ! We (or our ancestor) just exterminated those poor Neandert…

So, it's Nacirema: The Book?

Re: Ask HN: What are your favorite non-fiction books of all time?

#73

Post by yesenadam » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 1:44 AM UTC

unmole wrote: post #69

joobus wrote: post #42

The Bible

The OP specifically asked for non-fiction.

That's a bit snarky. Most of it was written as non-fiction. Your descendant will be denouncing a 21st C physics book on HN as fiction in 500 years time. I guess you haven't read, for example, Proverbs (just a load of great proverbs) or Ecclesiastes (very dark view of life - nihilistic, sceptical, world-weary) - they're great stuff. (disclosure: total atheist)

Re: Ask HN: What are your favorite non-fiction books of all time?

#74

Post by combatentropy » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 3:36 AM UTC

The Elements of Style by William Strunk and E. B. White

The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker

The Problem of Pain by C. S. Lewis

The Mac Is Not a Typewriter by Robin Williams

Getting Real by 37 Signals

Re: Ask HN: What are your favorite non-fiction books of all time?

#75

Post by scruple » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 5:09 AM UTC

blakesterz wrote: post #6

I really enjoy anything from John McPhee, especially Coming Into The Country.

I'm planning on starting The Founding Fish this evening, a recommendation from a friend. It will be my first McPhee book and I'm very much looking forward to it.

Re: Ask HN: What are your favorite non-fiction books of all time?

#76

Post by SpecialistEMT » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 7:20 AM UTC

I liked the Art of War in high school. Feel like it helped me a lot with stuff like negotiating salary in my early years.

Later -- The Book of the Courtier by Baldassare Castiglione -- same topic as Art of War I'd say.

Re: Ask HN: What are your favorite non-fiction books of all time?

#77

Post by RhysU » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 12:26 PM UTC

What is a Dog? https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/W/bo183782...

Re: Ask HN: What are your favorite non-fiction books of all time?

#78

Post by btschaegg » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 1:05 PM UTC

Views: Last chance to see, by Douglas Adams.

Not only does he talk about Animals the average human never gets to see, it's also full of weird insights because of his often rather unique perspective on things. Plus, it's Adams, so it's very entertaining.

Re: Ask HN: What are your favorite non-fiction books of all time?

#79

Post by TheTrotters » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 4:17 PM UTC

The Power Broker and all volumes of The Years of Lyndon Johnson by Robert Caro. The best books I've ever read. I effectively re-read them all every year or two.

Re: Ask HN: What are your favorite non-fiction books of all time?

#80

Post by rickitan » Wed, Sep 05, 2018, 11:53 PM UTC

burke wrote: post #19

In no particular order: • Sapiens • Thinking Fast and Slow • The Mind Illuminated • A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy

Very interesting that you point to a Meditation book (The Mind Illuminated) and a Stoic book (A Guide to the Good Life).

I've read both, and I like both philosophies. While they both share similarities (non attachment, living in the present), it seems that in Vipasana you wouldn't try to get rid of a bad thouhgt by using your rationality. You would just observe it.

While Stoicism demands engaging rationality to overcome the emotion or bad thought.

Have you thought on how to reconcile the two? This is something I've been pondering for a while.