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Ask HN: What are the best textbooks in your field of expertise?

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Re: Ask HN: What are the best textbooks in your field of expertise?

#271

Could someone suggest a good book on Geometry beyond what is taught in high school? I find co-ordinate geometry to be more algebraic than geometric and miss knowing the interesting properties of curves and shapes and bodies.

I asked my father (retired math professor) and he responded

"I am not sure what book to suggest. But if your friend wants to get away from the algebra of coordinate geometry maybe a book on geometric constructions.—How to do things with a ruler and compass."

Re: Ask HN: What are the best textbooks in your field of expertise?

#274

Game Engine Architecture by Jason Gregory It's like a collection of all the game programming stuff they didn't teach me at school, nor at my non-game jobs. Whether you're writing an engine or just using one, I consider this book absolutely vital.

I would also add Real-Time Rendering[2] and Real-Time Collision Detection[3] to the list of absolutely essential game development books.

[1]https://www.amazon.com/Engine-Architecture-Third-Jason-Grego... [2]https://www.amazon.com/Real-Time-Rendering-Fourth-Tomas-Aken... [3]https://www.amazon.com/Real-Time-Collision-Detection-Interac...

Re: Ask HN: What are the best textbooks in your field of expertise?

#275

In functional programming: [0] The Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs [1] The_Little_Schemer [2] Programming in Haskell - Graham Hutton [3] Types and Programming Languages-Benjamin C. Pierce --- PDFS [0]( https://github.com/allenleein/brains/blob/master/Zen-of-Func... ) [1]( https://github.com/allenleein/brains/blob/master/Zen-of-Func... ) [2]( https://github.com/allenleein/brains/blob/master/Zen-of-Fu…

I would add Concepts, Techniques, and Models of Computer Programming. It's about programming paradigms in general, and helps in contextualizing functional programming in a broader context https://www.info.ucl.ac.be/~pvr/book.html

Thanks for this. I do not see enough context in school.

Re: Ask HN: What are the best textbooks in your field of expertise?

#276
post #81

In cultural anthropology: Small Places, Large Issues by Thomas Eriksen. It’s impressive how comprehensive, to the point and organized it is. CA is a tough discipline to understand in my experience; the endless nuance and relativism is hard to hold in your mind and not get lost in ‘vagueness’. This is a great read to understand the field a lot better. It’s used in introductory classes at least all over Europe.

Marveled to stumble upon a fellow cultural anthropologist over here :) HN is an amazing platform... Just wondering how an anthropologist end up in the AI field...?

Send me a message on Keybase for a chat!

Re: Ask HN: What are the best textbooks in your field of expertise?

#277
post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I couldn't agree more re: Norman's book. I wish it had been recommended to me as a linguistics undergrad. He provides such a clear explanation as to how design is a way of solving communication problems over making things look good. I also run into "Norman doors" at least once a week and always smile when I remember the term.

It's one of the principles that has stuck with me throughout my professional life; design is solving problems, not solving aesthetics.

Get you a man who can do both. Architects in particular seem rather high-falutin' until you read the understanding of their work. Aesthetics often means making something so beautiful that it harmonizes with the rest of how you live. Ugly things stand out and cause greater disunion in our lives.

Re: Ask HN: What are the best textbooks in your field of expertise?

#278

In functional programming: [0] The Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs [1] The_Little_Schemer [2] Programming in Haskell - Graham Hutton [3] Types and Programming Languages-Benjamin C. Pierce --- PDFS [0]( https://github.com/allenleein/brains/blob/master/Zen-of-Func... ) [1]( https://github.com/allenleein/brains/blob/master/Zen-of-Func... ) [2]( https://github.com/allenleein/brains/blob/master/Zen-of-Fu…

I just finished re-reading SICP. If you're going to read it on a screen, I recommend this version: http://sarabander.github.io/sicp/ I'm 1/3 of the way through The Little Schemer. So far, it's not taught me anything I didn't already grok from SICP. I hope it picks up!

Trust me, it will :) The last few chapters on CPS and the Y combinator are roughly a vertical segment on an otherwise nearly horizontal learning curve.

Re: Ask HN: What are the best textbooks in your field of expertise?

#280

Designing Data-Intensive Applications by Martin Kleppmann [0] [0] https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1449373321/

I'm about halfway through this book right now and learning a lot. Do you have any recommendations for follow up books or simply ways to put the lessons of the book in to practice?
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