Ask HN: Mind bending books to read and never be the same as before? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Mind bending books to read and never be the same as before?

#161

Post by kemiller2002 » Tue, May 12, 2020, 1:34 PM UTC

aronowb14 wrote: post #119

Never split the difference (Chris Voss): incredible book about dealing with people, after reading you end up seeing most interactions with other humans as negotiations with “black swans” hidden in your conversations. Thinking Fast and Slow. (Recommended in other responses but I’d have to second this one. Incredible for reasoning about your own reasoning). What the Buddha Taught: (Walpola Rahula): a short intro to Bud…

Never Split the Difference is an amazing book. I use what I learned from that everyday, and I've coached people (successfully) to get out of bad situations with management using those techniques. It is literally one of the most helpful books I ever read.

Re: Ask HN: Mind bending books to read and never be the same as before?

#162

Post by jgwil2 » Tue, May 12, 2020, 1:34 PM UTC

For science fiction, Dune is a must, and Children of Time is probably the most mind-bending sci-fi I've read since. Both create imaginary worlds that are so detailed and plausible that they make you see our world in a new light.

Re: Ask HN: Mind bending books to read and never be the same as before?

#163

Post by arethuza » Tue, May 12, 2020, 1:35 PM UTC

For Mind games, something from the Culture series - Use of Weapons which does have a nice twist.

For sheer scale and sensawunda - A Fire Upon the Deep and Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge.

Re: Ask HN: Mind bending books to read and never be the same as before?

#164

Post by mitchelldeacon9 » Tue, May 12, 2020, 1:35 PM UTC

In addition to the classics of cognitive psychology (Kahneman, Taleb, et al.), I would also recommend books on psychological manipulation, religious cults, and con men. The following books offer a multi-disciplinary perspective on psychological techniques to improve awareness and exploit other people, both of which are essential to enhance your perception and protect yourself against fraud and manipulation.

Cialdini, Robert (2006) Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

Guinn, Jeff (2017) Road to Jonestown: Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple

Ekman, Paul (2007) Emotions Revealed: Recognizing Faces and Feelings to Improve Communication and Emotional Life

Kahneman, Daniel (2011) Thinking, Fast and Slow

Mitnick, Kevin and William Simon (2002) Art of Deception

Navarro and Karlins (2008) What Every Body is Saying: Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Speed-Reading People

Nietzsche, Friedrich (1887) On the Genealogy of Morals

Rhodes, Richard (1986) Making of the Atomic Bomb

Sun Tzu (c. 400 BCE) Art of War

Taleb, Nassim Nicholas (2005) Fooled by Randomness

Wright, Lawrence (2013) Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood and the Prison of Belief

Re: Ask HN: Mind bending books to read and never be the same as before?

#165

Post by cbm-vic-20 » Tue, May 12, 2020, 1:36 PM UTC

brudgers wrote: post #113

Art of Computer Programming . Just as a book(s), it is a great book. I'm always a bit puzzled by the degree to which it's intended audience seems to avoid reading it.

The math scares people. I like how Knuth casually throws in references to prior art in the form of a book that was published in 1734. Including the page number.

Re: Ask HN: Mind bending books to read and never be the same as before?

#166

Post by UnpossibleJim » Tue, May 12, 2020, 1:36 PM UTC

gherkinnn wrote: post #143

Anything by Hermann Hesse. Not mind bending. No Twists. No roller coasters. Just a calm conversation with the author and yourself. And yet, it had a profound impact on me. One poem I revisit every once in a while: https://www.lieder.net/lieder/get_text.html?TextId=119749 If you understand German, I do believe it needs to be read in its original tongue. The translations I found thus far were not entirely convincing.

Loved his take on Siddhartha.

Re: Ask HN: Mind bending books to read and never be the same as before?

#167

Post by Timpy » Tue, May 12, 2020, 1:37 PM UTC

bemmu wrote: post #100

"Permutation City" by Greg Egan is mind-bending in a way similar to The Matrix, except taken up a few notches. Explores the consequences of consciousness being just a pattern. Would it continue if the pattern is paused? Seems yes, since we survive being unconscious. So we move in space and time, but still consciousness feels continuous. What if you pause it, destroy it, recreate it somewhere else. Would it not contin…

I bought this on Kindle after seeing it in another HN thread but I haven't gotten around to reading it yet. After reading your comment I think I'll bump it up higher on my priority list.

Re: Ask HN: Mind bending books to read and never be the same as before?

#168

Post by ludami » Tue, May 12, 2020, 1:37 PM UTC

gherkinnn wrote: post #143

Anything by Hermann Hesse. Not mind bending. No Twists. No roller coasters. Just a calm conversation with the author and yourself. And yet, it had a profound impact on me. One poem I revisit every once in a while: https://www.lieder.net/lieder/get_text.html?TextId=119749 If you understand German, I do believe it needs to be read in its original tongue. The translations I found thus far were not entirely convincing.

The Glass Bead Game is one of the few works of fiction which has really had a lasting effect on me throughout my life. Amazing writer, amazing work.

Re: Ask HN: Mind bending books to read and never be the same as before?

#169

Post by kemiller2002 » Tue, May 12, 2020, 1:38 PM UTC

brudgers wrote: post #113

Art of Computer Programming . Just as a book(s), it is a great book. I'm always a bit puzzled by the degree to which it's intended audience seems to avoid reading it.

I love the little quips that Knuth adds to his writings. There are little subtle things that have to be there to be funny and just below the surface meaning of the text, because taken literally they would be absurd. I remember seeing a couple in there and a couple in his book Concrete Mathematics.

Re: Ask HN: Mind bending books to read and never be the same as before?

#170

Post by a_bonobo » Tue, May 12, 2020, 1:38 PM UTC

a_bonobo wrote: post #140

Social philosophy/psychology, or cultural anthropology, is mind-bending to me. Erich Fromm's The Sane Society - on how society impacts people's mental health, and how to build towards a sane society Fromm's The Art Of Loving - an analysis of different kinds of loves, trying to dispel pop culture's lies about love, and love is actually hard work Ernest Becker's The Denial of Death - on how not our fear, but our comple…

Oh if you can, try looking for similar recommendation threads from communities completely alien to you - law enforcement forums, midwife communities, car mechanics, biologists.

HN is very insular in its interests as you can see with many posts here repeating. Midwives' recommended books probably have a higher chance of truly bending your mind into novel directions.