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

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

#521

Post by rch »

AlwaysRock wrote: post #446
Bandrsnatch wrote: post #394

Most likely no one is going to like this post. My father was a physicist and he had a large library of books. Growing up all of these books were over my head but I tried reading all of them. The more difficult the book the more determined I became to read and understand the content. I found this to be mind expanding. I began a life long quest to read the most difficult books and texts I could find. It sometimes takes…

This is a very specific question but... Stoner by John Williams is one of my favorite books. It was also more difficult for me to read than other books I typically pick up which are primarily sci-fi and NYT bestseller fiction books. When I read the Wiki for Stoner years ago I saw this line, "Bryan Appleyard's review quotes critic D.G. Myers saying that the novel was a good book for beginners in the world of "serious…

I take well known lists (e.g. Gates') with a grain of salt, but cross referencing with personal recommendations has worked well. I ended up getting a copy of Stoner after it came up a few times in as many weeks, so it was handy last time I went on vacation.

I also usually search HN for threads like these when I'm looking for things to read. I'm fairly certain that's how I came across Seveneves.

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

#522

Post by jlkuester7 »

combatentropy wrote: post #309

Mere Christianity , by C. S. Lewis. Any of his nonfiction works have a style of writing that I seldom find. He has a dedication to reason and a step-by-step approach. The Elements of Style , by William Strunk and E. B. White. I liked writing since I learned how to. I didn't find this book until I was 17, and it unlocked me to write in a way that better helped others. The Language Instinct , by Steven Pinker. I guess…

+1 for Mere Christianity

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

#523

Post by javajosh »

carapace wrote: post #490
qznc wrote: post #477

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For this statement I will receive prize A or C.

You're not supposed to spoil it. The whole point of these puzzles is the joy and knowledge you gets from solving them on your own. Publishing the answers is selfish.

Well, I for one don't consider this a satisfying solution (you could argue it does not count as a solution at all). How is the host supposed to evaluate the future? As I said in another comment, for that the host either needs iteration or an oracle, and both of those are missing from the premise of the question. It's like asking riddle where the solution is "Use a time-machine" when no time-machine is mentioned in the riddle: it's indicative of a riddle so weak it's almost an insult.

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

#524

Post by user_0x »

ltiger wrote: post #268

"Alchemy: The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life" by Rory Sutherland Explains why we choose brands over cheaper alternatives, why we're willing to pay a lot more to lock in a deal, why we hate registering before buying the thing (but are more than happy to do so right after), why Sony removed the record button from the first Walkman, and much more. This book forever changed t…

The food rule works for anything, but Detroit. https://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=2774

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

#525

Post by randomstring »

Check out _The Eden Express_ by Mark Vonnegut (son of Kurt Vonnegut). It is a memoir documenting the author's own psychotic breakdown. Reading this gave me insight into the human mind and what it's like when it goes off the rails.

You say "anything that transforms me into a smarter, wiser person" so I'll add Eliezer Yudkowsky's fanfic _Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality_ (http://www.hpmor.com/) The whole HP universe is re-imagined, except Harry is smart, a scientist, and empowered with rationality. It is both entertaining and an introduction to the art of rationality.

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

#526

Post by javajosh »

binaryorganic wrote: post #299

Super serious question. Of the 278 comments that have been posted to this thread in the last 8 hours, has anyone suggested a single female author? I looked for a while and saw exactly zero. Isn’t that kind of notable?

It's a matter of priority. Do you want your mind blown, period, or do you want it blown with [some set of constraints on how and by whom]? I'd say the first condition is hard enough. FWIW "A Room of One's Own" (Virginia Wolf) has stuck with me forever, as has "The Lathe of Heaven" (Ursula K. LeGuin)

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

#527

Post by binaryorganic »

binaryorganic wrote: post #299

Super serious question. Of the 278 comments that have been posted to this thread in the last 8 hours, has anyone suggested a single female author? I looked for a while and saw exactly zero. Isn’t that kind of notable?

Thanks so much for (almost) all of these answers! I really appreciate getting substantive responses from y’all.

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

#528

Post by noufalibrahim »

nicbou wrote: post #211
mjberg01 wrote: post #127

"Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by Robert Pirsig takes you deep into the philosophy on what is 'quality'. Once you see it you can't unsee it. A powerful excerpt from the book: 'So the thing to do when working on a motorcycle, as in any other task, is to cultivate the peace of mind which does not separate one’s self from one’s surroundings. When that is done successfully then everything else follows natura…

Despite all the praise it got, I really struggled with that book. I hated it so much that I had to check if I didn't pick the wrong book by accident. I found that it's a very polarising book. It's life-changing for some, and garbage for others. There were a few insightful passages, but most of the book was pretentious rambling. It was difficult to understand what the author was even trying to say, with his head so fa…

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. I have similar sentiments about Cohelo's Alchemist and even Ayn Rands fountainhead (didn't read the second book).

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

#529

Post by dunefox »

breakattn wrote: post #486
Cthulhu_ wrote: post #272

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But take Dune with a grain of salt; I read them, but the books after the first get a bit, I dunno, wishy-washy? Vague? Philosophical? I wanted to like it because the universe it describes is compelling, but the stories themselves lose a lot of luster. Interesting to see what they'll do in the upcoming movie / series, whichever it was though. It's great in terms of worldbuilding, and it's influenced a lot of other stu…

It is best just to read the first book. It is complete in itself. And then there is Whipping Star, which is best skimmed through so that you can get to The Dosadi Experiment. In fairness, Whipping Star is a fabulous take on what it would be like to attempt to communicate with an alien species that does not share our basic assumptions. Dosadi Experiment is filled with fascinating ideas. Little gems like: “Does a popul…

Nah, it's best to read all 6 books by Frank Herbert. They're incredibly good.

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

#530

Post by noufalibrahim »

memonkey wrote: post #501
bilater wrote: post #485

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I struggle with this since I also want to read something I enjoy and not make it a chore. I tried reading Moby Dick recently and was so disappointed. I wanted to read the original but the old English threw me off and I found it boring.

This is one of my favorite books. Frank Muller has an audiobook that makes it even better.

Moby Dick and Blood Meridian both have a certain biblical feel to them which really hits hard. Can't say they were mind bending but both were nice trips.
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