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Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?

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Re: Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?

#521

Post by irq-1 »

oxymoron wrote: post #517
the__alchemist wrote: post #132

The final section of The Baroque Cycle. Clever, detailed historical fiction epic about the 1600s and 1700s in Europe, The Middle East, and a bit of North Americas east coast. Interactions between fictional and real characters, without anything that can be proved didn't happen (like The Thee Musketeers). And, just a hint of magic. See Isaac Newton as a precocious Cambridge student probing the universe by maneuvering a…

I absolutely adore the Baroque Cycle. Question: Since I read it I’ve wanted to read more about the development of money and financial institutions, but I’ve had difficulty finding good books on the topic. Does anyone have any good recommendations?

Money: The Unauthorised Biography by Felix Martin

Re: Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?

#522

Post by mbrudd »

wahnfrieden wrote: post #256
_ugfj wrote: post #199

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This book is lovely. It made me reflect on our current state of affairs. Covid was and still is a test of the value systems of the so called "Western" or "first world" societies. We have failed this test through and through. On a local level, many people didn't care about their communities enough to mask and vaxx and in turn the communities had no way to pressure them. Many, many people have mental health problems --…

It pairs well with Mark Fisher

Fisher's Capitalist Realism is a must-read!

Re: Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?

#523

Post by mbesto »

michaelbarton wrote: post #63

“How to change your mind” by Michael Pollen. I read a lot of books, and this is one that caused a change in my life. The succinct summary is that psychedelics are misunderstood and there is more and more research showing their potential, especially in the treatment of trauma. I had a difficult childhood. It’s something I still struggle with personal interactions because of this, even after years of therapy. After rea…

The most important part of this book is the thoughtful explanation and deep dive into psychedelics. Sure you might come away with "I should try this", but it explains how and why these drugs (*medicines) should be used, especially the potential downsides and adverse effects.

Re: Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?

#524

Post by mbesto »

graaben wrote: post #432
michaelbarton wrote: post #63

“How to change your mind” by Michael Pollen. I read a lot of books, and this is one that caused a change in my life. The succinct summary is that psychedelics are misunderstood and there is more and more research showing their potential, especially in the treatment of trauma. I had a difficult childhood. It’s something I still struggle with personal interactions because of this, even after years of therapy. After rea…

I had a similar reaction after reading this book. I spent a good part of 2020 and 2021 in a deep dive of learning about psychedelic culture, science, and cultivation/synthesis. Regardless of how the science relating to mental health develops, I think these substances are crucial tools of personal exploration and should me more widely (and responsibly) used.

My favorite analogy used for psychedelics is a "microscope for the mind". In other words they aren't a panacea.

Re: Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?

#527

Post by oramit »

I love a good book thread and my 2022 reading list now has a lot new additions. Thank you all for the recommendations.

The best book I read this year was The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I think I got the recommendation from last year's HN list and picked it up completely blind and enjoyed it immensely. Zafon's prose is a pleasure to read and while the story starts out simple it just keeps building and building in a really satisfying way.

Re: Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?

#528

Post by alecst »

Ostrogodsky wrote: post #513
alecst wrote: post #504

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The slickness is part of the appeal. I agree that he gets some of the details slightly wrong: the part about serotonin and depression sticks out. But at the same time, I'd rather have a slightly wrong and profoundly enjoyable book than one that's a slog to get through but gets more of the details right. I think Sapiens strikes a good balance.

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Re: Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?

#529

Post by hermitcrab »

gordon_freeman wrote: post #107

Foundation- this book blew my mind. What I found fascinating about it is that it’s a science fiction book but at its core it’s about how to resolve Geopolitical issues using diplomacy. It feels like this should be a primer for anyone who wants to understand and improve modern geopolitics.

I read this a long time ago. Psychohistory is just too hard to buy. Human history is way too chaotic for that sort of modelling to be creditable.

Re: Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?

#530

Post by pivo »

breckenedge wrote: post #484

“The First Salute” by Barbara Tuchman, her last book. It’s a deep dive into the politics, personalities and execution of the American revolution. The author is adept at finding the crucial stupid choices that lead to strategic collapse, often driven by pettiness and blindly following orthodoxy. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/03945533...

I hadn't read that, but it reminds me of her first book (I think) "The Guns of August" which describes the first few months of WWI, and which I enjoyed very much.
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