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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?

#581

Post by acjacobson »

jkhdigital wrote: post #455
acjacobson wrote: post #369

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe I can give an anecdotal example that is less ambiguous. I have a fair amount of experience with psychedelics. I have had both uncomfortable trips and once what I would characterize as an actual bad trip. In the case of the bad trip it was a normal dosage, less than 2 grams of mushrooms (cubensis), and wasn't mixed with anything else. In terms of effects I would describe it as feeling like you are losing your mi…

> As negative as the experience was, in some ways I am glad I had it, because it gave me a much deeper understanding of where my mind could go - both positive and negative. So is it still appropriate to consider this a “bad” trip? It’s a serious question; psychedelics are experiencing a resurgence in clinical interest precisely because of their persistent effects, quite apart from the acute trip experience itself. On…

You raise an interesting point and perhaps it is both. I think it’s possible to experience negative or awful things and still grow - silver linings and all that. Does that make it good though? A much more serious example could be someone that survives cancer and now has a new found appreciation for life. I’m not sure that makes it “good” even though there were some positive outcomes. The difference of course is that I was never in any danger - though in the experience I certainly didn’t know that.

I am unsure about persistent long term negative outcomes from psychedelics - you bough I know several people that tried them once, had a rough experience and never touched them again.

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

#582

Post by bratwurst3000 »

brosco wrote: post #509
bratwurst3000 wrote: post #439

This years best book is the brothers karamazov. An excellent book with a deeply human and philosophical viewpoint. This is the last bool I read from dostojewski and after crime and punishment his best work. Atm I read „against the day“ from pynchon. Also very excellent and compared to gravitys rainbow sooo easy to read. That could be a good start to the pynchon universe for beginners. Whish you all a good time at the…

My favorite of the year was Anna Karenina. If you like Brothers Karamazov it would be right up your alley.

Yes that one is on my list to. I read war and peace once and it was an excellent novel. Still dostojewski is a bit more special to me :)

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

#583

Post by acjacobson »

tayo42 wrote: post #566
acjacobson wrote: post #369

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe I can give an anecdotal example that is less ambiguous. I have a fair amount of experience with psychedelics. I have had both uncomfortable trips and once what I would characterize as an actual bad trip. In the case of the bad trip it was a normal dosage, less than 2 grams of mushrooms (cubensis), and wasn't mixed with anything else. In terms of effects I would describe it as feeling like you are losing your mi…

You wouldn't classify that as something like an uncomfortable introspection? I think if in general people were more clear about what the psychedelic experience is you wouldn't be caught off guard like that. > you are losing your mind, and you will never be yourself again. I feel like is a pretty common thing to come up, especially with lsd which lasts forever. If people were more prepared for what will come up (I act…

I would say it was too chaotic to be introspective (I realize I cited an example of my train if thought but this was not the norm).

I see your point about preparation and it’s valid however hearing someone else talk about what it’s like really can’t prepare you. I knew bad trips were possible and had read extensively about set and setting. But in the moment there was no reason or logic. I forgot everything I knew about managing the experience. It was completely overwhelming and in that situation there is very little you can do.

In many ways it’s like the psychedelic experience overall. You can read about and be as prepared as possible but the experience is so otherworldly there is no way to fully understand that it’s like unless you go through the experience.

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

#584

Post by BatteryMountain »

graaben wrote: post #433
BatteryMountain wrote: post #308

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm in a similar headspace as you - not a druggy but went that shamanic route. 2x Ayahuasca ceremonies and 5 grams of mushrooms a few years ago... changed my life. I recommend only doing mushrooms once or twice a year at most for larger dosages and once or twice a month at most if doing 2g or less. If you do it more regularly you may have diminishing returns. Cannabis I'd do at most once a month if at all. San Pedro…

What would you say a good dose is for San Pedro? Have you ever tried a higher dose?

Typically a 30cm cutting is enough to send you to space if you use the boiling/tea method. For 16 hours at least. It is not a short journey so be careful with how much you take.

I typically do NOT boil them. I cut them up into disks and remove the skin and white stuff, then only keep the green slimy parts. Then I dehydrate them (make sure they are super dry - wait a week if you have to). Then I put them through a coffee grinder and sieve to make a fine powder that is lime green and smells very pungent. Then you have a choice before you: consume all of it or "microdose" - I'd recommend starting with 2 table spoons, maybe 4 if the effects are not coming on within 2 hours. Going the low dose way works extremely well for me - no vomiting/purging, my body accepts it fully. At this dosage things become extremely slowed down, as an example, 4 spoons strips time away for me and I feel like an immortal monk, ultra zen mode. Its cool to have small musical instruments around if you have any (flutes, bells, humming bowls, kalimba, ocarina, jews harp etc) and play with them even you don't know how to play them.

It is important to fast the day before so you take it on a clean body. Also try to be in nature, between plants - the smallest details and colours of plants, insects & flowers can put you down a very nice rabbit hole of feeling wholesome and thankful for being shown the beauty of nature... etc. I'd recommend taking it 05:00 in the morning if you have summer time. Have some fresh fruit available to eat around 14:00 - it is the best thing on earth, you will be able to taste the "essence" of each fruit and its super juicy and chewy. You will understand that all fruits/seeds want to be eaten, to propagate and spread and that realization might make you cry with how humbling the plants struggle is to survive.

I personally haven't had a full San Pedro dose yet since I'm too afraid to be honest. But a low dose of the dried stuff is amazing. No bad come down either. I'd also recommend growing them yourself and taking care of them (advice from the shaman) instead of buying them from a stranger - take care of them and they will take care of you. I currently have 6 of them and 4 new pups just appeared.

Word of caution: I've seen a person who has abused this plant to escape reality. He had a plantation in his backyard and when I met him, his brain was completely fried while being sober. Very slow to respond, droopy face etc. If you go down this path, please do respect the plants and their power over our brains and also be aware of the very thin line between reality/normality and insanity/psychosis.

Anyways, I hope you have a good journey and find all of the goodness hiding away in your heart. Its all there, more than you can imagine.

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

#585

Post by BatteryMountain »

scrozart wrote: post #559
BatteryMountain wrote: post #308

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm in a similar headspace as you - not a druggy but went that shamanic route. 2x Ayahuasca ceremonies and 5 grams of mushrooms a few years ago... changed my life. I recommend only doing mushrooms once or twice a year at most for larger dosages and once or twice a month at most if doing 2g or less. If you do it more regularly you may have diminishing returns. Cannabis I'd do at most once a month if at all. San Pedro…

Forgive me - what is San Pedro?

Cactus containing Mescaline. Interesting compound. Also found in peyote. San Pedro grows everywhere and you've probably seen it around. Another one to look for is Peruvian Torch.

Peyote grows extremely slow and only in small corners of the world, I'd recommend skipping them as they need to be protected.

San Pedro grows about 40cm a year where I live. They can take plenty of water (growing thin and long) or they can get by with a cup a month (growing shorter and thicker). I'd recommend starving them once in a while to stress them out - this makes them produce mescaline. They also produce wonderful huge white flowers (only for a short time each year). If you do end up growing them, never sell them. Always give cuttings away as gifts to others.

Read up a bit about mescaline, it is not like the other psychedelics. With mushrooms, dmt, lsd + lsa (seed from Argyreia nervosa - plenty gardens have them) - these are all similar compounds with similar effects. Mescaline's effects are a bit different, so worth it to explore even if you think you've seen it all.

Fun fact: Mescaline is mentioned in The Matrix (the first one) when Neo encounters the girl with the white rabbit tattoo...make of it what you will.

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

#586

Post by BatteryMountain »

beeboop wrote: post #493
BatteryMountain wrote: post #308

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm in a similar headspace as you - not a druggy but went that shamanic route. 2x Ayahuasca ceremonies and 5 grams of mushrooms a few years ago... changed my life. I recommend only doing mushrooms once or twice a year at most for larger dosages and once or twice a month at most if doing 2g or less. If you do it more regularly you may have diminishing returns. Cannabis I'd do at most once a month if at all. San Pedro…

Worth noting the dose amounts vary wildly with the mushrooms and batches. The stuff I have (grown by a friend) would barely do anything for you at 2g. 3g was really the minimum, and 4g if you wanted anything other than feeling happy and high.

I've been lucky that I've been getting consistent potency (I think the online shop I buy from has had the same grower all this time). But other people have told me they've struggled with inconsistent potency. Super valid warning for others, thank you.

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

#587

Post by atmosx »

mylons wrote: post #145
OnionBlender wrote: post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it worth the effort? I've picked up snow crash a few times in the past 20 years and found it a hard read. I really want to enjoy it but I find it hard to swallow. I suppose it has been hard because it doesn't take itself seriously. My sci-fi reading history has been: - several William Gibson novels between 1995-2008 - Most of the ender's game series and home coming from 80's to 2008. - Between 2008 and 2018 I read…

the first chapter of snowcrash is one of my favorite chapters in any book i’ve ever read. the rest of the book is great and goes into some really bizarre territory on how to manipulate humans, as well as looking at the effects of a truly decentralized economy + metaverse. it’s really forward looking and prescient for a book that was written in 1988-91.

I couldn't get over the fact that "Hiro Protagonist" is the actual _hero_ (and of course) _protagonist_ in the first few chapters. The writing style is good though. AFAIK the first chapter is when the virus takes over a rich and famous friend of Hiro and he has to take part on a sparing battle which ends up quickly. Afterwards the other party finds out Hiro is the stronger character in the metaverse.

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

#588

Post by simonebrunozzi »

I have a great answer to this, I think.

The best book is the one you haven't read yet (yes, there's still a few days left in 2021). Meaning: read more. Reading more is most likely going to have a very positive impact on your life. Play less videogames, read one more book. Watch less TV series on Netflix, read one more book. Etc.

By the way, I'm writing this as advice for you, but it's really advice for me (I don't play videogames, but I watch some Netflix).

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

#589

Post by Brajeshwar »

d1str0 wrote: post #222
Brajeshwar wrote: post #18

Since the last few years, I have made it a habit to write about the books[1] I read without trying to add my smart-a* comment but more as a way to come back later in life and read the articles. For this year, here are some of the books I liked (quite a few of them are re-reads); - The Story of My Experiments with Truth, the autobiography of Mohandas K. Gandhi (English Version) - Genghis Khan and the Making of the Mod…

How was the da Vinci biography? I’d be curious about the accuracy.

I like the story-telling. As for the accuracy, I have not tried to compared it to anything, so not much of a clue.

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

#590

Post by Aeolun »

finiteseries wrote: post #494
kgm wrote: post #58

I just finished a re-read of the "Commonweal" series by Graydon Saunders, which begins with The March North : https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=MoIOAwAAQBAJ I've never been sure how to sum up these books. They're thoroughly strange fantasy books, oddly written and frequently chewy reads. They have an interest in politics and metaphysics; but they also have magical railguns, the sorcerous application of F…

You’ve done much better in summing them up here then I’ve ever seen elsewhere or done myself personally. Well sluiced. Will note the writing style is almost weirder and more niche than the rigidly strange content though if that’s possible. It’s not difficult to get past and without a doubt enhances the general vibe & chewiness of it all, but man the sentence structures are just downright convoluted at times. Totally…

Holy shit you were not joking. I’m trying to like the book, but while I like the story, it borders on unreadable.

I find myself trying to figure out what the author was thinking while writing something out, as only half of the words seem to make it to the paper.

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