Two (fiction) Books, I really read in one piece:
Deamon & Freedom from Daniel Suarez
Non Fiction:
Black Swan - N.N. Taleb Anything you want - Derek Sivers
Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011
71–80 of 313 posts
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011
#72I'd like to mention two books because I can't decide which is greatest (they're very different): - The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande (often quoted here, and rightly so; it's short and really really great) - How to Live, or A life of Montaigne by Sarah Bakewell (a fantastic take on Montaigne's essays by a contemporary scholar with a refreshing take on everything).
Yes! I've read "How to Live, or A life of Montaigne" and it _is_ brilliant, partly due to Montaigne being brilliant I'd recommend Penguins Great Ideas Book "On Friendship" by Montaigne. And seeing as you mention on of my favorites to, I'll be sure to check out The Checklist Manifesto, thanks.
Care to share the gist if the book?
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011
#73Earlier quoted context omitted.
Just one left to go, I've been waiting for a very very very long time.
Oh, when ever I get the longing for the last one, I go on a revision of my favorite parts in previous books.. Thank fully I started this in August and haven't heard of it before.. Now just one more year to go till the last book.. :) I still wonder how BS is going to cover all loose ends in one book!
I'm fairly sure it was well mapped out for him. I'll go and re-read the lot a couple of months before I do.
TIL today, there is a comic book for The Eye of the World.
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011
#74Kahneman's "Thinking, Fast and Slow". It's a great account of things we know about how the mind works, with amazing insights.
It's been on my list after watching this great lecture: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjVQJdIrDJ0 I plan to follow it with Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything .
Moonwalking with Einstein is a good read. I found it worth the time I spent on it. But it's on an altogether different league.
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011
#75Night train to lisbon - Pascal Mercier
It's about a professor who quits his job and his country to explore the life of an author he just discovered.
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011
#76Speaking of business books: Growing a business (old but still valid and great) and Setting the Table.
Speaking of fiction I want to recommend Neil Gainman The Graveyard Book
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011
#77Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yes! I've read "How to Live, or A life of Montaigne" and it _is_ brilliant, partly due to Montaigne being brilliant I'd recommend Penguins Great Ideas Book "On Friendship" by Montaigne. And seeing as you mention on of my favorites to, I'll be sure to check out The Checklist Manifesto, thanks.
Care to share the gist if the book?
Penguin's Great Ideas series [1] is a collection of abridged (i think) versions of popular/influential books, or essays by influential writers, the "On Friendship" one by Montaigne is a few of his essays from his Essays [2] Short essays brilliantly eloquent, accessible pragmatic philosophy.
[1]: http://www.penguin.co.uk/static/cs/uk/0/minisites/greatideas...
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011
#78The 33 by Jonathan Franklin, but aside from that, most of the recommendations by Derek Sivers.
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011
#79Not tech related, but I loved Devil in the White City by Larson and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Pirsig. Also, I reread Rework about 3 times this year. Always a good and quick read.
Ah, but Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Pirsig is very much tech related!
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011
#80The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins, old but definitely worth the read. Changes the way you look at things.