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Ask HN: Any interesting books you have read lately?

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Re: Ask HN: Any interesting books you have read lately?

#141

Post by phronesis »

BarbaryCoast wrote: post #63

"The Chip", second edition. Starts with the invention of the vacuum tube, ends with the US-China chip war. In between, you learn that the first semiconductors were hand-make, using a clay mud on bulk substrate to protect areas to be etched. Fair warning, he leaves out as much interesting material as he left in.

In a similar vein, "Chip War" by Chris Miller is a more recent look at this. Not at all as dry as I expected it to be, surprisingly gripping for someone who didn't previously know much about this. It also provides a lot of historical context for the recent news of TSMC setting up factories in the US and Germany.

Re: Ask HN: Any interesting books you have read lately?

#142

Post by red_admiral »

bloak wrote: post #108
vogelke wrote: post #47

"Fatherland" by Robert Harris, 1992. Alternative history detective novel set in a universe in which Nazi Germany won World War II. "Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by Robert Pirsig. I re-read this every 4-5 years just to enjoy the discussions about quality and why it matters.

Other good books by Robert Harris: The Ghost; The Fear Index; The Second Sleep.

Act of Oblivion is good too. I personally also liked the Cicero trilogy.

Re: Ask HN: Any interesting books you have read lately?

#144

Post by fossheart »

leksak wrote: post #98

Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents I'm a person that struggles with boundary-setting and have spent numerous years in relationships that have left me as less-than I was before. Imagine people-pleasing to an absolute fault, and being more of a chameleon that adapts to avoid conflicts. This has led to problems of identity, and deriving my sense of worth through others which isn't healthy. Fortunately, I do…

In my case, the book has helped me to maintain my inner peace, which is really important when you want to get into the flow-state mind during programming. Emotional maturity is important for a work environment too, ability to handle the mental health of yourself and your teammates during long work hours gives a boost in productivity.

Re: Ask HN: Any interesting books you have read lately?

#145

Post by hsuduebc2 »

Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall. Fascinating story about how borders and geography shape nations. For example why would russians attack Ukraine and why are African nations less developed. Book is from 2017. I actually heard it as audio book. Very interesting.

Re: Ask HN: Any interesting books you have read lately?

#146

Post by Cthulhu_ »

leksak wrote: post #98

Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents I'm a person that struggles with boundary-setting and have spent numerous years in relationships that have left me as less-than I was before. Imagine people-pleasing to an absolute fault, and being more of a chameleon that adapts to avoid conflicts. This has led to problems of identity, and deriving my sense of worth through others which isn't healthy. Fortunately, I do…

What are the odds? I'm currently dealing with some relationship issues, part of that is codependency, and this is one of the books that's doing the rounds in those spaces. I've been reading Codependent No More myself, which is an older book, kinda preachy, kinda Alcoholics Anonymous, lots of religious undertones etc etc, BUT it also lists a lot of symptoms and behaviours that I've recognized in my personal life / relationship; self-sacrifice, "rescuing" behaviour, obsessing over the other, controlling behaviour, emotional self-deprivation (err, ignoring one's own feelings), anxiety, low self-worth / confidence, guilt, shame, etc.

I can't recommend the book per se, it's a bit dated, but it lays a lot of groundwork and identifies a lot of traits so it has its place.

Re: Ask HN: Any interesting books you have read lately?

#147

Post by michaelhoney »

koliber wrote: post #32

The Goal. It's a book from the 1980's about operational management. In particular, it focuses on physical manufacturing. It's in the form of a fictitious personal tale. A plant manager struggles to save his plant from closure, and his marriage from falling apart. The lesson is about lean management. My main takeaway is the realization that when we try to optimize something, we focus on how to do something more effici…

Similar theme, not great literature but still a good, quick read for people who work in tech: The Phoenix Project: https://itrevolution.com/product/the-phoenix-project/

Re: Ask HN: Any interesting books you have read lately?

#148

Post by zuzun »

Up in the Old Hotel by Joseph Mitchell. I finished it yesterday.

It's a collection of articles the author wrote for The New Yorker around the middle of the last century. The stories are portraits of weird, eccentric people and peculiar places in and around New York. Mitchell describes his subjects with dignity, without putting them on a pedestal.

The author is a very good writer and his stories are enjoyable, but only after I had read the book to the last page, I understood what makes this book so great. The stories tell you as much about the author as they tell you about the protagonists. I started the book to get a glimpse of the old New York and finished the book with a great curiosity about the author himself.

Re: Ask HN: Any interesting books you have read lately?

#149

Post by bmitc »

anshumankmr wrote: post #76

I am currently going through the book about Oppenheimer, the one they based the movie on ( https://www.amazon.in/American-Prometheus-Triumph-Tragedy-Op... ). I am listening to via Audible and it really gives some fascinating insight into the troubled man's life, much more than the movie did.

Are there any interesting examples you can give?

Re: Ask HN: Any interesting books you have read lately?

#150

Post by tga »

koliber wrote: post #32

The Goal. It's a book from the 1980's about operational management. In particular, it focuses on physical manufacturing. It's in the form of a fictitious personal tale. A plant manager struggles to save his plant from closure, and his marriage from falling apart. The lesson is about lean management. My main takeaway is the realization that when we try to optimize something, we focus on how to do something more effici…

The Phoenix Project is basically the same thing, but about software. I also found it more enjoyable to read.

https://itrevolution.com/product/the-phoenix-project/

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