I got asked recently, and I think it's an excellent question.
What's the "best" book you've ever read? By "best", in means whatever you mean.
Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?
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Re: Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?
#2Unless youve just read a handful of books in your life it is impossible to give a good answer to the question.
Books are not oranges.
Re: Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?
#3The Boy's Second book of Electronics by Alfred Morgan(1957) introduced me to electronics in the 1970s, and lead to a technical mindset and lifestyle.
The Engineers Notebook by Forest Mims really taught me the basics of electronics.
What do you care what other people think by Richard Feynman(1988) introduced me to the idea that nobody is really as much of an expert as you might think.
1632 By Eric Flint, and the subsequent series, got me thinking about the nature of civilization and all the things that go into making it.
There are a lot of books in this world, and they all helped author who I am.
Re: Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?
#4[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?
#5The best book I've partially read is the New Testament. The best book I've actually read is Taleb's Antifragile.
Re: Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?
#6Unless youve just read a handful of books in your life it is impossible to give a good answer to the question. Books are not oranges.
I got to thinking -- a handful of books is approximately one book.
And who ranks their oranges?
Re: Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?
#7Unless youve just read a handful of books in your life it is impossible to give a good answer to the question. Books are not oranges.
"Books are not oranges."
As an aside, what do you mean by this? I would have an even harder time giving and answer to the best orange I've eaten.
The Hobbit. My brother read it to me when I was just starting to read. When he was done I asked him to read it again. he said no and I learned to read in earnest. I was often shooed out of the adult section of the library. I have read lots of books by now.
Re: Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?
#8Unless youve just read a handful of books in your life it is impossible to give a good answer to the question. Books are not oranges.
I got to thinking -- a handful of books is approximately one book. And who ranks their oranges?
Depends on the books of course but the old pulp paperbacks were such you could hold 5 to 10 maybe. Today a tablet could hold 1000s (? how many I don't know ?)
Re: Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?
#9Nonfiction: Thinking, Fast & Slow
Fiction: Project Hail Mary
Re: Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?
#10I am That - talks with Nisargadatta Maharaj. Best for me.