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Ask HN: Please name two of your most favorite books.

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Re: Ask HN: Please name two of your most favorite books.

#175

Post by lsd5you »

ekpyrotic wrote: post #39

'Elements of Style', Strunk & White. It has changed my life. For the last two years I have endeavoured to simplify my thoughts/ideas, so they can be communicated precisely. It's hard, painful work. That aim has recoloured my being: music; literature; art. Philip Glass. Hemingway. Mondrian. I am not the same person.

Elements of Style, is well written and thoughtful, but it should not be taken as an prescriptive authority - as it commonly is - on grammatical minutiae. Or in other words Strunk & White, a.k.a Drunken Shite (only when discussing grammar rules!!).

Re: Ask HN: Please name two of your most favorite books.

#176

Post by eggoa »

lsd5you wrote: post #175
ekpyrotic wrote: post #39

'Elements of Style', Strunk & White. It has changed my life. For the last two years I have endeavoured to simplify my thoughts/ideas, so they can be communicated precisely. It's hard, painful work. That aim has recoloured my being: music; literature; art. Philip Glass. Hemingway. Mondrian. I am not the same person.

Elements of Style, is well written and thoughtful, but it should not be taken as an prescriptive authority - as it commonly is - on grammatical minutiae. Or in other words Strunk & White, a.k.a Drunken Shite (only when discussing grammar rules!!).

Exactly. Regarding the "passive voice" see Victims of Page 18:

http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=1485

Re: Ask HN: Please name two of your most favorite books.

#177

Post by revorad »

eob wrote: post #120
cromulent wrote: post #74

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - Pirsig Asterix in Britain - Goscinny, Uderzo

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is one of the few books I've ever read where I practically celebrated when I finished because I didn't have to read it anymore. I read it (and forced myself to finish it) because so many people seem to absolutely love it, but I found myself having to force myself to pick it back up like a job. So, if I may ask someone who cites it as his/her favorite book: would you mind writ…

Oh good, so I'm not the only one. I cringed reading that book, especially the bits where he is being highly condescending and un-understanding (can't think of a better word) to a 10-year old.

Maybe it's because I had read enough of the "eastern mysticism" nonsense that I just didn't get that book. I still don't understand why so many people love it.

Re: Ask HN: Please name two of your most favorite books.

#179

Post by prawn »

anatoly wrote: post #156
prawn wrote: post #63

Just one for now: Blood Meridian, Cormac McCarthy

Haven't read that one yet, but his _All the Pretty Horses_ was one of the highlights of the year.

Haven't got to that one yet, but Blood Meridian was incredible and so I plan on buying the rest of his work. I also really liked The Road - have read it twice, each time in 1-2 days (I normally struggle to make time to read).
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