Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: What are you reading right now?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

181–190 of 307 posts

Re: Ask HN: What are you reading right now?

#181

Post by wiredfool »

Calamitous wrote: post #58

Just finished CryoBurn by Lois McMaster Bujold, probably the last in her Miles Vorkosigan series. Any of her works are excellent, but she's (rightfully) best-known for her Miles books.

I just read Young Miles. (just as in taking up the last 4 or 5 evenings on the ipad). It's hilarious, chaotic, and sweet.

Check it out: http://baencd.thefifthimperium.com/24-CryoburnCD/CryoburnCD/ - Most of the series from the CD that Baen is distributing with the book, free and distributable, in lots of formats.

Re: Ask HN: What are you reading right now?

#184

Post by notaddicted »

I probably have bookmarks in 20+ books but these are at the top of the pile:

The Art Of Probability , Richard Hamming. I find prob/stat frustratingly hard to master. This book is clearing up my confusion chapter by chapter. As an engineer this book appears to be written for someone with exactly my level of knowledge which helps a lot.

Conspiracy of Fools , Kurt Eichenwald. Very entertaining ... shining examples of what not to do.

Security Analysis, 1934 Edition, Graham and Dodd. They authors are exquisitely clear thinkers. I don't know how useful the financial information is because it is 80 years old.

Re: Ask HN: What are you reading right now?

#189

Post by ladyada »

jbrennan wrote: post #103

Just finished reading Carl Sagan's Dragons of Eden , a fascinating tale of evolution and intelligence. Now I'm trying to tackle Infinite Jest on my iPad. I've never been much of a reader but I'm trying my damndest to break that non-habit. I have no idea what's going on in this book but I feel I'd be totally screwed with out the built-in dictionary function of iBooks. I'm certainly expanding my vocabulary if nothing e…

Before trying to read Infinite Jest, try to read all his other essays (and short stories). This is really helpful.

Be OK with the fact that you really aren't going to understand what happens the first time though, like at all. The book -must- be read twice, the first time in a bit of a haze, since even basic acronyms aren't expanded till 200 pages after they are first used. Its enjoyable the second time because there are hundreds of references you'll get from events that are expanded upon much later.

It really is a fantastic book, and its not nearly as confusing as most people think when read twice. :)

Re: Ask HN: What are you reading right now?

#190

Post by tremendo »

Started on A Game of Thrones (G. Martin), in at around 100 pages it hasn't really captured me, and now Towers of Midnight (Jordan & Sanderson) is here so I think I'll postpone GoT.

Also started The Land of Lisp as a total Lisp newby and got royally confused at the end of 1st section with cons, car, cdr, cadr… what?

Post reply on HN