Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?

#221

Post by rosser » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 1:21 AM UTC

cure wrote: post #148

Fiction, because it is so funny: * Good Omens, by Terry Pratchet and Neil Gaiman [1] I wish Pratchett and Gaiman had written more books together. [1] https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060853980?ref_=sr_1_1&pld...

I also give this book as a gift often. It started when I'd lend it out and never get it back, which, on reflection, I found I was actually fine with. So I found a UK 1st Edition, signed by both authors, which I'm never lending to anyone, and buy whatever copy is to hand for people as I feel moved to.

I've also done this a couple times with Joe Haldeman's The Forever War.

Re: Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?

#222

Post by flubert » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 1:21 AM UTC

lackbeard wrote: post #7

The Blind Side, The Hard Thing about Hard Things, Sex at Dawn. If asked, I would say those aren't the books I've found most amazing but they're the ones I felt compelled to give as gifts.

>Sex at Dawn

I hate to be that guy, but I thought that book was unreadable. Had some weird obsessive chip on the shoulder about Darwin (mentioned on almost every page). Complete with nearly contentless USA Today style infographics. I'd recommend "Sperm Wars" instead.

Re: Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?

#223

Post by joelhooks » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 1:21 AM UTC

zgotsch wrote: post #217

I've given out several copies of "The Diamond Age" by Neal Stephenson and "Stories of Your Life and Others" by Ted Chiang.

I've given about 30 copies of Kathy Sierra's Badass: Making Users Awesome. It's wonderful.

edit: whoops meant to reply to OP

Re: Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?

#224

Post by danbolt » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 1:22 AM UTC

I've received The Brothers Karamazov, and found it to be my new favourite book.

Re: Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?

#225

Post by jen729w » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 1:23 AM UTC

Hyperion by Dan Simmonds. It, and the follow-up Fall of Hyperion, are by far and away my favourite sci-fi books.

Given them to 5+ people over the years and every one has loved them.

Re: Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?

#226

Post by bokumo » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 1:26 AM UTC

jurgenwerk wrote: post #21

Cookin' with Coolio

I had to check to make sure this wasn't some kind of joke, but it is real!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cookin%27_with_Coolio

Re: Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?

#227

Post by werber » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 1:26 AM UTC

I think I've given "Go Tell It On The Mountain" by James Baldwin more times than any other book.

Re: Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?

#228

Post by matwood » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 1:26 AM UTC

cyphar wrote: post #130

huehehue wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sorry to be that guy, but could you elaborate further?

Exploitation of the public's fear, promises to make the country great again, rejection by their own party once they figured out that they might come to power. Those spring to mind as examples.

>Exploitation of the public's fear, >promises to make the country great again,

So any politician running for an election?

> rejection by their own party once they figured out that they might come to power.

You mean, the basic reason the democrats invented the super delegate to begin with?

Not sure how old you are, but when Bush 2 was in power the same comments were made. I guess Bush didn't turn into Hitler so now it's Trumps turn.

Re: Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?

#229

Post by netcraft » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 1:27 AM UTC

zgotsch wrote: post #217

I've given out several copies of "The Diamond Age" by Neal Stephenson and "Stories of Your Life and Others" by Ted Chiang.

I will probably give _Seveneves_ this christmas.

Re: Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?

#230

Post by flubert » Mon, Aug 08, 2016, 1:30 AM UTC

wilwade wrote: post #145

No kids books have been listed, but I have found them all too often enlightening. Sometimes even more than an adult book. I and my kids have enjoyed all of Graeme Base's books, but The Eleventh Hour is particularly good and have given it to many kids and adults: http://graemebase.com/book/the-eleventh-hour/ I am also thinking about giving Yertle the Turtle By Dr. Seuss out to anyone I meet before the election: https:…

Get a couple of the collections of Dr. Seuss.

Can't help but think that in addition to "Yertle", that "Sneetches", "Horton Hears a Who", and "The Grinch who Stole Christmas" are all timeless masterpieces.

https://www.amazon.com/Six-Seuss-Treasury-Dr-Classics/dp/067...

https://www.amazon.com/Hatful-Seuss-Favorite-Sneetches-Barth...