I got "The Most Human Human: What Talking with Computers Teaches Us About What It Means to Be Alive" for Christmas and it's just fascinating. Interesting history on the Turing test and AI and philosophy and very well written. I highly recommend it.
Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011
301–310 of 313 posts
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011
#302Earlier quoted context omitted.
I recommend reading The Lean Startup. I found it full of good ideas. One example: cohort analysis. You might already be familiar with all the concepts and ideas in the book, but even then I think the various examples of real companies doing some of these things will be inspiring.
http://www.amazon.com/review/R3287ICLQ9STI3/ref=cm_cr_dp_cmt... The top rated review of The Lean Startup basically trashes it, saying it never gets very specific, and is sort of a vehicle for Eric Ries to sell himself.
There's definitely some self promotion in the book, and at times it can be a little repetitive. It's also fairly introductory and the information in it can perhaps be found on various blogs, etc.
It's a good introduction however for anyone looking to move beyond a trial and error approach to startups.
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011
#303For me, I had a few that I really liked: * The Art of Game Design by Jesse Schell. Probably one of the best books I've read, even for people who don't want to make games, it was really good. * Business Model Generation by Osterwalder and Pigneur. One of the better business books I've read through. Also one of the most creative. And I finally read: * The C Programming Language by K&R. 'nuff said.
Too bad this comment is too down, but The Art Of Game Design is a fantastic book about design and user experience, even if you're not into games, there's some interesting psychology to learn and to apply in whatever you're doing.
I've read a lot of the most well known game design books and its staggering how good this book is. League of its own.
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011
#304"To Kill a Mocking Bird", "Logicomix" in English. A play called "Andha Yug" (The Age of Darkness) in Hindi. English translation is also available for those interested. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0198065221/
I just finished Logicomix (got it as a Christmas gift), in French though. It's a great read for anyone looking for a refreshing take on the history of mathematics in the early 20th century.
I really did find it boring and had a hard time going till the end despite my fondness for mathematics history. Nothing was really interesting in it, only simple facts adn I was a bit disappointed after seeing it on a "must read" list from a math professor for its students.
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011
#305Someone once said that 100s of thousands of books have been written to try to express the inexpressible, but only 1 has succeeded... The Book of Mirdad. > Logic is immaturity weaving its nets of gossamer wherewith it aims to catch the behemoth of knowledge. Logic is a crutch for the cripple; but a burden for the swift of foot; and a greater burden for the winged. Most people will read two pages of this book and hand…
Ooh, you had me until the last sentence. It doesn't sound enlightened, just spiteful.
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011
#306Let's see... in no particular order: * Thinking, Fast and Slow: http://amzn.to/sXQGSR - probably makes my list because I just finished it, and as he says "what you see is all there is" - we're biased towards things that come to mind easily. Actually, it is a pretty good book even looking through all the others I've read. * 1491: http://amzn.to/uaR0yf - about the Americas prior to the arrival of "Cristoforo Colombo".…
I enjoyed 1491 a lot. The author has a sequel of sorts out now, 1493, about the aftermath of the Colombian exchange. I'm looking forward to reading it.
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011
#307- Don't make me think.
- Delivering Happiness.
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011
#308Earlier quoted context omitted.
The table of contents looks very good. Do you know any other recent and worthy C++ books? I'm more interested in design-related and deeply technical ones.
Another book (though not a C++ book) that comes to mind is: Linux Programming Interface by Michael Kerrisk.
Yep, it's on my reading list. Thanks.
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011
#309It isn't a proper book, but Eliezer Yudkowsky's Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality was incredible. Don't judge it by the fact that it is a fanfic.
I read it and enjoyed it. And I'd consider it a proper book. Just cause it hasn't been published by a big publishing house doesn't mean it's not a proper book
Re: Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011
#310The Bhagwat Gita : You will very changed man once you read this, a very different person. This book is around 10000 years old,has even more relevance in the world today.