Ask HN: Which non-fiction books had the biggest impact on you?

57 points by curious_soul 2 years ago | 98 comments

Trying to decide what books to bring with me on my upcoming trip.

If you're not a person who tends to get sucked into a book, and has every waking thought resonate with what you've read, then read some Chomsky.

You may not agree with his views (it's so far to the left, that it makes your head spin) but rather read it for how he writes. His terse words are a window into his psyche.

Everything is presented in a very "matter-of-fact" way. I've read most of his books and it's surprising how very little he thinks of his own opinions. For him, it's not a revelation that the world is corrupt and full of structures that incentivise the destruction of the middle class etc., it's just a matter of fact. "That's how the world is and this is where I think it's going, good luck with changing that.", that's what it feels like.

I was pretty young when I started reading them, around 16. It temporarily changed me for the worse, the books are so pessimistic, that it tends to put that person I described above (getting sucked into books) into a depressive state.

If you want to start somewhere, try "Manufacturing Consent" (by Chomsky and Herman).

If you've already read that, then try "On Palestine" by Chomsky as well, I don't recall reading it but it does seem timely now.

UtopiaPunk 2 years ago | |

I like Chomsky, and I agree with most of what you say. He is matter-of-fact, maybe cynical, but I wouldn't say pessimistic. He's trying to present the truth (or specifically, the truth of how those in power gain and maintain power). That's his role in trying to build a better world. I recall him saying somewhere (but I can't seem to find it now) that he's a bad organizer, so I think he sees his role as shining a light for others to use.

I like listening to him speak more, tbh. He can come across as a rambling old man with disjointed thoughts. Then, after going off for 10 minutes, he brings it back. The world is complicated, and Chomsky has a very firm grasp on how complicated it all is, and in order to explain a point, he often has to untangle a large web of relationships and history. Sometimes exhausting, but also kind exhilarating. He refuses to short snappy news bits because he knows a statement that challenges the status quo needs strong evidence and explanation, and that necessarily requires a longer form (he discusses that point in Manufacturing Consent).

I'd also recommend Manufacturing Consent.

voisin 2 years ago | |

Does he have a specific book that would relate to the hollowing out of the middle class?

pchangr 2 years ago | | |

I know “Requiem for the American Dream” talks about it. Just keep in mind it’s written from a very us centric perspective

RheingoldRiver 2 years ago |

The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman. It had a huge impact on the way I view UX issues, and the relationship between users & developers/companies, and I prioritize users' "dumb questions" way differently now as a result. It's also made me feel less bad about times that I have a problem with using some piece of software, whether it's a settings menu that I can't find what I need in it, or some complex setup process.

MattPalmer1086 2 years ago | |

Yeah, seconded. Still on my shelf after 25 years and I still occasionally dip into it.

gcanyon 2 years ago |

The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker.

Not because of the actual topic, although that's important too; but because of the first 150 or so pages, where Pinker starts by saying something like: you won't believe me about how violence has declined unless I first disabuse you of the notion that the past was nice. He then describes how truly awful pretty much everyone and everything was in the past. It was an eye-opener.

Those who romanticize the past (which is most people) do themselves a grave disservice.

mrich 2 years ago | |

In a similar vein, Factfulness by Hans Rosling.

gcanyon 2 years ago | | |

Yes! So much this. It's ridiculous just how much people don't realize how much better things are now than at any point in the past.

Yes, democracies are cracking under strain.

Yes, wars are happening that could spill over to larger areas and cause serious harm.

Yes, social media and lack of truthfulness is a huge issue.

Yes, global warming sucks and we need to do more.

But still, on so many measures, things are better than they ever have been, and trending in positive directions.

mablopoule 2 years ago |

"The righteous mind" by Jonathan Haidt. I loved it so much that I gave it to three different peoples.

It's about psychological studies of morality, and what tends to influence one sense of morality.

It had a huge impact on me because I feel that it helped me grow as a person, and being able to understand other culture/other principle, even if I don't necessarily agree with that.

Lots of stuff that seems plain evil from a western point of view (ergo, centered about the morals of individuality) would look more sensible once understood from a moral coming from a sense of community, and the necessarily conservative need to foster a stable societal structure.

It doesn't mean that I agree with things like opposing the rights of woman to drive/open bank account, but it help understanding the motivation better.

Another interesting point he brings is the differentiation between a moral judgement (X is good or bad), and the moral reasoning (X is bad because of Y and Z). Notably, the moral judgement come before the moral reasoning, the latter being used not as a way to reach a conclusion, but as a way to defend a moral judgement with our peers.

Jonathan Haidt is mostly known for his works on the political polarization of the USA.

Another book I found incredibly enriching (but unfortunately only in French) is "Au coeur des services spéciaux", which is an interview by Jean Guisnel (a french investigative journalist) of Alain Chouet, a former director of the DGSE (the french CIA basically).

Alain Chouet studied Arabic and the arab/muslim world even before joining the DGSE, and what I picked up at the bookstore as a way to understand the french intelligence services turned out to be an extremely interesting (and respectful) exposé of the muslim and arab world, with the prism of political Islam, the history of terrorism as seen by french intelligence service, his opinion on many nuclear programs, and of course a great deal about 9/11.

The writing of the book is very fresh thanks to the conversational/interview style used, and while the book show its age more and more (it's from 2013), I still believe it's a worthwhile lecture if one is curious about such subject, especially given the current context.

mablopoule 2 years ago | |

For posterity: by "given the current context", I hint at heightened tensions in middle-east due to Hamas attack & the current Israel bombing of Gaza.

rasse 2 years ago | |

I'd recommend The Righteous Mind along with Being Wrong by Kathryn Schultz to anyone who's ever argued on the internet.

mvncleaninst 2 years ago |

I'm assuming this thread is non-programming related since that's like everything else on this website

Probably Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit. And it didn't impact me in a way where I agreed with it, it was more the opposite. It sort of made me realize "oh, this is what bullshit looks like" and I was able to take that and apply it elsewhere

I'll give an example... Hegel sort of works like this: person X says A, person Y says B, there's a disagreement, they both fight to the death and person X enslaves person Y, then person Y goes crazy, turns to religion (I'm not bullshitting here either, he introduces the priest at this point in the master slave dialectic [0]), then person Y affirms their own slavery both physically and mentally. This is the basic process on which "history" happens

Think about this for a second, all of those people who died in the 20th century because of this guy's bullshit. I read his garbage cover to cover, lesson learned: bullshit is dangerous. There's a reason why Hegel doesn't like math. After I read this guy, it made me realize something: non-technical non-fiction is fiction

[0] "As a separate, independent extreme, it rejects the essence of its will, and casts upon the mediator or minister [priest] its own freedom of decision, and herewith the responsibility for its own action. This mediator, having a direct relationship with the unchangeable Being, ministers by giving advice on what is right." (para 228)

number6 2 years ago | |

Sounds about right, actually

lasermatts 2 years ago |

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage

lots of great recommendations already, but this is a relatively quick read and a great story.

How To Build A Car

If you're into F1 -- or precision engineering -- it's a cool book that gives you insight into a fantastic designer and his approach to producing machines

I could go on but those are two books I thought about while going about my day today

LeonB 2 years ago |

I’d like to say

- Factfulness or

- Sapiens or

- Richard Feynman’s various writings

…but the most measurable impact was probably from something like

- “Strunk and white The Elements of Style” or

- “How to win friends and influence people” or

- “Oh! Pascal!” Or

- “the dictionary” or

- some specific bus timetable that enabled a pivotal moment in my life

tiffanyg 2 years ago | |

Ah, a literalist.

I see your literality, and raise:

enabled a pivotal moment in my life

Like that time you beat Archimedes to the punch and moved the world with a cantilever?

To not just 'standup philosopher'-post: Gödel, Escher, Bach (already mentioned by another I see); Euclid's Elements; Polya's How To Solve It; The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich; Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats - clearly non-fiction, if you know cats. :)

pjmorris 2 years ago | |

“Oh! Pascal!” is on my short list and I can see the influence of 'Elements', and Feynman as well.

gnat 2 years ago | |

Oh! Pascal! was magnificent. The other influential Pascal text for me was “Elementary Pascal”, where Holmes writes Pascal for Babbage’s engine to solve mysteries. Books these days don’t seem to have the same whimsy.

D13Fd 2 years ago | |

Seconded on Strunk and White, although you also need to know not to follow some of its outdated advice.

curious_soul 2 years ago | |

> some specific bus timetable that enabled a pivotal moment in my life

Story time? Don't leave us hanging :)

LeonB 2 years ago | | |

I don’t know which specific incidents were pivotal, but surely some moment was?

bentt 2 years ago |

On Writing by Stephen King is one of the best books about the craft of not only writing, but any solo creative endeavor. It is also immensely entertaining and dark. The Audiobook is read by the author and he does a great job.

kaycebasques 2 years ago |

Six Pillars Of Self-Esteem. Biggest effect on me of any book, by far. The only book that immediately jumped to mind without me needing to check my "read" list.

I vaguely recall The Soul Of Sex giving me a healthier foundation for my own sexuality.

The Power Of Myth and The Varieties Of Religious Experience for general spiritual goodness.

The Selfish Gene has probably had a deep lingering effect on my thoughts about my life as a biological creature.

Every Page Is Page One is very helpful for realizing (what I believe to be) the higher purpose of technical documentation, which is knowledge sharing.

raminf 2 years ago |

- Gödel, Escher, Bach (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gödel,_Escher,_Bach)

- Empty Planet: The Shock of Global Population Decline.

david927 2 years ago |

The four gospels: Mathew, Mark, Luke and John

UtopiaPunk 2 years ago | |

Matthew, Mark, and Luke tell largely the same story, with several important differences. If you only read one, my favorite is Luke. It has The Magnificat (aka Mary's Song of Praise), and it's awesome.

John, meanwhile, is very different vibe on the story of Jesus and is cool in its own way.

I'd also recommend Acts, personally. It is a history of the very early church and written by the same author as the Gospel of Luke. Very proto-communist/anarchist in places, imo.

Brajeshwar 2 years ago |

I made a page of some of the all-time favorite books I have read, re-read, and would recommend - https://brajeshwar.com/books/

dirtybirdnj 2 years ago |

You are Not So Smart by David McRaney. It started a journey of self reflection and introspection that I'm still working on to this day but extremely thankful for. It changed the way I look at myself and the actions of other people, both for the better.

It all started for me when I heard about the three jesuses of ypselanti. I hope you enjoy it too.

https://youarenotsosmart.com/2014/01/07/yanss-podcast-015-i-...

dmbche 2 years ago |

James Gleick's books in general, Chaos being a favorite.

Sartre's essays on existentialism, Camus's big essays too.

Jiddu Krishnamurti's Awakening intelligence is also very good.

Edit0:

How nonviolence protects the state, Peter Gelderloos.

Very measured look at the discourse around violence and nonviolence. Fruitful read.

Free here: https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/peter-gelderloos-how...

Edit1: Freud's Totems and taboos, and some Jung, but I forget what exactly.

erehweb 2 years ago |

"Stumbling on Happiness" by Daniel Gilbert. Big insight - people generally have a way of rationalizing away things they did (new job, move, relationship) that turned out to be bad ideas - they focus on the positive parts, or say how they learned so much. But this doesn't work if you decided not to do something, and that inaction turned out to be a bad idea - you can't say you learned so much, because you didn't do anything. Implication is that we should be bolder in our decisions, to avoid regret.

philipov 2 years ago |

As a kid? I'd probably name "Goedel, Escher, Bach" and "The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language" as the two that had the biggest impact on me while I was in high school.

Quinzel 2 years ago |

A book I really enjoyed was “Games people play” by Eric Berne.

It made me reflect a lot on the interactions I have with the people around me, and I think I needed to develop a deeper level of self-awareness than I had prior to reading it. So I’m glad I read it.

patrickthebold 2 years ago |

I liked "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance"

cgriswald 2 years ago | |

I read this as a young adult and I understood what Pirsig was saying in an intellectual sense, but I didn't really grok the book until I was closer to Pirsig's own age (when he wrote it) and learned 'the hard way'. I also didn't finish the book because I felt like Pirsig was repetitively making the same point.

As a result, I have some questions (not necessarily directly for you, @patrickthebold, but for whoever cares to answer):

(1) Were you able to internalize the lessons from this book?

(2) Is there anything valuable in the back ~half of the book?

(3) If you read this book about 20 years ago, would you re-read it; or if read it less than 20 years ago, would you recommend your future self re-read it?

karmakurtisaani 2 years ago | | |

Easily one of my favourite books. My advice for anyone reading it is not to see it as a philosophical book, although some of the philosophical digressions are extremely interesting. Rather, read it as an autobiography of a person suffering from an obsession, and his quest to connect with his son. The end was very satisfying from this point of view.

Edit: so to answer your points

1. No need to.

2. Worth reading the whole thing.

3. At the first reading when younger, one might focus too much on the philosophy and miss the story of the person behind the thoughts. It's not a book where you learn philosophy, but how this person thinks and how it impacts his life. With some life experience and perspective this aspect is much more interesting.

gcanyon 2 years ago | | |

1. Most definitely

2. The revelation about quality

3. I've read it three or four times, generally about ten years apart. I'm due...

gcanyon 2 years ago | |

I don't know that I would call it "non-fiction," but its non-fictional aspects have had a huge impact on me: the "focus on the small to unblock yourself" (was it write about your left hand?).

And the concept of "gumption".

But most especially that "quality" is the interface between the observer and the observed -- that what you like is a unique aspect of you and the thing (that you like), and that's okay. That concept has shaped my world.

curious_soul 2 years ago | |

I have tried reading this twice but couldn't get past 30 pages or so. I was enjoying the read but not sure what made me drop it both times. I was much younger though, so perhaps a 3rd attempt is in order.

gcanyon 2 years ago | |

As a funny aside, I have an otherwise intelligent friend who actually thinks the book is about motorcycles...

Cosuper 2 years ago |

I have 3 books that have made me a before and after in my life: - the 4 hour work week - 48 laws of power - 12 rules for life

zingababba 2 years ago |

Some recent ones I've really enjoyed: The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind - Julian Jaynes; And: Phenomenology of the End - Franco Berardi; The True Believer - Eric Hoffer; I See Satan Fall Like Lightning - Rene Girard; Surplus Enjoyment - Slavoy Zizek; Dionysus, Christ, and the Death of God - Giuseppe Fornari

Phenomenology of the End in particular blew my mind.

stranded22 2 years ago |

Ok:

1) Happy by Derren Brown - a stoic interpretation for the modern world (how to live, and die, happy)

2) The Daily Stoic - 366 pages of stoic philosophy for each day

3) how to control drinking / this naked mind- second book is a reinterpretation of the first, made the biggest impact on my life, helping me stop drinking

4) Atomic Habits - helped me appreciate it is a little nudge that makes the biggest long term difference

xekul 2 years ago |

Language in Thought and Action by S.I. Hayakawa

Metaphors We Live By by Lakoff and Johnson

The Demon-Haunted World by Carl Sagan

The Denial of Death by Ernest Becker

Tao Te Ching (various translators)

mashygpig 2 years ago |

I’ll echo the Demon Haunted World by Carl Sagan.

Recently, I finished the making of the atomic bomb by Richard Rhodes. It’s quite long, but a fascinating view on physics, weapon development, and then the politics of the bomb. It’s a good exercise to compare with the current state of AI and see what things are similar and what are different.

lmorandi 2 years ago |

Think and Grow Rich written by Napoleon Hill is the book that had the biggest impact on me. By the name you would think that only talks about money and finance, but the real message is about the power of desire. I loved it and really changed my mind and the way of doing things. Really recommend it.

daemon_9009 2 years ago |

if you want to read modern philosophy, go for 48 laws of power, and human laws by robert Greene. These two books are better than any self help books collectively which are available today!

jrace 2 years ago |

This Is Your Brain on Music -by Daniel Levitin

--helped me understand why listening to music has such a varied and profound effect on me.

Hallucinations -by Oliver Sack

--piqued my interest in the brain and the notion that it is running the show behind the scenes and what we perceive to be reality is merely a construct of our neural activity.

fiforpg 2 years ago |

The big impact books tend to be the ones read in youth. One that I re-read many times was the biography of Robert Wood by William Seabrook (both really fascinating characters):

Doctor Wood, Modern Wizard of the Laboratory

For a more recent, although not nearly as formative read:

The Coddling of the American Mind

chegra 2 years ago |

I will go with Wanting by Luke Burgis. It makes the works of Rene Girard accessible. For me, it made me conscious of how much of our nature is simply copying others. Basically, one should make a conscious effort to select who to copy. Also, because we copy it means we would have a desire for the same object in which conflict can arise. We can realize this and take steps to mitigate possible conflict.

A surprising insight of the book is that having hierarchies reduces conflict. I wrote a summary of the book here: https://www.chestergrant.com/summary-wanting-by-luke-burgis

smoyer 2 years ago |

"The art of electronics" by Horowitz and Hill

mikewarot 2 years ago | |

I've read that, it's a great book if you're already into electronics. It filled a huge knowledge void that I wasn't aware I had... but the thing that got me started was "The Boy's Second Book of Electronics", which launched me into the world of electronics in the early 1970s, before PCs were a thing.

jazzyjackson 2 years ago | |

in that vein, "there are no electrons: electronics for earthlings" left an impression on me and is much shorter :)

tshirttime 2 years ago | |

Dense, wordy, incomprehensible.

Simulacra 2 years ago |

Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. It taught me to pay attention to nonverbal language in decision making

voidhorse 2 years ago |

Recently, "The Situation is Hopeless... But Not Serious" - Paul Watzlawick

All of Nietzsche. Antioedipus. Marcuse's One Dimensional Man. Wittgenstein's Notebooks. The works of Vilem Fluser. Basically most major/famous philosophers are a solid bet.

jekude 2 years ago |

The Road to Wigan Pier - Orwell

Antifragile - Taleb

What is Life? - Schrodinger

Structure and Interpretations of Computer Programs - Abelson

gidorah 2 years ago |

Whilst not strictly non-fiction, I'm going with The Goal bg Eli Goldratt. It's a novel about accounting. Specifically, Goldratt's Theory of Constraints.

It presents the idea that manufacturing accounting is wrong.

ttcbj 2 years ago |

“How to sell at margins higher than your competitors”, which profoundly improved my pricing strategy at the software business I started.

“Self esteem” - which altered how I saw myself and understood my own behavior when dating.

davidthewatson 2 years ago |

I'd suggest books like:

https://equalityfiles.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/thomas_sza...

and any of Byung-Chul Han's philosophical books over the last ten years, though The Burnout society is probably the place to start.

My favorite thing about these books is that if the title piques your interest, it's a quick read because of the aphoristic style keeping the aforementioned short.

userbinator 2 years ago |

The C Programming Language

Course of Theoretical Physics

fiforpg 2 years ago | |

There are many different physics courses, so which one was that?

In order not to sound solipsistic, I will admit that they all share the subject :P

userbinator 2 years ago | | |

Landau and Lifshitz.

ydnaclementine 2 years ago |

Marie Kondo - Spark Joy. I like it because it provides a different perspective on the stuff you buy but don't use (thank you for showing me that I didn't like this style of shirt) as you give it away. Getting rid of stuff isn't revolutionary, but how she thinks about the things you own is different.

Her show is very similar to the book, but the book explains it better. Her second book is more of the same, not sure about the third

catlover76 2 years ago |

The Experience of God by David Bentley Hart

Any of David Foster Wallace's books of essays such as A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again and Consider the Lobster

keernan 2 years ago |

Future Shock by Alvin Toffler

I read it in 1970. It sparked my interest in technology; an interest that is very much alive and kicking all these years later.

genghisjahn 2 years ago |

Seneca Amusing Ourselves to Death The Color of Law

tiffanyg 2 years ago | |

A good ... jumble.* And what among Seneca's writings would you highlight?

* Having elected not to use an obvious list format (as it appears on my screen), or even a single ASCII character beyond the fairly essential - parsimonious. You took the interrogative "How long shall you march under another man's orders?" very much to heart, it seems.

barbacoa 2 years ago |

Meditations of Marcus Aurelius.

Seriously would read each sentence then spend a minute just to letting the shattering existential realizations sink in.

Lockal 2 years ago |

"Linux From Scratch" was a life-changing experience, with a high practical value: you finally take full control over your hardware and start to understand why every component exists on your system and how you can control it.

Not going to mention any psychological studies or philosophical essays, because, sorry, OP asked for non-fiction...

jazzyjackson 2 years ago |

women hold up half the sky. i was ignorant to a lot of suffering in the world before I read this book. very emotional read.

spell of the sensuous. mind bending history of the alphabet, the effect of being literate on your ways of thinking and an introduction to phenomenology and our original sin of considering "nature" to be an "other"

db48x 2 years ago |

"The Liberators" by Viktor Suvorov <https://archive.org/details/ViktorSuvorovTheLiberatorsMyLife...>

I wish this one was required reading.

jakubmazanec 2 years ago |

Denny Borsboom: Measuring the Mind - about measuring psychological attributes, its philosophical foundations and how that translates to actual mathematical models; short, focused book written with great information density, but very readable.

thinkerswell 2 years ago |

Eccleisastes — Holy Bible

A book on the vanity of life

UtopiaPunk 2 years ago |

I really love "A World to Build: New Paths toward Twenty-First Century Socialism" by Marta Harnecker. Here, the phrase "21st Century socialism" is a phrase meant to distinguish between a different socialism that existed in the 20th century (namely the Soviet Union). The book outlines a socialist vision that is decidedly not like the Soviet Union, and it's inspiring. Think a focus on decentralization, anti-authoritarian, pushing power closer to people, greater democracy, and a general goal of human flourishing (or "living well"). I think a lot of people would resonate with Marta Harnecker's vision if they knew about it. It's hopeful and optimistic without being naive. Also a pretty easy read that doesn't get bogged down by academia or technical philosophy. It's also much more modern than a lot of the classic texts of socialism.

https://monthlyreview.org/product/a_world_to_build/

0xbadc0de5 2 years ago |

The Gulag Archipelago, by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

None of this is taught in school - but it should be.

huijzer 2 years ago |

A Mind for Numbers by Barbara Oakley. I’ve ingrained many of her lessons as habits.

david927 2 years ago |

Guns, Germs, and Steel

philipov 2 years ago | |

Although, be careful about that one, because a lot of the claims Diamond makes are to be taken with a grain of salt. I would suggest the works of Richard Bulliet such as "Cotton, Climate, and Camels" and "Hunters, Herders, and Hamburgers" as counterpoints. Some historians really like the "A, B, and C" title format, don't they?

jazzyjackson 2 years ago | | |

"women, fire, and dangerous things" by Lakoff for the meta on categories in general :)

vjulian 2 years ago |

The Nature of Personal Reality, by Seth (as “channeled” by Jane Roberts. That—and other Seth books. They provided me with a sense of wonder.

cagey 2 years ago |

How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World by Harry Browne

lylejantzi3rd 2 years ago |

Rhetoric, Politics, and/or Ethics by Aristotle

tiahura 2 years ago |

Kids and the Amiga

Hackers

momentmaker 2 years ago |

The Surrender Experiment by Michael Singer

laserstrahl 2 years ago |

LSD my problem child by Albert Hoffmann

ofou 2 years ago |

The Ascent of Humanity: Civilization and the Human Sense of Self by Charles Eisenstein

wj 2 years ago |

Cosmos by Carl Sagan

It really opened my mind to the quest for knowledge being its own noble pursuit.

thefz 2 years ago |

A History of The Internet And the Digital Future - Johnny Ryan

The Master Switch - Tim Wu

c420 2 years ago |

The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power by Shoshana Zuboff

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Age_of_Surveillance_Capi...

And Permanent Record by Snowden

dosmithds2060 2 years ago |

electric cool aid acid test the code book warped passages

johnea 2 years ago |

Howard Zinn: A People's History of the US

thunderbong 2 years ago |

Finite and Infinite Games - James P. Carse

happycamper22 2 years ago |

I ran this thread through GPT-4 to extract mentions and summarize them in markdown. Sharing if it's helpful for others too.

* "Manufacturing Consent" by Chomsky and Herman (2 mentions) * Summary: This book investigates and criticizes the media's role in promoting and sustaining powerful interests. Chomsky frames the media as a system that safeguards the power of the elite by shaping public opinion.

* "On Palestine" by Chomsky (1 mention) * Summary: This book offers an insightful view of one of the most enduring and intractable conflicts of our time. Chomsky explores the historical origins, developments, and politics surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict.

* "Requiem for the American Dream" by Noam Chomsky (1 mention) * Summary: This book discusses the concentration of wealth in the hands of the few and its effects on democracy in America. It highlights the decline of the middle class and the widening wealth gap.

* "The Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman (2 mentions) * Summary: The book details the science behind our interaction with everyday items. It scrutinizes the design process and explores the relationship between users and the products they use, urging designers to think deeply about how their designs influence user behavior.

* "The Better Angels of Our Nature" by Steven Pinker (1 mention) * Summary: This book challenges the belief that society is becoming increasingly violent, arguing instead that violence has declined over historical time periods. It explores the psychological and societal mechanisms that have led to this decrease.

* "Factfulness" by Hans Rosling (1 mention) * Summary: Factfulness emphasizes a more optimistic view of global human progress. It challenges the notion that the world is worse off today than it was in the past by providing facts and statistics that argue the contrary.

* "Phenomenology of Spirit" by Hegel (1 mention) * Summary: This is a central work of German philosophy in which Hegel explores the concept of 'spirit'. He examines the relationship between consciousness and its objects, eventually leading to a discussion about the nature of freedom and the unfolding of history.

* "The Righteous Mind" by Jonathan Haidt (2 mentions) * Summary: The book delves into the world of moral psychology and its impact on politics and religion. Haidt proposes that morality is not a product of rational thought but is driven by intuitive reactions, challenging conventional understandings of morality.

* "How To Build A Car" (1 mention, author not specified) * Summary: The book offers a captivating analysis of Formula 1 car design and the precision engineering involved in creating these high-performance vehicles. It provides insights into the processes followed by a renowned designer.

* "Factfulness" (1 mention, author not specified) * Summary: Factfulness emphasizes a more optimistic view of global human progress. It challenges notions that the world is getting worse by presenting an array of facts that argue the contrary.

* "Strunk and White The Elements of Style" (1 mention, author not specified) * Summary: A guide to English language usage and writing style that covers topics such as conciseness, clarity, and simplicity of expression. It is considered a seminal work on English composition and is widely used in American English writing.

* "Gödel, Escher, Bach" (1 mention, author not specified) * Summary: This book explores the concept of how symbols, patterns and loops manifest in the fields of mathematics, art and music. It also discusses aspects of cognition and consciousness and how our minds perceive and understand the world.

happycamper22 2 years ago | |

* "On Writing" by Stephen King (1 mention) * Summary: In his guide to the craft of writing, King masterfully conveys his views on how good writing is cultivated. The book provides personal insights into the author's life while serving as a guide for aspiring writers.

* "The Dictionary" (1 mention, multiple authors) * Summary: A reference book containing an alphabetical list of words in a specific language, providing definitions, pronunciations, etymology, and other details. It is a valuable resource for understanding and accurately using language.

* "Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage" (1 mention, author not specified) * Summary: This book chronicles Sir Ernest Shackleton’s 1914-1916 survival journey across the Antarctic. Faced with treacherous weather conditions and a lack of provisions, the men battle to stay alive, highlighting the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

* "The Experience of God" by David Bentley Hart (1 mention) * Summary: A philosophical exploration of the concept of God that goes beyond specific religious doctrines. Hart articulates a vision of ultimate reality that transcends religious, philosophical, and cultural boundaries.

* "A Mind for Numbers" by Barbara Oakley (1 mention) * Summary: This book provides practical advice on how to learn effectively in math and science areas, but the techniques are applicable across disciplines. Oakley shares techniques to overcome learning obstacles and improve comprehension and retention.

* "A People's History of the US" by Howard Zinn (1 mention) * Summary: This book offers an alternative exploration of American history from the perspective of ordinary people and marginalized groups rather than political leaders, emphasizing class struggles and systemic injustices.

* "The Intelligent Man's Guide to Science" by Isaac Asimov (1 mention) * Summary: A comprehensive outline of scientific knowledge, covering fields like physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy, and earth science. It communicates complex scientific concepts in a way that is accessible to non-specialist readers.

* "Das Kapital" by Karl Marx (1 mention) * Summary: A comprehensive critique of capitalism highlighting its inherent contradictions and imbalances. Marx diagnoses the capitalist system as one in which the rich get richer at the expense of the working class. The book has been influential in shaping socialist and communist thought.

* "You are Not So Smart" by David McRaney (1 mention) * Summary: This book explores various cognitive biases, logical fallacies, and memory missteps that humans commonly succumb to. The author uses humor and personal anecdotes to make neuroscience and psychology accessible, challenging readers to question their perceptions of the world and themselves.

* "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell (1 mention) * Summary: Gladwell explores the process of quick decision-making, also known as "thin-slicing." The book delves into both the potential accuracy and the pitfalls of making snap judgments. It demonstrates how our subconscious biases often override our better instincts.

* "How To Sell at Margins Higher Than Your Competitors" (1 mention, author not specified) * Summary: This book offers detailed advice on how to avoid price competition by creating differentiators and adding value, thereby allowing readers to compete on things other than price.

* "The Surrender Experiment" by Michael Singer (1 mention) * Summary: The book chronicles the author’s journey from solitude into the business world. It explores the idea of surrendering personal preferences to allow life to guide the way, challenging conventional views about control and outcomes.

* "How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World" by Harry Browne (1 mention) * Summary: This self-help book offers a blueprint for finding personal freedom. It encourages readers to embrace their individual sovereignty and to not be inhibited by societal conventions, effectively teaching how to live on one's own terms.

* "Happy by Derren Brown" and "The Daily Stoic" (1 mention, authors not specified) * Summary: "Happy" provides a perspective on happiness using the principles of stoic philosophy, challenging modern conceptions of happiness. "The Daily Stoic" provides a year's worth of philosophical wisdom from ancient stoics, aimed at allowing people to better respond to life's challenges.

* "Guns, Germs, and Steel" by Jared Diamond (1 mention) * Summary: Diamond investigates the geographical and environmental factors that have shaped the modern world. He argues that civilizations have developed differently across the globe due to variances in geography, climate, vegetation, and animal populations, more so than due to traits inherent to different racial or ethnic groups.

* "The Gulag Archipelago" by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (1 mention) * Summary: Solzhenitsyn unveils the brutal reality of the Soviet Union’s forced labor camp system. It's an exploration of the human capability for evil when unchecked by moral constraints, shedding light on the mechanisms of a totalitarian regime.

* "Ecclesiastes" (1 mention, author not specified) * Summary: A book from the Bible that delves into the purpose of life and the vain pursuit of earthly things. It debates the merits of wisdom, wealth, and pleasure, underscoring the transience and ultimate futility of human endeavors, and urging readers to fear God and keep his commandments.

* "Women hold up half the sky" (1 mention, author not specified) * Summary: A collection of personal stories illuminating the oppression and resistance of women in developing countries. The book confronts issues like gender inequality, sexual violence, maternal mortality and economic disparity while highlighting the resilience and strength of ordinary women in overcoming them.

* "Spell of the Sensuous" (1 mention, author not specified) * Summary: This book offers a radical reinterpretation of our relationship with the natural world. It critiques Western civilization’s estrangement from nature, exploring indigenous cultures and offering a philosophical enquiry into human perception and its relation to the environment.

* "Kids and the Amiga" (1 mention, author not specified) * Summary: A guide to using the Amiga computer, aimed at children and early-tweens. It provides a hands-on approach to learning basic computer skills by creating practical programs.

* "Hackers" (1 mention, author not specified) * Summary: The book provides a comprehensive history of hackers, tracing the evolution of hacking culture from the 1950s to the present day. It details the personalities, philosophies, and technical exploits that have defined this diverse and innovative subculture.

* "LSD my problem child" by Albert Hoffmann (1 mention) * Summary: This book is the autobiography of Albert Hofmann, the Swiss chemist who first synthesized LSD. It chronicles his discovery, the subsequent fallout, and his personal experiences with the drug.

* "Electric cool aid acid test" (1 mention, author not specified) * Summary: This book tells the story of novelist Ken Kesey and his band of Merry Pranksters. They embarked on a cross-country bus journey, experimenting with LSD and challenging societal norms, becoming pivotal figures in the psychedelic movement and the counterculture of the 1960s.

happycamper22 2 years ago | | |

* "The Code Book" (1 mention, author not specified) * Summary: This book explores the history of codes and codebreaking. It traces the evolution of cryptography from ancient times to the digital age, detailing famous codebreakers, notorious codes, and the role of codes in wars and revolutions.

* "Warped Passages" (1 mention, author not specified) * Summary: This book guides readers through the world of particle physics and string theory. It discusses key theories, experiments, and concepts that have shaped our understanding of the fundamental structure of the universe.

* "A History of The Internet And the Digital Future" by Johnny Ryan (1 mention) * Summary: This book offers a comprehensive history of the internet and looks forward to its future. It traces the development of the internet, exploring its impact on society and speculating on potential future developments.

* "The Master Switch" by Tim Wu (1 mention) * Summary: The Master Switch looks at the history of information technologies like telephone, radio, television, and the Internet to see how their development was shaped by businesses and government. The book discusses the cycle of open to closed systems in the context of the Internet.

* "The Realities of Work: Experiencing Work and Employment in Contemporary Society" by Mike Noon and Paul Blyton (1 mention) * Summary: Examines the nature of work, the variety of different jobs, and the skills they require. This book highlights the changes in the structures and cultures of work and analyses their impact on the working lives of employees.

* "The Ascent of Humanity: Civilization and the Human Sense of Self" by Charles Eisenstein (1 mention) * Summary: This book explores the history and future of civilization from a unique perspective. It hypothesizes that human history is a story of the self's marginalization from nature and each other and proposes that mounting crises in the modern world will lead to an 'Age of Reunion' with a more connected sense of self.

* "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan (1 mention) * Summary: A guide to the universe beyond the Earth. Sagan explores the origins, scale, and future of the universe, offering insights into the nature of life and mankind's place in the cosmos. The book fosters an appreciation for the quest for knowledge for its own sake.

* "Women, fire, and dangerous things" by Lakoff (1 mention) * Summary: A scholarly book about human cognition and linguistic categorization. It posits that human categorization is not arbitrary, but is based on cognitive models that originate from physical, social, and mental experience. It argues against a classical categorization approach in favor of a prototype approach.

* "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius (1 mention) * Summary: A series of philosophical reflections and exercises by the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. The book offers guidance and insights on matters such as resilience, rationality, morality, duty, and the temporal nature of human life, reflecting the Stoic philosophy that Aurelius practiced.

* "A History of the Internet and the Digital Future" by Johnny Ryan (1 mention) * Summary: This book offers a comprehensive history of the internet and speculates about its future. It discusses the various technological and social transformations that have accompanied the rise of the internet, as well as the implications these changes may have for the future.

* "The Master Switch" by Tim Wu (1 mention) * Summary: The book examines the history of information, communications and technology industries in the United States. Wu explores how the control of these industries has shifted from an open to a closed system, stifling innovation and threatening net neutrality.

CapitalistCartr 2 years ago |

As a kid, "The Intelligent Man's Guide to Science" by Isaac Asimov. As an adult, "Das Kapital" by Karl Marx.