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Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently?

11 pointsby thungaover 9 years ago

30 comments

brudgersover 9 years ago
Hugo and Nebula award winner <i>Ancillary Justice</i> is pretty good, though perhaps not great. Before that I reread <i>No Country for Old Men</i>, Cormac McCarthy is definitely great and I enjoyed it far more this time than when I read it nine years ago. Right now I am rereading <i>Dune</i> for the first time in at least twenty and possibly thirty years partially because <i>Ancillary Justice</i> reminded me of it, partially because it might be something I recommend trying to my son and partially because being able to read previously read books in new ways is turning out to be a pleasure of getting older. Anyway, <i>Dune</i> is great in ways that Dino Delaurentis and subsequent film makers had made me forget.<p>Langston Hughes&#x27; <i>Weary Blues</i> is amazing, but I&#x27;m no expert on poetry.
Jemaclusover 9 years ago
Just recently finished &quot;Seveneves&quot; by Neal Stephenson. It&#x27;s sci-fi, but fantastic.<p>For non-sci-fi, my favorite fantasy book I&#x27;ve read recently was &quot;The Lies of Locke Lamora&quot; (and its sequels) by Scott Lynch. Another is &quot;Dirty Jobs&quot; by Christopher Moore, a bit on the Pratchett-inspired side of things.<p>I also recently finished Felicia Day&#x27;s memoir, &quot;You&#x27;re Never Weird on the Internet,&quot; which I highly recommend.
BatFastardover 9 years ago
Great science fiction book covering the topic. <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;The_Diamond_Age" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;The_Diamond_Age</a><p>Ideas from that book come up once a week in conversations.
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darrelldover 9 years ago
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao<p>Excellent storytelling, humour and slice of life human drama. It&#x27;s just amazing how Junot Diaz tells of the tragedy of one family and the fukú curse that haunts them over generations.<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.amazon.com&#x2F;The-Brief-Wondrous-Life-Oscar&#x2F;dp&#x2F;1594483299" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.amazon.com&#x2F;The-Brief-Wondrous-Life-Oscar&#x2F;dp&#x2F;15944...</a>
SpikedColaover 9 years ago
&quot;In the Interests of Safety: The absurd rules that blight our lives and how we can change them&quot; - Tracey Brown &amp; Michael Hanlon<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.amazon.com&#x2F;In-Interests-Safety-absurd-blight&#x2F;dp&#x2F;0751553492" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.amazon.com&#x2F;In-Interests-Safety-absurd-blight&#x2F;dp&#x2F;0...</a>
icpmacdoover 9 years ago
I&#x27;m going through the audiobook of Cryptonomicon, its my first Neal Stephenson book and I am quite enjoying it.
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vincentbarrover 9 years ago
&quot;Meet Your Happy Chemicals: Dopamine, Endorphin, Oxytocin, Serotonin&quot; by Loretta Graziano Breuning<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.amazon.com&#x2F;Meet-Your-Happy-Chemicals-Endorphin&#x2F;dp&#x2F;1463790929" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.amazon.com&#x2F;Meet-Your-Happy-Chemicals-Endorphin&#x2F;dp...</a>
hmartinianoover 9 years ago
&quot;God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything&quot; by Christopher Hitchens. <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.amazon.com&#x2F;God-Is-Not-Great-Everything&#x2F;dp&#x2F;0446697966" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.amazon.com&#x2F;God-Is-Not-Great-Everything&#x2F;dp&#x2F;0446697...</a>
planet_carterover 9 years ago
&quot;Arcadia&quot; by Tom Stoppard. It&#x27;s an incredible play which explores some of the foundational concepts of Chaos Theory as literary themes. I&#x27;m not a huge fiction reader, but this one gets me every time I read it. The ending is really beautiful.
friggover 9 years ago
The Metamorphosis of Prime Intellect by Roger Williams.<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.goodreads.com&#x2F;book&#x2F;show&#x2F;64341.The_Metamorphosis_of_Prime_Intellect" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.goodreads.com&#x2F;book&#x2F;show&#x2F;64341.The_Metamorphosis_o...</a>
idefineover 9 years ago
Man&#x27;s Search for Meaning - Viktor Frankl<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.amazon.com&#x2F;Mans-Search-Meaning-Viktor-Frankl&#x2F;dp&#x2F;080701429X" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.amazon.com&#x2F;Mans-Search-Meaning-Viktor-Frankl&#x2F;dp&#x2F;0...</a>
ChildOfEruover 9 years ago
&quot;A People&#x27;s Tragedy: The Russian Revolution: 1891-1924&quot; by Orlando Figes<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.amazon.com&#x2F;gp&#x2F;product&#x2F;014024364X" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.amazon.com&#x2F;gp&#x2F;product&#x2F;014024364X</a>
ddwover 9 years ago
&quot;Annihilation&quot; by Jeff VanderMeer and the rest of the Southern Reach trilogy.
icuciover 9 years ago
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
fisadevover 9 years ago
Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality. Don&#x27;t know if &quot;great&quot;, but quite interesting and fun free book at hpmor.com
vimalvnairover 9 years ago
&quot;The Fabric Of Cosmos&quot; by Brian Greene
cpeteover 9 years ago
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter.<p>Gorgeous, funny writing. The story spans roughly half a century and moves between Europe and the United States.
partisanover 9 years ago
Childhood&#x27;s End by Arthur C. Clarke.
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browseatworkover 9 years ago
Of Human Bondage by Somerset Maugham<p>Gold by Isaac Asimov
jeo1234over 9 years ago
&quot;Every Nation for Itself: Winners and Losers in a G-Zero World&quot; by Ian Bremmer
georgeottover 9 years ago
&quot;The Potato Factory: The Australian Trilogy&quot; - Bryce Courtenay
atmosxover 9 years ago
Brothers Karamazov by FD
frostmatthewover 9 years ago
<i>Surely You&#x27;re Joking, Mr. Feynman!</i> - Richard Feynman
cdvonstinkpotover 9 years ago
&#x27;Zen and the Art of Archery&#x27; by Eugen Herrigel
ruraljurorover 9 years ago
Slightly-techy fiction: <i>Amnesia</i> by Peter Carey.
monroepeover 9 years ago
Dune - Frank Herbert. Just an amazing book.
TobbenTMover 9 years ago
Population: 485 from Michael Perry
harryc2011over 9 years ago
The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers
BlackLambover 9 years ago
Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle.
monknomoover 9 years ago
Super-Cannes - JG Ballard