Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? - thunga
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brudgers
Hugo and Nebula award winner _Ancillary Justice_ is pretty good, though
perhaps not great. Before that I reread _No Country for Old Men_ , 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 _Dune_ for the first time in
at least twenty and possibly thirty years partially because _Ancillary
Justice_ 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, _Dune_ is great in ways that Dino Delaurentis and subsequent film
makers had made me forget.

Langston Hughes' _Weary Blues_ is amazing, but I'm no expert on poetry.

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Jemaclus
Just recently finished "Seveneves" by Neal Stephenson. It's sci-fi, but
fantastic.

For non-sci-fi, my favorite fantasy book I've read recently was "The Lies of
Locke Lamora" (and its sequels) by Scott Lynch. Another is "Dirty Jobs" by
Christopher Moore, a bit on the Pratchett-inspired side of things.

I also recently finished Felicia Day's memoir, "You're Never Weird on the
Internet," which I highly recommend.

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BatFastard
Great science fiction book covering the topic.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Diamond_Age](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Diamond_Age)

Ideas from that book come up once a week in conversations.

~~~
Vaskivo
I believe that, following VR, 'ractors' will be the next big thing for
entertainment.

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darrelld
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

Excellent storytelling, humour and slice of life human drama. It's just
amazing how Junot Diaz tells of the tragedy of one family and the fukú curse
that haunts them over generations.

[http://www.amazon.com/The-Brief-Wondrous-Life-
Oscar/dp/15944...](http://www.amazon.com/The-Brief-Wondrous-Life-
Oscar/dp/1594483299)

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SpikedCola
"In the Interests of Safety: The absurd rules that blight our lives and how we
can change them" \- Tracey Brown & Michael Hanlon

[http://www.amazon.com/In-Interests-Safety-absurd-
blight/dp/0...](http://www.amazon.com/In-Interests-Safety-absurd-
blight/dp/0751553492)

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icpmacdo
I'm going through the audiobook of Cryptonomicon, its my first Neal Stephenson
book and I am quite enjoying it.

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vincentbarr
"Meet Your Happy Chemicals: Dopamine, Endorphin, Oxytocin, Serotonin" by
Loretta Graziano Breuning

[http://www.amazon.com/Meet-Your-Happy-Chemicals-
Endorphin/dp...](http://www.amazon.com/Meet-Your-Happy-Chemicals-
Endorphin/dp/1463790929)

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hmartiniano
"God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything" by Christopher Hitchens.
[http://www.amazon.com/God-Is-Not-Great-
Everything/dp/0446697...](http://www.amazon.com/God-Is-Not-Great-
Everything/dp/0446697966)

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planet_carter
"Arcadia" by Tom Stoppard. It's an incredible play which explores some of the
foundational concepts of Chaos Theory as literary themes. I'm not a huge
fiction reader, but this one gets me every time I read it. The ending is
really beautiful.

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frigg
The Metamorphosis of Prime Intellect by Roger Williams.

[http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/64341.The_Metamorphosis_o...](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/64341.The_Metamorphosis_of_Prime_Intellect)

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idefine
Man's Search for Meaning - Viktor Frankl

[http://www.amazon.com/Mans-Search-Meaning-Viktor-
Frankl/dp/0...](http://www.amazon.com/Mans-Search-Meaning-Viktor-
Frankl/dp/080701429X)

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ChildOfEru
"A People's Tragedy: The Russian Revolution: 1891-1924" by Orlando Figes

[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014024364X](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014024364X)

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ddw
"Annihilation" by Jeff VanderMeer and the rest of the Southern Reach trilogy.

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icuci
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

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fisadev
Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality. Don't know if "great", but quite
interesting and fun free book at hpmor.com

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vimalvnair
"The Fabric Of Cosmos" by Brian Greene

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cpete
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter.

Gorgeous, funny writing. The story spans roughly half a century and moves
between Europe and the United States.

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partisan
Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke.

~~~
monroepe
I just bought that book and will be starting it tomorrow. I am finishing up
The Eye of the World - Robert Jordan today. My wife loved it (she reads a lot
faster than me).

~~~
partisan
I read through the first three books of the Wheel of Time, but couldn't make
it further. I may try again at some point. Did you also love Eye of the World?

~~~
monroepe
I really enjoyed The Eye of the World. I can't wait to start book 2. I have
heard the series slows down considerably later on.But so far I love it.

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browseatwork
Of Human Bondage by Somerset Maugham

Gold by Isaac Asimov

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jeo1234
"Every Nation for Itself: Winners and Losers in a G-Zero World" by Ian Bremmer

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georgeott
"The Potato Factory: The Australian Trilogy" \- Bryce Courtenay

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atmosx
Brothers Karamazov by FD

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frostmatthew
_Surely You 're Joking, Mr. Feynman!_ \- Richard Feynman

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cdvonstinkpot
'Zen and the Art of Archery' by Eugen Herrigel

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ruraljuror
Slightly-techy fiction: _Amnesia_ by Peter Carey.

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monroepe
Dune - Frank Herbert. Just an amazing book.

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TobbenTM
Population: 485 from Michael Perry

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harryc2011
The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers

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BlackLamb
Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle.

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monknomo
Super-Cannes - JG Ballard

