

Ask HN: The Primers on different subjects - morphir

While studying Computer Science I've collected a set of different primer CS books. SICP is however considered to be <i>the</i> book among CS students (I agree with that). But as a curious guy who enjoy to be stimulated intellectually - I would love to know the primers/classics in the following subjects:<p>- Architecture
- Philosophy 
- Psychology
- Medicine
- Physics
======
ModelCitizen
There was a metafilter thread a while back that asked a similar question.
Here's a summary of the books listed (with a link to the original thread):

<http://www.septivium.com/b/2009/05/07/mefi/>

------
mechanical_fish
Ironically, I have a Ph.D. in Physics, so I will have trouble recommending a
decent primer. ;)

You can't go wrong with Feynman's stuff. But his _Lectures_ really are
notorious for being the books that physics grad student _wish_ were the
standard primers, rather than books that are known to be easy for beginners to
learn from. On the other hand, if you're gonna get lost, getting lost with
Feynman is always more fun.

I've had good luck so far with the Very Short Introduction series --
specifically, the one on quantum mechanics didn't offend me too much, which
says a lot. (Once you've actually learned a bit of real quantum mechanics the
popular treatments will tend to drive you to drink.)

[http://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Theory-Short-Introduction-
Intr...](http://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Theory-Short-Introduction-
Introductions/dp/0192802526)

If you're looking for intellectual stimulation I wouldn't go toward medicine,
per se. For practical medical skills I've been thinking of dabbling in first
aid and EMS classes, but for intellectual stuff what you really want is
biology and chemistry. I think it's been long enough since I last plugged
_Molecular Biology Made Simple and Fun_ on HN, so let me recommend it again:

[http://www.amazon.com/Molecular-Biology-Made-Simple-
Third/dp...](http://www.amazon.com/Molecular-Biology-Made-Simple-
Third/dp/1889899070/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258927191&sr=1-1)

It's corny but the science is solid, and it is so much lighter, more readable,
and cheaper than _The Molecular Biology of the Cell_ , which is a classic text
and a book that I still intend to read someday, by god, whenever I have
something like three entire months of spare time and a very solidly designed
reading desk. [1]

Incidentally, have you looked at the online courses you can get for free these
days? The other day on MIT Open Courseware I found an intro biology course
taught by none other than Bob Weinberg and Eric Lander:

[http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Biology/7-012Fall-2004/CourseHome/...](http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Biology/7-012Fall-2004/CourseHome/index.htm)

It's a bit tricky to listen to in the car, or even to watch, as the slides for
this particular class are hard to see and some of the topics are necessarily
visual. But, still, these guys are star professors for a reason.

\---

[1] Or when the Kindle version comes out. MBoC is a book designed for that big
Kindle. If I tried to read the print version in bed I'd probably crush myself
to death.

~~~
weaksauce
The Feynman lectures on physics is great:

<http://www.feynmanlectures.info/>

A really enjoyable read is Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman. It chronicles
some of the interesting bits of his life and he led a very interesting life at
that. (Worked on the bomb, Did a lot of his research in strip clubs,
Lockpicking the file cabinets where they held the top secret info on the bomb
just to show them that the security was poor, etc...)

------
jasoncrawford
For philosophy, I recommend _A History of Western Philosophy_ by W. T. Jones.
It's a good overview, providing both extensive quotes from primary sources and
good summary/analysis of the material.

A little less sure for physics, but The Feynman Lectures are classics.

~~~
mpobrien
Another vote for The Feynman Lectures on Physics. Probably the closest thing
to "the" textbook on physics out there.

~~~
mikebike
The Feynman lectures are notorious for being very popular among readers who
already understand the physics, but difficult for those learning the physics
for the first time.

------
carpdiem
With regards to physics in particular (my specialty), I think it's important
to understand what part of physics you want to learn, and in what depth.

If you want a good, basic introduction to mechanics and E&M, I would point you
towards Serway. The problem is that Serway is a _very_ basic book, and not
really written like physicists think.

A step up from Serway is The Mechanical Universe.

The best intro physics book on E&M for physicists is Purcell.

The Feynman Lectures are great, but you have to be willing to devote serious
time and effort to studying them. Especially if you're new to physics, and
thinking like a physicist.

If you want another step up past the Feynman lectures, and you're willing to
devote a serious amount of time to it, the Landau and Lifshitz series is
incredible, though very advanced. If you can make it through all of those,
you're among a rare group indeed.

------
kes
Perhaps Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond would be a good book to pick
up.

Although it doesn't directly apply to any of the subjects you listed, I think
that knowing a bit about world history is a good way to make connections in
the philosophies of different areas.

~~~
barry-cotter
Don't. Read the _10,000 Year Explosion_ instead[1]. Criticism of Diamond [2].

[1]<http://the10000yearexplosion.com/>
[2]<http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2005/08/03/ggs>

~~~
silentbicycle
Actually, read both. The contradiction shows how history isn't some dead thing
set in stone, but a field created by people with ever-changing (often clashing
and very ideological) interpretations of the past, alternating with attempts
to tie those elaborate interpretations to the evidence available. (And
sometimes, new evidence shakes it up...)

_The Past is a Foreign Country_ by David Lowenthal is a decent book about how
historians interpret and rediscover the past. Really, though - read quite a
bit, read primary documents, read attempts to synthesize them, and try to draw
your own conclusions. I'm not sure I'd recommend any book in particular.
(Also, history is often the most interesting when you get really specific. I'm
particularly geeked about the history of medicine, but that's me.)

------
sharpn
For architecture I found 'A History of Architecture' by Bannister Fletcher to
be a good start, but my copy is very old (1943 edition) - so try elsewhere if
you want to include modernism from the outset. I'm told it's a classic.

~~~
jeffgoldenson
Re Architecture - Herman Hertzberger's Lessons for Students in Architecture
teaches you how to see/think as an architect does. Was the most important book
I read in arch. school. It's a very personal, and generous, tour through the
buildings that have been most influential to him; he points out specific
moments and moves in these buildings. It's brass tacks.
[http://www.amazon.com/Herman-Hertzberger-Lessons-Students-
Ar...](http://www.amazon.com/Herman-Hertzberger-Lessons-Students-
Architecture/dp/9064505624/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258941304&sr=1-1)

And another vote for Pattern Language. Take it out of the library just to see
how the thing is written, won't take long to see why software folk cite it.

great post morphir, thanks -

------
zackham
The Timeless Way of Building (and A Pattern Language) by Christopher Alexander
is a great architecture book that was influential in computer science.
Interdisciplinary books like this are a great way to connect the dots.

~~~
wallflower
"How Buildings Learn: What Happens After They're Built" by Stewart Brand. I've
given away at least five as gifts.

