
YC’s Summer Reading - craigcannon
http://themacro.com/articles/2016/07/yc-summer-reading/
======
swanson
I've not read the book version but "How Buildings Learn" is one of my favorite
things ever (a great case-study for looking outside of software for lessons
that can apply to well...software).

Stewart Brand (of Longnow fame) produced a really lovely 6 part series for BBC
in the late 90's and they are on YouTube:
[https://www.youtube.com/user/brandst/videos](https://www.youtube.com/user/brandst/videos)
\-- highly recommended (Warning: there is a very loud and obnoxious beeping
during the first 10 seconds or so)

A look at "the evolution of buildings and how buildings adapt to changing
requirements over long periods" \-- replace buildings with software and you’ve
probably got a best-seller from Pragmatic Programmers!

~~~
neves
Please let me disagree. It is a beautiful book, but really boring and
repetitive. Never finished it. I'll resume it for you all: "Buildings change
over time to adapt for their owners livestyle."

The really good part is the author bashing renowned architects that build
prize winning buildings that leak.

~~~
andyjohnson0
> I'll resume it for you all: "Buildings change over time to adapt for their
> owners livestyle."

An important concept in the book is "shearing layers" [1]: different parts of
a building change at different rates due to differential pressures. E.g. walls
change faster than foundations.

Its a few years since I last read it, but fwiw I found the book insightful and
not at all boring. Each to their own though.

[1]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shearing_layers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shearing_layers)

------
overcast
I'm really surprised to see Ready Player One on there. It relied way too
heavily on the 80's nostalgia, to prop up the shallow story telling. But even
that got old, it was like hanging around with someone that talks entirely in
movie quotes, while fun at the right times, gets stale fast. You didn't care
about the character, because there was nothing for him to really lose.

~~~
wrsh07
It's fun, but if you want dystopian capitalist world with a parallel vr
universe, snow crash has more surprising ideas. (And better writing)

Although it's a bit violent and has some... interesting mechanisms (as I was
told: it gets weird)

Also, the nostalgia comes baked in because it was written in the 90s. Still
super relevant though

~~~
overcast
I thought SnowCrash was horrendous, with terrible writing. Most overrated book
I've read to date, by far.

~~~
wrsh07
Have you read RP1? If you haven't and that's your impression of Snow Crash:
Don't.

~~~
overcast
Look at the parent of this thread, I started it to show my disdain for that
book.

~~~
wrsh07
Ah right. Any recent books you're enjoying?

------
cs702
I would add "Lords of Finance" to the list:
[https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001QIGZEK](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001QIGZEK)

The book, which won a Pulitzer in 2010, describes the financial crises and
global economic depression that followed the Great Crash of 1929 -- relevant
to the current (post-2008-crisis) state of affairs.

Normally, books on these topics are dull and dreary. This one is surprisingly
interesting and fun, in part because it shows how colorful personalities,
prevailing wisdom, and political realities influenced events.

PS. The first chapter is available for free at the New York Times:
[http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/15/books/chapters/chapter-
lor...](http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/15/books/chapters/chapter-lords-of-
fianance.html)

------
msutherl
So glad "Seeing Is Forgetting the Name of the Thing One Sees" is here – one of
my favorite books and the reason I became an artist ... and then stopped being
an artist.

One of my most referenced parts of the book describes an entire year Irwin
spent in Ibiza (IIRC) alone and not speaking to anyone in his late 20s. The
insight he gathered that year really determined the rest of the career and
enabled him to step outside of the zeitgeist of the time (abstract
expressionism) into something totally different.

If you're in LA, you can see a garden he designed at the Getty Center. If
you're in New York, you can visit DIA Beacon, which he also designed (or non-
designed really). And if you ever get a chance to see his artwork, I highly
recommend it.

Such restraint, such slowness.

------
Yhippa
Just curious, what's everybody's pace around here? It took me about a month to
casually get through "Ready Player One" (great book BTW), and that was for a
book club. It seems like a lot of the people I respect get through about a
book a week. Either they're lying or have such good focus to avoid
distractions other than books. Maybe I could put down the HN for a bit.

~~~
avindroth
I write a lot while reading. Sort of like having a conversation with the
author.

I read less books this way, but the knowledge in the books become much more
internalized. I tend to implement them much faster too. And aren't we reading,
in part, to better our lives (short-term pleasure or long-term changes)?

Of course, I read fiction just for the pleasure as well (like Ready Player
One).

This method of reading also sharpened my bullshit detector. If I am not
writing a lot, this indicates lack of insights. Either a bad book or a bad
time for that book. So either way, a bad book for me.

~~~
sp527
I'd be very curious to hear more about this. I've flirted on and off with
note-taking on books for all the same reasons you mention, but I invariably
feel guilty about progressing too slowly. In a weird way, I think this a
quintessentially American affliction - like our obsession with throughput and
productivity washes into our real lives as well. I'm just wondering what you
do to fight that instinct. Specifically, I think the two things that get me
are : (1) feeling bad about not reading enough and (2) worrying about being
ultimately disappointed with a book and having wasted my time taking notes.

~~~
avindroth
I feel much smarter after reading more slowly. When someone asks me, "What are
you reading?" I feel much more confident in answering that question.

And the knowledge is less flimsy as well; I become a master, not a slave, of
the material. I do not place the source material on a pedestal. I take what I
need, and discard the garbage.

I can also cook the material much better. I am able to merge ideas from the
book with my previous interests. The products from mental fusing turn out to
be solid business ideas and mental models.

------
jseliger
_The Magicians_ is a lovely book; I actually interviewed Grossman when the
first one came out, in 2010: [https://jakeseliger.com/2010/10/14/an-interview-
with-lev-gro...](https://jakeseliger.com/2010/10/14/an-interview-with-lev-
grossman-author-of-the-magicians-and-codex-part-i). If you like it, try Philip
Pullman's _His Dark Materials_ trilogy too.

 _Leviathan Wakes_ disappoints: its plot and political economy are interesting
but on a sentence-by-sentence level one wishes for more. If you haven't read
it yet try Peter Watts, _Blindsight_.

~~~
facepalm
Pullman is another one for the Christians, I suppose. If you are not
religious, it seems unlikely to me that you would enjoy it (I didn't).

~~~
e12e
I'm an atheist _and_ a big fan of both _His Dark Materials_ and _Narnia_. Why
wouldn't an atheist enjoy religious art? That's _millennia_ of human
creativity you're throwing on the fire.

~~~
facepalm
I enjoyed Narnia, but found His Dark Materials unbearable. It's been a while
since I read it, though, don't remember the specifics. The soul mate with
animal spirit thing just seemed Christian to me - stunned that it is supposed
to be an atheist book, as another comment mentioned.

So I am not opposed to religious art. A bit tired of the "chosen one" theme in
fantasy, but other than that, I tend to just view it as an expression of human
yearning.

~~~
DanBC
It's pretty clearly atheist, and has been criticised by religious groups for
that.

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Pullman#Perspective_on_...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Pullman#Perspective_on_religion)

~~~
facepalm
Maybe I didn't read far enough, didn't think a book about souls could be
atheist.

~~~
DanBC
The book includes religion. That's what world building is. That doesn't mean
it's pro religion, anymore than it's pro armour-clad polar bears.

In the books the church is pretty oppressive.

~~~
facepalm
But it's different things to include religion, which is just stuff people
believe, and actual souls. Religion is just a belief. Churches are just
companies.

But I admit, in that sense any fantasy novel containing magic might be
"religious" in some sense. The soul thing just seemed rather Christian to me.

I am an atheist and not that well versed in Christianity, though.

------
pdq
I'm in the middle of Chaos Monkeys, and am enjoying the author's excellent
prose, while walking through the sausage factory of startups. There's also
some interesting YC insights, as the author's startup went through it.

[1] [https://www.amazon.com/Chaos-Monkeys-Obscene-Fortune-
Failure...](https://www.amazon.com/Chaos-Monkeys-Obscene-Fortune-
Failure/dp/0062458191/)

~~~
elevensies
I finished this recently and liked it as well. My "policy" is to read every
technology company related memoir or corporate history that I can get my hands
on, and I found this one more interesting than most as a narrative.

~~~
billionsfan1
I also like these. just read the facebook and twitter ones. which did you also
find and like?

~~~
elevensies
posted a list on sibling comment

------
qwertyuiop924
I reread _Cryptonomicon_ (the last Stephenson book to really draw me in enough
to make me read it, although he frontloads a lot of the complexity, so maybe
if I push through the opening to Anathem just one more time...)

For those of you who read RP1 already, I would reccomend _You_ , by Austin
Grossman, which takes the concept of a treasure hunt through computing and
gaming history in a radically different direction, one that is more realistic
(although it still takes some bizare leaps of logic and outright wrong turns),
as you follow a new developer at a games company that his friends started many
years ago, desparately trying to track down an ancient, game-breaking bug,
before the company closes its doors for good.

It's flawed, but has a stronger character focus than RP1, and I think I liked
it better, on the whole.

~~~
overcast
I have a first printing hardcover Cryptonomicon sitting in front of me, that I
haven't cracked opened yet. Bought it prior to reading Snowcrash, which I
thought was the most overrated drivel that I've ever come across. Awesome
beginning, that turned into ancient religious programming nonsense. I'm afraid
to even begin that monster, if the writing is anything like that.

~~~
qwertyuiop924
Stephenson REALLY likes showing his work. He also likes to use myth as
metaphor. So Cryptonomicon is full of Crypto, WWII and modern, philosophy,
math, and computing, and involves a startup, treasure hunts, at least one
conspiracy, a metaphor involving greek mythology, reflections on long-term
relationships, sorta-kinda mocking liberal arts academia, and a full on erotic
novella about furniture and stocking fetishes, which sets up a major plotpoint
(yes, really).

If these things don't sound appeling to you, steer clear. You may just not
like Stephenson. But if you're intrigued by some of the things I mentioned,
give it a go.

------
koolba
At some point this summer I highly suggest reading the nutrition facts on back
of a cold beer, preferably on the beach. Not everything you read needs to be
about technology development or enlightenment.

------
Animats
I notice that "The Intelligent Investor", by Benj. Graham, is on the list.
This is the light version of his "Securities Analysis", which is all about
value investing. It's how Warren Buffett did it in the early years.

~~~
fiftyacorn
Ive read it a few times and keep getting to the chapter in the annotated
version where the author of the annotations basically says that unless you
really want to put the work in stick with index trackers. I then reread
bogleheads, and WB's recent shareholder letters and decided i'll stick with
that.

------
compumike
Just finished "Ready Player One" yesterday. Fun read! Would recommend.

~~~
haydenlee
Spielberg is directing an RP1 movie, slated to come out in 2018! Hopefully
they knock it out of the park and its a great inspiration for the VR industry.

~~~
angersock
It'll just be another threadbare cultural touchstone to kowtow at in order to
win mainstream "geek cred".

 _Snowcrash_ is what shaped the future.

~~~
Animats
A _Snow Crash_ movie was in the works at one time, but didn't happen. Maybe if
VR catches on this time...

Recommended: "The Shockwave Rider", by John Brunner. Published in 1975, and
way, way ahead of its time.

------
walkingolof
Or get a break from work and this world and read some Scottish SciFi !!

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_series](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_series)

~~~
Everlag
I read up to Excession and stopped. At the pace I was going, there was going
to be a year of Culture, then nothing new from it forever. It's such a shame
that Banks died but damn, did he leave a mark.

If anyone is in the same position, I can recommend the Second Apocalypse
series[1]. I find it feels like you put Tolkien and Banks in a pot, inverted
some tropes, and let simmer.

[1]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._Scott_Bakker#The_Second_Apo...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._Scott_Bakker#The_Second_Apocalypse)

------
Jun8
+1 for _The Beginning of Infinity_ , awesome book that really gets to the
heart of scientific thinking and process.

On a different note, I am just finishing up _Snowflower and the Secret Fan_
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_Flower_and_the_Secret_Fan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_Flower_and_the_Secret_Fan)).
Not only a well written story about the life story of two Chinese women around
the turn of the century but also taught me some interesting customs about
women's lives in pre-Revolution China, e.g. being _lao tong_ s
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laotong](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laotong)).

~~~
discreteevent
The beginning of infinity is a good book by I actually found his previous book
"The fabric of reality" better, in terms of what scientific thinking really
is. Specifically, how important criticism is in weeding out theories that are
likely to be inviable before you even start to experiment.

------
goodgoblin
I just finished reading
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Quantum_Thief](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Quantum_Thief),
and it was amazing. Best sci-fi book I've read since Neuromancer.

~~~
erelde
I read the three books last year, it really was good, left some strong
impressions.

IMO: the beginning introduces some hard to get concepts, expecting the reader
to stop and really try to understand.

PS/EDIT: I think Ars Technica is going to do or has done an interview of the
author yesterday or today.

------
BatFastard
My favorite of the summer is
[http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6665847-daemon](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6665847-daemon)
and the second half of the book
[http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8488830-freedom](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8488830-freedom)
Great series, very timely since its about Augmented Reality, AI, games, ... "I
accept the Deamon"

------
Vexs
I finished the expanse series in about a week- it's a fantastic sci-fi, but
it's really not for people who go in expecting action. Most of the series is
space politics, as well as an annoying tendency to just vaguely hint at alien
stuff, flip flopping between space magic and dumb ol' block.

That being said, I really liked it, and I would recommend it. Also, if they're
not your thing, the first book is the only one with zombies.

------
Animats
"End of Cycle"[1] is mentioned. Key points:

\- The easy hits in social and mobile have been done.

\- Investors are looking for the Next Big Thing, and to some extent throwing
money at what's probably the wrong stuff.

\- Startups which involve making real physical stuff are a lot more
complicated as businesses than pure compute-based startups.

[1] [http://blog.eladgil.com/2016/07/end-of-
cycle.html](http://blog.eladgil.com/2016/07/end-of-cycle.html)

------
ztravis
I'm consistently surprised to hear people saying positive things about "Ready
Player One" \- to me it was one of the most hackneyed and silly books I've
read in a long time. My review at the time of reading (originally for private
consumption only):

Terrible modern sci-fi about easter egg MMO quest for game creator’s fortune.
Childish plot/dialog, cliches everywhere (e.g. ‘L337 Hax0r Warezhouse’),
absolutely atrocious, really simple puzzles. The only positive thing I can say
about it is that I didn’t give up on it immediately - although I was tempted,
the main plot line was at least interesting enough that I wanted to hear the
end. Unfortunately the ending itself was disappointing - the final puzzle was
just a rehash of the first two. My main takeaways were: I hope the ‘MMO-scifi’
subgenre is finally dead, I should wait at least 10 years for more recent sci-
fi to go through quality assurance, and that it seems like based on this,
anyone with a half-baked idea and enough pop-culture-nerd knowledge to
sprinkle throughout 300 or so pages should be able to write a best-seller.
Meanwhile, the politics/worldview it espouses is basically boingboing
distilled - big corporation bad, internet is free, knowledge is free, american
culture and society is dead, cyber-elite should run world, pop-media is
simultaneously in control of world and source of inspiration and true
creativity.

~~~
wyldfire
I really enjoyed it myself. It was a big nostalgia fest. I wonder -- are you
significantly older or younger than the audience that would've spent time
enjoying these games?

~~~
MichaelGG
I spent time on some of it. I'm only 35 so perhaps a bit young; or maybe I
didn't spend enough time in arcades.

I found it heavy handed. Just dumping tons of references all over the place.
Felt like he printed out a list of games and stuff and just made sure to check
each one off.

------
elevensies
I found an alternate link to _Hadrian 's Wall_ that includes a kindle version
(thus a preview sample) etc: [https://www.amazon.com/Hadrians-Penguin-History-
Brian-Dobson...](https://www.amazon.com/Hadrians-Penguin-History-Brian-Dobson-
ebook/dp/B004LLIH4A/)

[edit: although I see it has a lot of illustrations so kindle format maybe
non-ideal.]

------
cmollis
I read tegmark' about a year ago. Very insightful for a cosmology noob like me
(e.g. Lots of stuff on inflation theory, origin of Carbon (i didn't
know),etc.). Clearly believes in the 'many worlds' hypothesis which may be
hard to take, but is nonetheless an insightful view on how weird reality
actually is from one of mit's great scientists.

------
anateus
The title implies this is a list of books that YC somehow institutionally
recommends (like their "how to pitch" articles). When I first looked at it
that way it seemed strangely uneven in terms of quality. When I realized this
was actually "some personal recommendations from our staff and partners" it
became a perfectly reasonable collection :)

------
ismdubey
Has anyone read 'Dream Machine' by Mitchel Waldrop.

[https://www.amazon.com/Dream-Machine-Licklider-Revolution-
Co...](https://www.amazon.com/Dream-Machine-Licklider-Revolution-
Computing/dp/014200135X)

I have heard Patrick collision talking about this book quite a few times.

------
wfoweoi
> While my experience doesn’t always jibe with the ideas in the book

Care to elaborate, @emmett?

~~~
emmett
I don't think my anecdotal evidence is particularly stronger than the
author's. My point is just to take it all with the knowledge that what worked
at google in an experiment there won't necessarily work for you in the same
way. The world is complex and these things are contingent.

------
pdar4123
Glad to see so many great female authors represented ... Oh... Wait

~~~
facepalm
If you have good books to recommend, do.

~~~
whyleyc
Not the OP but I'd highly recommend "Zoo City" by Lauren Beukes. Brilliantly
written, gritty, bonkers-but pulsating plot set in a grimy version of
Johannesburg. Loved it.

------
DavidWanjiru
Right now, Amazon tells me that customers who viewed a-given-book-on-this-list
also viewed other books on this list. Is that the effect of being on this
list? Interesting.

------
adamnemecek
You guys should include more tech books too.

------
togasystems
Any recommendations on investment books?

~~~
louprado
I am sure you noticed Grahams's _The Intelligent Investor_ on the list.

Warren Buffet often cites it as his favorite book on investing stating,
"picking up that book was one of the luckiest moments of my life”. I recall he
decided to read it at least 10 times before making another trade, but I can't
find the source. Human nature doesn't change, so that book is still relevant.

Otherwise the "Warren Buffet Way" is a modern take on the same theories.

------
neves
Great! Bill Gates started to be a tech mogul that recommends books. Now it
looks like everyone that want to become a tech mogul must share reading
recommendations. I liked this trend.

~~~
beambot
Pretty sure reading recommendations pre-date Bill Gates...

------
jolux
I'm getting a 404?

edit: has been fixed.

~~~
justinv
me too

~~~
craigcannon
Fixed. Sorry about that!

