
What one book could give me a new, useful superpower? - kareemm
http://ask.metafilter.com/224344/What-one-book-could-give-me-a-new-useful-superpower
======
crntaylor
The book that has changed my life the most, so far, has been _The Structure
and Interpretation of Computer Programs_ by Abelson and Sussman.

In 2010 I started a job that was far, far ahead of my skillset. I'd written
fewer than 10,000 lines of code in my life, and I was completely ill-prepared
for the work I was supposed to be doing. I picked up SICP about a month or two
into that job.

Fast forward a year, and I felt that I knew more about programming than half
the people I worked with, and I'd moved to a smaller, more awesome company
doing work that I think is much more fun.

A year since then and I've picked up half a dozen new languages, given talks
at user groups on some of them. Next year I'm aiming for conferences.

Pick up this book. It gives you superpowers.

~~~
FireBeyond
"A year since then and I've picked up half a dozen new languages"

Definitely not an attack or a skeptic, indeed, it may play into your
assessment of the worth of the book...

But 12 months, 6 languages - how well do you feel you've mastered any/all of
those?

~~~
crntaylor
I certainly don't think I've mastered any of them - even the languages that I
use every day. But I can write real-world, useful programs in all of them.

The 'superpower' that the book gave me was a set of tools to think about
computation in a language-independent way. Once I had that, then every new
language was "oh, here's a nice syntax for doing something I already know how
to do in Scheme".

The new languages I learned were from a variety of paradigms - functional
(Haskell, OCaml, R), object-oriented (Java, Python) and array-based (Q,
Matlab). I haven't learned a logic-based language yet, but I've written an
evaluator for one (section 4.4 of SICP) so I don't expect picking up Prolog to
be difficult, if I ever choose to do it.

~~~
rikthevik
"...here's a nice syntax for doing something I already know how to do in
Scheme..."

That's a very nice line. I like that very much.

------
davej
The 4-Hour Chef is probably not a surprising choice since it's a recent
release and Amazon has been pushing it heavily (Amazon are also the
publisher). I'm just over 60% through the book so I don't want to give it a
ringing endorsement just yet but it fits the category of "developing a new
superpower" quite nicely and it's definitely worth a particular mention on HN
for two reasons.

1\. Ferriss, the author, is very much a hacker in his approach to trying new
things and drawing conclusions. This is also very evident in his previous
book, The 4-Hour Body.

2\. The 4-Hour Chef not only teaches the reader how to cook (which is a
superpower in itself). He also delves into the _meta_ and spends a large
portion of the book, discussing the framework he uses for learning these
techniques and how he has applied it to learning (and excelling in) other
skill sets like judo, tango dancing and learning new languages.

Edit: This sounds like a bit of a marketing message, which it definitely is
not, so I'll add a negative.

I find his books to be a bit scattered and although they're centered on an
over-arching theme he doesn't always tie the threads together very
convincingly. Whole chapters can seem like lightly-edited crib notes.
Personally, I don't mind this style of writing and it does make his books very
easy to scan and skip chapters without losing the books narrative but at times
I've also found it difficult to follow.

~~~
technotony
This is a function of the way he writes the book. If you read four-hour work
week he basically describes his process, which is that he develops the
headline structure for the book and each chapter and then outsources the
actual writing online via elance or equivalent. Presumably the writers read a
bunch of stuff on the topic and essentially write crib notes. Quite a clever
way for Ferris to make money, but not the highest quality product.

~~~
malloreon
I've read Work Week and Body, and I know he advocates outsourcing, but did he
ever actually mention that the books themselves were outsourced?

~~~
maneesh
I know for a fact that he didn't outsource the writing of his books

~~~
tome
You know that for a fact? But it would have been perfectly consistent with his
own advice if he _did_ outsource at least parts of the writing process.

~~~
maneesh
Yes, I worked with Tim during the 4-Hour Chef, and we are very good friends.
He did not outsource it

------
edw519
_The Ultimate Secret to Getting Absolutely Everything You Want_ by Mike
Hernacki

There are many inputs that affect success: intelligence, hard work, work
ethic, emotional balance, determination, and even luck.

I believe that the single most important of these over which we have the most
control is determination. This book is provides a pretty good recipe to
cultivate your own determination.

I'm even going to tell you the secret below.

Spoiler Alert:

    
    
      .
      .
      .
      .
      .
      .
      .
      .
      . 
      .
      .
      .
      .
    

The secret is: "I am willing to do whatever it takes to get what I want."

Now that you know the secret, read the book anyway.

~~~
pretoriusB
> _The secret is: "I am willing to do whatever it takes to get what I want."_

Like step over people? Screw the ones who love me? Be unethical? Ignore other
parts of my life?

Plus, who said that (a) I know what I want, (b) what I want is good for me (c)
what I want is good for society in general, anyway?

Not to mention that the whole premise is BS. As if by knowing this "secret"
will help anybody.

A regression to miracle cures and snake oil medicine for the modern age, if
there ever was one.

~~~
return0
That probably depends on what one wants to do, but some people do suggest that
being ruthless is the ultimate way. Example: [http://www.amazon.com/How-Get-
Rich-Greatest-Entrepreneurs/dp...](http://www.amazon.com/How-Get-Rich-
Greatest-Entrepreneurs/dp/1591842719)

Point is, if one is not willing to do whatever it takes, he probably doesn't
really want to do the said thing, but rather tries to live up to social
expectations.

~~~
pretoriusB
> _Point is, if one is not willing to do whatever it takes, he probably
> doesn't really want to do the said thing, but rather tries to live up to
> social expectations._

Well, not wanting to, say, sacrifice your loved ones for something or play
dirty to get it, doesn't mean you don't want it. It just means you are a moral
guy, instead of a ruthless jerk.

I want a new car, but I'm not willing to steal to buy one --even if I have
some scheme by which I would not get caught. I'd rather work and find my way
to pay for it. That doesn't mean I don't want it.

~~~
rhizome
Logically you're asking about putting the cart before the horse, though. You
can tell by the way you structure your questions about this that you're
putting way too fine a point on it, and that you're combining goals that
simply don't occur to most people. Who's goal is to sacrifice their loved ones
for any reason? It just doesn't come up when deciding what to do. How many
goals would ever require sacrificing loved ones? Sure, "behind every fortune
there is a crime," but to _start_ with the 'crime' part? Only criminals and
sociopaths (cue CEO vs. psychopath study) do that.

------
TallboyOne
Absolutely hands down this: [http://www.amazon.com/Memory-Book-Classic-
Improving-School/d...](http://www.amazon.com/Memory-Book-Classic-Improving-
School/dp/0345337581)

Within a day I was memorizing lists of 75 items forwards AND backwards.
Completely random items as well.

It makes remembering names a joke, you will remember them for years.

I gave the book to my 15 year old brother and explained to him how much the
book meant to me and that it was a very quick read (most of the good stuff is
in the first 2 chapters anyway)

Keep in mind hes 15.. 24 hours later he comes back to me with a list of 100
items (to outdo me).. lists them forwards and backwards. That's my boy.

I distinctly remember going to a salon one time and they had tons and tons and
tons of bottles of gel, shampoo, hair products lined up in a styled fashion
along the middle of the wall going across the wall. by the time my haircut was
done I turned around and listed off every shampoo bottle in order and the hair
stylist was just like "WTF!!". She probably felt like i was a freak, but I
felt really good.

Trust me, its great going to the grocery store and not needing a list, and
coming up with all 35 items... makes you feel like a boss.

~~~
mitchi
You are not using the loci method are you? (The memory palace) It takes me 10
minutes to memorize a deck of cards right now. It took a lot of time to assign
characters to my cards and considerable time to set up mental journeys to
store the characters. It's a mental algorithm but the setup is not trivial.
Maybe you are just gifted but I'll say it for the others, it's not that easy.

~~~
TallboyOne
Not gifted, but I have a very good imagination. So does my brother, and that's
what the method he uses in the book I read is based off of, so perhaps that's
it.

------
AlexMuir
Funny how a chain of thought goes:

1\. I read a few titles and thought "Hmm, I'll go and buy a few of these on
Amazon."

2\. Then I thought: "I already have some of these books that I never read, I
could gift them to others."

3\. Perhaps I could set up some sort of book exchange where HN users can share
books.

4\. It would barely be worth the hassle and cost of postage.

5\. Couldn't we share digital copies and avoid the postage?

6\. That's PIRACY. The idea is dead.

It seems to me that a future where books cost a maximum of $2.99 is
inevitable. I would unhesitatingly have bought 10 of these books, and there'd
be almost no point in 'pirating' them, or even in sharing physical copies.

~~~
hooande
Fear not, Ben Franklin already went down this thought path. An old fashioned
library will stock most of these titles, and might order the others on
request.

I'm fortunate enough to live in a city where the library does home delivery
("It's like amazon, but without the money"). Having to physically return the
books can be daunting, but it's a small price to pay for eclectic reading
habits with no buyer's remorse. I'd recommend that more people look into using
the local library. Now that all of my books are free, I have more reading to
do than I have time.

~~~
lesterbuck
I've never heard of a public library offering delivery. Could you tell us
where you live? Will they take back the old books if they are delivering new?

------
dkarl
I was looking through these titles rather cynically, and wondering if it would
be pretentious of me to recommend _The Teachings of the Compassionate Buddha_
or the _Discourses_ of Epictetus, and then I saw it:

 _The Inner Game of Tennis_ , by Timothy Gallwey

Yes... yes! I'll gladly recommend this over any book of philosophy. (Different
philosophers click with different people.) Granted, I was thirteen and a
tennis player when I first read it, but I haven't played tennis seriously in
over twenty years, and I still use the lessons in this book any time I
practice anything physical. Dancing, chopping onions, running, lifting
weights, you name it. I use it anytime I need to do something where the real
intelligence at work is not part of my conscious mind, including controlling
my emotions, but it works best with physical skills.

Gallwey wrote some other "Inner Game" books, but he was a Division I college
tennis player, and this was his first book. This is the book he wrote about
the sport he knew, without knowing it would be a best-seller. I don't know if
the others were written to the same level of quality.

~~~
konstruktor
I would absolutely recommend the Roman Stoics. The privileged ones lived like
kings, but were prone to lose everything if the political climate changed.
Their lives were absolutely unpredictable and they found ways of dealing with
it in their heads. One can read advice from a philosopher/teacher who was
later killed by his disciple (Seneca, forced to commit suicide by Nero), maybe
the best Roman emperor ever (Marcus Aurelius) or a slave who was freed only
later in life (Epicetus). Those guys knew that nothing was theirs forever but
dealt with it in a graceful way.

------
endtime
I recommend The Way of the Superior Man ([http://www.amazon.com/Way-Superior-
Man-Spiritual-Challenges/...](http://www.amazon.com/Way-Superior-Man-
Spiritual-Challenges/dp/1591792576)). My roommate lent it to me after an ugly
breakup. The title is a little silly (I certainly wouldn't describe myself as
"spiritual") and I don't agree with every word of it, but after reading this
book I finally felt like I understood women and relationships, and I met my
now-wife a few months after reading it. I doubt I would have gotten her
without it.

~~~
Herring
I've just read half of it & I'll probably end up finishing it because it's so
interesting. But I really dislike the implication that leadership skills
(purpose, reliability, equanimity) are intrinsically male, while childishness
is intrinsically female. At least now I know what type of women to avoid.

~~~
WA
It is a bit more complicated than that, which doesn't become clear in Way of
the Superior Man. I read almost all of Deida's books and liked them a lot, but
they all have the downside of too much spiritual babble and being a bit too
abstract like "giving your deepest gift". What does that even mean?

Thing is - and this becomes more clear in his other books - men and women both
have similar skills, but both have a TENDENCY to feel more comfortable in a
specific skill set.

So, on the one hand I love Deida's advice. It is oftentimes on the spot. Very
clear and even actionable at times. But on the other hand, it oftentimes is
also too abstract, too simple, or too black-and-white. It almost feels like
he's describing his favorite action movie star and if you read it that way,
you can get the impression that he describes film heroes (super clear purpose,
cannot be distracted, live on your edge). While a film hero can be an
inspiration, it is oftentimes still a heavily simplified character.

------
kriro
My candidates (not in order):

Getting Things Done (Superpower: Time Management)

Bargaining for Advantage (Superpower: Negotiation)

The Art of Learning (Superpower: Learning)

Telling Lies (Superpower: Facial expressions etc...somewhat of a cheat since
you'll probably need to read more on the topic)

Economics in One Lesson (Superpower: Understanding the fundamentals of
economics...and wandering down the dark,Austrian path eventually)

Edit: An even better superpower is learning a new language and understanding
the corresponding culture. I usually suggest that over anything else for
anyone that knows <3 languages well

~~~
eli_gottlieb
_Economics in One Lesson (Superpower: Understanding the fundamentals of
economics...and wandering down the dark,Austrian path eventually)_

Austrian economics is the opposite of a superpower. It's a mental device for
rationalizing the present state of the world so that you never have to _act_.

~~~
kriro
It gives you an interesting perspective on things which is always good.

You will see a lot of the subchapter type arguments mentioned in the news and
the like and at least now you have one perspective on the issues which even if
you don't agree with it forces you to articulate your own side better.

It's a really good book for a layperson to start thinking about the economics
section of the news. It's written well, too.

I have given away ~20 copies of this book so far and have gotten nothing but
praise even from Marxists.

I don't know why I even bother to make this long post since Austrians in
general are very,very far removed from being status quo-ists so your comment
doesn't even make sense. The book is also not overly Austrian apart from the
recommended reading.

Feel free to recommend a better "basics of economics" book.

~~~
shmulkey18
Sowell's "Basic Economics: A Common Sense Guide to the Economy" is also good.

------
drunkpotato
Just code.

Seriously, just write code.

You will come across a lot of books that influence your thoughts, behaviors,
patterns. I have, everyone does. But the only thing that actually has any
effect on your psyche is _doing_ , whatever the doing is. So you want to learn
how to build a better body, great, read books on building muscle.

It won't have nearly as much effect as going to the gym and swimming for a
half hour three times a week. Obviously you won't get a bodybuilder physique
this way, but it'll make you stronger, faster, better, and smarter.

You want to code better.

Great, read SICP, On Lisp, Learn You a Haskell. It will make you think
differently. They'll make you smarter, faster, better. They will, seriously,
but they will have a negligible effect relative to just sitting down and
coding up your idea. You probably won't do it better or smarter than you've
done it before, but you will learn the problems. Then you read the books, find
out how you could do it better.

I've been in the position of trying to figure out what to read, the best way
to write code, the perfect test framework. All of it pales in comparison to
just doing. Reading, agonizing over "the best", all of that seems to be the
sugar that the mind gravitates to when it avoids doing. The spinach is sitting
down, doing the activity, or thinking through the hard details.

Slash soapbox.

~~~
danenania
Meh, writing code is the easy part, the fun part. Every programmer loves to
sit down and bash out features. Even if they do so in ways that they know (or
don't know) are perilous, ugly, or inefficient, there is still that beautiful
rush of progress, and people will still pay for the service.

The discipline to step back, reevaluate, and think conceptually rather than
pragmatically is much more difficult to accomplish when there's always so much
lying around that needs doing.

~~~
vog
I fully agree. So the advice should be not merely be "code", but:

Code long-term on a real-world project, cooperating with other coders.
(ideally, on a Free Software project)

~~~
canttestthis
Why must it be a free software project?

~~~
thezoid
Free software never dies.

~~~
sillysaurus
It's important for budding programmers to build confidence in themselves.
Forcing them to work with other programmers at the very beginning destroys
confidence and makes them hate the work.

~~~
thezoid
How exactly would programming for themselves in a vacuum build any sort of
positive confidence?

Open source builds up that portfolio everyone wants to see, and working on a
project provides mentors to help give new developers guidance.

~~~
sillysaurus
_How exactly would programming for themselves in a vacuum build any sort of
positive confidence?_

Because there's no one to criticize you, and figuring something out on your
own is a rewarding experience which gives you confidence.

 _Open source builds up that portfolio everyone wants to see_

If you're into programming for the reason of "building a portfolio", then
you're not into programming. You're into making money.

------
law
I don't think I saw The Visual Display of Quantitative Information by Edward
R. Tufte (available at [http://www.amazon.com/The-Visual-Display-Quantitative-
Inform...](http://www.amazon.com/The-Visual-Display-Quantitative-
Information/dp/0961392142/) ) on the list. The Boston Globe's review is 100%
correct: it's a visual Strunk and White.

------
keiferski
It gets suggested all the time, but _How to Win Friends and Influence People_
is my answer. No other single book will help you out more in life.

~~~
mwetzler
Seconding "How to Win Friends and Influence People". Took me a while to read
it because the title was a big turn-off, but it's not as manipulative as it
sounds. The audio book is great if you commute to work. Sometimes I would
listen to a chapter on the way to work and then apply the lesson that very
same day. Amazing. It will change the way you think about your interactions
with other people.

Another book I love, in a similar category, is "Crucial Conversations". Very
useful for improving your communication skills in work and personal life.

Also, "Strengths Finder 2.0". It will tell you what superpowers you already
have.

~~~
TeMPOraL
I also second "How to Win Friends and Influence People". I'm just about to
start another iteration of re-reading it. I know I still have a lot to work
on, but I have already changed things in my life for better thanks to it. The
best recommendation I read so far was on LessWrong. To quote,

"An excellent collection of the deeper and most subtle forms of this practice
of this sort can be found in Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence
People, one of the only self-help books I've read that was truly useful and
not a regurgitation of cliches and applause lights. Carnegie's thesis is
basically that being nice is the most powerful of the Dark Arts, and that a
master of the Art of Niceness can use it to take over the world. It works
better than you'd think."

<http://lesswrong.com/lw/3k/how_to_not_lose_an_argument/>

------
Joeri
Books that actually caused changes in my life:

 _Yes Man_ ( <http://www.amazon.com/Yes-Man-Danny-Wallace/dp/1416918345> )

This book made me realize that I was defaulting to "no" in many aspects of my
life. After this book I changed many things in my life, and ended up meeting
and dating my future (now present) wife. Overall my life has been much
improved by defaulting to "yes".

 _The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work_ ( [http://www.amazon.com/Pleasures-
Sorrows-Work-Alain-Botton/dp...](http://www.amazon.com/Pleasures-Sorrows-Work-
Alain-Botton/dp/B0085S0HQG) )

Gave me insight into how there is a huge invisible fabric of society that we
take for granted, and how I consistently underrated many categories of jobs.
One change I made after reading this book is to respect the jobs that I took
for granted, like the clerk at the checkout counter. I now give attention and
respect to people that I used to treat like furniture before.

Books that would have changed my life had I read them sooner (and not have to
learn their lessons the long/hard way.)

 _The Happiness Hypothesis_ ( [http://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Hypothesis-
Finding-Modern-An...](http://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Hypothesis-Finding-
Modern-Ancient/dp/0465028020/) )

The notion this book puts forward of the subconscious as a powerful but
stubborn elephant and the conscious as its well-meaning but often impotent
handler provides much insight into why people act against their own interests,
and why they tell lies about themselves and their own actions. One of the
things I had realized beforehand (through many years of struggling with social
interaction) that the book also covers is how we all tell a story of our life
in which we are the hero, and how we rationalize our actions to fit the story
instead of adapting the story to fit the facts.

 _Peopleware_ ( [http://www.amazon.com/Peopleware-Productive-Projects-
Teams-S...](http://www.amazon.com/Peopleware-Productive-Projects-Teams-
Second/dp/0932633439) )

The book covers why building software is primarily a people problem, not a
technical problem. Again, I had already realized this, but it would have been
nice to learn it sooner. Some stuff is outdated, but it's still one of the top
books on building software in my opinion.

~~~
thenomad
I'd second the 1st, 3rd and 4th of these. Peopleware is awesome - obviously -
and The Happiness Hypothesis has had plenty of press.

However, don't underestimate Yes Man. It's by a comedian, but it's still a
very powerful and interesting read.

------
dade_
Wow, two recommendations for Starting Strength on HN in one week. I have
already taken started incorporating the advice at the gym and it seems
barbells might be my friend after all.

The Easy Way to Stop Smoking worked for me 7 years ago and I can't recommend
it enough. I'll never forget scanning the table of contents and flipping to
chapter 21, it sold me on the book.

I've started Drawing on the right Side of the Brain, which is basically self
paced training. Really insightful so far.

Looks like a promising book list.

~~~
rquantz
I've really gone down the rabbit hole with barbell lifting in the past year.
Yes, read starting strength, and also practical programming for strength
training (rip's other big book). Read Fit, which Kilgore contributed to, and
then find some good blogs (I recommend 70sbig).

Barbell lifting can be the nerdiest way to work out.

------
StavrosK
Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality will teach you how to think
properly, and discover people's motives. Great book.

~~~
eli_gottlieb
Or, alternately, it will teach you to be a really paranoid bastard ;-).

CONSTANT NEVER-CEASING VIGILANCE!

~~~
StavrosK
Haha, that's just Moody, I didn't get that from the book at all. It _is_ a bit
paranoid, in that you never know what everyone's motives are, but that's the
point, it tries to keep you guessing.

~~~
eli_gottlieb
It's more than a _bit_ paranoid. Harry's lack of social skills give him
Chronic Slytherin Syndrome: assuming that everything going on must be a plot
because more mundane explanations or motivations _completely elude him_. Many
of the characters, in fact, completely fail to apply Occam's Razor.

~~~
StavrosK
It's not paranoia when they _are_ out to get you. It's the same thing in House
(the show), everyone assumes everything is a plot, but it turns out they're
right.

Sure, in the real world, most people just do random stuff most of the time,
but being on the lookout for seemingly random stuff that turns out not to be
random can be beneficial.

Of course, you have to be careful not to adjust _too_ much towards paranoia,
but I found that I was ignoring a lot of stuff. After reading the book, people
told me that I'd become more insightful, nearly mind-reading. The only thing I
did was pay more attention to motives.

------
tikhonj
I would nominate some book on abstract mathematics. The superpower is knowing
that advanced math is not completely impossible to follow. After a while, the
superpower becomes actually knowing some advanced math. I won't say it's easy,
but nothing fun really is.

In short: math is not scary! It also really changes how you think and view the
world.

Lately I've been having some fun with universal algebra, but I think any
advanced mathematics would be great. I've heard categories are ripe this time
of year :).

~~~
biscarch
Any suggestions on what books? I've been looking to go further with
mathematics.

~~~
fferen
I'll take this opportunity to once again plug Strang's excellent linear
algebra series [1] with associated textbook [2]. Also right now I'm working
through some Cornell lecture notes [3] (that read a lot like a textbook) on
manifolds and differential forms. It's meant for college sophomores and
juniors who have taken linear algebra and vector calculus, though it provides
a very good calculus supplement in the appendix. For me, it's perfect: the
tone is informal enough to provide motivation to continue, but the definitions
and proofs are fairly rigorous. It's about the only self-study math text that
I think I might finish.

Hope this helps, not sure if it's over/under your level.

[1]: [http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/mathematics/18-06-linear-
algebra-...](http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/mathematics/18-06-linear-algebra-
spring-2010/index.htm)

[2]:
[http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0980232716/ref=nosim/...](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0980232716/ref=nosim/mitopencourse-20)

[3]: <http://www.math.cornell.edu/~sjamaar/papers/manifold.pdf>

~~~
biscarch
Thanks for the suggestions.

I self-taught my way from single variable calc to somewhere around linear
algebra/multivariate calc. I'm not sure how to proceed but the manifolds looks
interesting.

------
Bulkington
1\. The Three Musketeers, to teach the young about bravery and comradeship.

2\. Catch-22, to teach you to recognize and reject bureaucratic momemtum, and
to resist it -- to bravely run away...

3\. One Hundred Years of Solitude, to remind us that family and understanding
and continuity are being lost, adn that's a shame.

4\. My vaporware series of novels, which will contain the wisdom of the
universe, to be written in an accessible and engaging style, certain to be
optioned to Hollywood for seven figures each. Tick-tock.

~~~
russell
I second 100 years of Solitude. It was our family book; everyone read it.

One day my son was in his English class in high school and the teacher asked,
"Has anyone heard of Gabriel Garcia Marquez?"

My son answered, "He won the Nobel Prize."

The teacher asked, "What for?"

My son reached into his backpack and pulled Out One Hundred Years of Solitude,
and replied, "This."

------
philip1209
Not a book, but microexpression training is pretty cool to take. Being able to
spot momentary emotions on a person's face has proven fun in social settings,
the dating world, business world, and more:

<https://face.paulekman.com/face/aboutmett2.aspx>

------
benrhughes
1) Discourses (incl Enchiridion) by Epictetus, if you're interested in
happiness and contentment.

1a) A Guide to the Good Life is an easier introduction to Stoic philosophy if
you don't want to dive straight into Epictetus

2) The Black Swan by Taleb to change the way you think about risk

~~~
konstruktor
I second Guide to the Good Life by William Irvine. It contains applicable
techniques and a modern explanation of Stoicism. Stoic Serenity by Keith
Seddon is very nice too, it is a guided introduction to Stoic concepts and to
Seneca and Marcus Aurelius.

------
hluska
"How to win friends and influence people" has blessed everyone I know who has
read it with the power of BEING A MASSIVE PRICK. Since that isn't the kind of
super power we want, I'd suggest "Power Reading". Being able to read faster
than anyone you know will pay off in dividends (provided you never tell anyone
that you read an entire novel during your lunch break)...

~~~
greggman
"How to win friends and influence people"'s main point is to genuinely care
about the people you interact with. Hard to see how that translates into
"being a massive prick". I'm curious what led you to that conclusion about the
book.

------
return0
Most self-help books are written by people who haven't "made it" themselves,
yet consider themselves qualified to write about it (though, in this process
they do become rich).

Probably the most overlooked subject in my education was ethics. Moral
philosophers have already pondered about every possible choice one is bound to
make in his life. Hence i find "Fundamentals of ethics", which summarizes all
ethical theories to be the one book that helped me make moral choices in a
more thoughtful and systematic manner.

[http://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Ethics-Russ-Shafer-
Landau...](http://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Ethics-Russ-Shafer-
Landau/dp/0199773556)

------
elorant
_Zen in the art of archery_

Best book about Zen I've ever read. It doesn't relate to anything about
computers but if you get into the Zen philosophy your whole life will be more
satisfactory and thus you'll become more productive.

~~~
kapilash
> Best book about Zen I've ever read.

Perhaps you might like to look at a seemingly well-informed critique[0] of the
book

[0]
[http://www.thezensite.com/ZenEssays/CriticalZen/The_Myth_of_...](http://www.thezensite.com/ZenEssays/CriticalZen/The_Myth_of_Zen_in_the_Art_of_Archery.pdf)

------
chemcoder
The best book imho will be "Bhagvadgita as it is". Problem is it is a
religious book and hence people are going to be biased about it. But if you
are willing to let go the thiest or athiest part (leave the commentaries
seriously!), the very meaningful part of the book can be seen .

This book is a conversation taking place on the war field and depicts the
persons inability to take decision to go ahead because of various questions. I
recommend going only through 2nd chapter and no further, it would be an
overkill. In normal life the important part is to get determined to work and
get it done .The theory postulated in the 2nd chapter seems to work in the
practical life effectively when Krishna tells arjuna to go on with the war and
he is reluctant to do so as he finds it immoral , full of vain and dangerous
to social well being of everyone. He doubts himself . The weak in his heart
and unrest sets in his mind, a common thing occurring in almost all of us . He
seeks the answer to all this questions and this is what the reason of the
conversation. IMO the book requires considerably unbiased mind and hence its a
hard read. It is not supposed to be inspiring it is supposed to work .
Considering this , you wont find any magical arrangement of words so it should
be taken as theory and used in practical cases . Well if it works for you then
great or you can just ignore it . But surely with proper reasons of course :)

------
zaidf
_Poor Charlie's Almanack_ , gave me a whole new framework to look at work and
life.

~~~
gregpilling
Upvoted. link for convenience <http://www.poorcharliesalmanack.com/>

This book is by Charlie Munger, better known as Warren Buffet's business
partner since 1959. There is more information on business than in some college
classes I have taken. I have recommended it to many people.

------
adidash
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse (<http://www.amazon.com/Siddhartha-Hermann-
Hesse/dp/1613823789>). Not really a superpower but did help me understand lot
more about life and how everything is connected. I have read it multiple times
and the interpretation has been different each time - a new insight into the
way we see life.

~~~
paulovsk
Really? Could you expand on that? I've read it this year and haven't found it
special. A little tiring, actually.

~~~
adidash
I have read the book during my difficult times and even during good times. I
was able to relate to the various phases of Siddhartha's life. Also liked the
certain amount of randomness in the sequence of certain events.

However, I must admit that not everyone may like the book. Some folks I know
religiously follow the book as a life guide while some didn't find it all that
meaningful. Its entirely on how you want to interpret the book.

------
at-fates-hands
"He Said, She Said by Deborah Tannen is a layperson's guide to gender
communications."

I would actually recommend "You Just Don't Understand" by the same author
about how men and women talk to each other. Valuable in ways you cannot
imagine.

~~~
neilk
Seconding this. Tannen's framework is very useful for understanding
miscommunication across genders.

------
icey
There was a different memory book suggested in the MeFi thread, but I really
got a lot out of "The Memory Book: The Classic Guide to Improving Your Memory
at Work, at School, and at Play" [http://www.amazon.com/The-Memory-Book-
Classic-Improving/dp/0...](http://www.amazon.com/The-Memory-Book-Classic-
Improving/dp/0345410025/)

------
deskamess
The Prophet - by Kahlil Gibran. Short read. Powerful yet beautiful words. Has
soul.

~~~
kragen
While this is a wonderful book, I don't think it will give you superpowers.

------
Benferhat
Do you count happiness, contentment, enlightenment, higher states of
consciousness, etc., as superpowers? Either of these two books might change
your life forever.

Both by Alan Watts: _The Way of Zen_ [1], and _The Book on the Taboo Against
Knowing Who You Are_ [2]

[1] <http://www.amazon.com/Way-Zen-Alan-W-Watts/dp/0375705104>

[2] [http://www.amazon.com/Book-Taboo-Against-Knowing-
Who/dp/0679...](http://www.amazon.com/Book-Taboo-Against-Knowing-
Who/dp/0679723005)

[3] <https://www.google.com/search?q=filetype%3Apdf+watts+book>

[4]
[https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%22alan+watts%2...](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%22alan+watts%22+audiobook)

------
jeffool
Many years ago I read Coercion by Douglas Rushkoff. I expect most of you will
find that a public school primer of advertising, but considering it was 2000
and I was fresh out of high school, it was my start to a much more critical
way of thinking that I still value today.

I care a lot more now about how I give away my eyeballs and info, knowing
what's being done with them. That's not to say I'm some nutjob who lies on
every form or doesn't sign up for everything. I'm just aware of, say, seating
in restaurants, or brand placement on items/film, or even now, sign up for
online services.

I want ads that are tailored to me, and I may be interested in. I do not want
ads that are seemingly random or seemingly say people enjoying brand that they
really don't. I like Hulu's and Google's advertising. I don't like Facebook's
or Twitter's.

------
IsaacL
Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha. It's a guide to Vipasanna
meditation, the central practice of Burmese buddhism.

Two reasons why HN readers might find it interesting:

a) The author claims to have gained enlightenment - yes, enlightenment with a
capital 'E', the thing the original Buddha achieved under his tree, and he
claims that you can do the same.

b) if you're thinking "ok, this writer's a new age nutcase, moving on...", the
author's day job is as a medical doctor and he applies a strong scientific
sensibility to his experiences.

The whole thing is written in a very rational, down-to-earth style. He also
rants about how new age practioners in the west have turned meditation into
this aimless, chill-out practice when actually in certain Asian countries it's
seen as something with definite stages and goals.

My view of meditation is that it's basically about training and hacking your
mind. There's three main practices: concentration training, which is what it
sounds like - focusing your mind on one object; insight training, which is
basically running netstat on your perceptual system; and morality, which is
integrating your learnings from meditation into an ethical life.

Potential benefits:

\- better ability to concentrate and avoid procrastination

\- you can learn to feel happy all the time. It's not that you never feel
negative emotions, but they're always be an undercurrent of peace and
relaxation when you learn to stop fighting negative feelings.

\- you can access mental states which are not too unlike those caused by
taking certain drugs, without the negative side-effects (though it is possible
to get "meditation hangover").

\- most importantly, you'll learn to train your mind to put it to whatever
tasks you deem important.

[http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1904658407/ref=as_li_ss_t...](http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1904658407/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=nohao-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=1904658407)

~~~
ioddly
Thanks for sharing, I was looking for something like this.

I noticed the ebook is free: <http://integrateddaniel.info/book/>

------
denzil
I know it's not a book, but Less Wrong is what changed my life most so far,
learning me to think, ask questions and such. I wish there was more practical
guide though. Anyway here it is: <http://lesswrong.com/>

------
stiff
It's your study that gives you new skills, not the books, having said this,
the following guided the most valuable learning experiences in my life:

 _"What is Mathematics?" by Richard Courant_ taught me to think at a higher
level of abstraction. I read it after I realized the parts of SICP (which
recommendation here I obviously second) I liked most were the math-related
parts and I think it is fair to call it a SICP for mathematics, at least I
don't know a book that comes closer. Then I also used _Courant's "Differential
and Integral Calculus"_ and _Spivaks "Calculus"_ with his very detailed answer
book, and this way I self-taught myself enough material to finally be able to
do some reasonably serious math, e.g. proofs.

After reading _"Compilers: Principles, Techniques, and Tools"_ I wrote my own
implementation of grep with state machines, then a compiler for a simple
language and finally understood what a programming language really is.
_"Programming Language Pragmatics"_ was a very useful book here, too, thanks
to it teaching me a range of different possible semantics for common concepts
in programming languages I was able to learn new languages much more easily
and easily spot bugs that I would otherwise spent hours on.

 _"The Mindful Way through Depression"_ and the accompanying CD with guided
meditations taught me to meditate and meditation forever changed the way I
react do difficult situations.

 _"Starting Strength"_ taught me correct exercise technique that completely
changed the outcomes of my strength training.

------
mitchi
I would say it depends? Arguably, even if you read books on body training, you
won't become even close to Hanma Yujiro. And assuming you have the time and
the ressources, you will still be comparable to the many gym lovers in a few
years. Your life will be probably better but you won't be a superhuman. Then
there's martial arts? I've done kung-fu and karate but I never felt like I was
getting superpowers either. Many people do martial arts and they walk in the
streets every day with us and we don't notice their black belts. Actually, I
think that most of the martial you'll do won't compare to what a MMA fighter
can do. So no superpower there either. Anyway, if you want to go that route, I
recommend the Jack Dempsey book. [http://www.amazon.com/Championship-Fighting-
Explosive-Punchi...](http://www.amazon.com/Championship-Fighting-Explosive-
Punching-
Aggressive/dp/B004LECAC2/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1356767314&sr=8-8&keywords=jack+dempsey)
If you feel like you can do more complicated stuff for self-defense, there is
Jeet Kune do. [http://www.amazon.ca/Bruce-Lees-Fighting-Method-
Complete/dp/...](http://www.amazon.ca/Bruce-Lees-Fighting-Method-
Complete/dp/0897501705/ref=pd_cp_b_0)

~~~
anthonyb
"Learn Karate from book?"

</miyagi>

------
karamazov
_Made to Stick_ by Chip and Dan Heath discusses how to make a message
memorable. It's changed the way I communicate - I use its principles on an
almost-daily basis.

------
markyc
[free today]:

Porned Out: erectile dysfunction, depression, and 7 more (selfish) reasons to
quit porn

<http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A5X2FV4>

------
b3b0p
Lots of great suggestions here. I believe the answer will be different for
everyone based on their weaknesses and what super power people desire to
learn. I've added about half of dozen of these to my Wish List now.

I don't read many books (I want to read more), but when I do I like something
engaging, fun, imaginative, and different. So, I'll recommend any good fiction
book that engages you. A book you can't put down. You want to keep reading to
find out what happens next. It causes you to think, it causes you to imagine.
It can cause you to think about things uniquely instead of being told to do so
and give all sorts of ideas and new thoughts. If like me, you will end up
remembering the characters, the situations for almost life and want to come
back to re-read it some day.

My favorite modern day fiction books are fantasy / science fiction, something
I would never experience in this world. In order: Shadows of the Empire by far
my favorite, no reason off the top of my head and I am not a Star Wars fan,
but I love it none the less. Followed by Harry Potter series. It's honestly a
very fun read. Lord of the Rings and Hobbit will be popular choices I'm sure,
but they just did not catch me and engage me like these 2.

------
brain5ide
Everything will be wishy-washy when compared to "The Art of Computer
programming" by Knuth.

~~~
nandemo
Have you read it? Did it change your life?

~~~
brain5ide
Haven't even gotten through the Vol 1 and it changed the life. However, the
change is gradual and when you're into it for long enough it gets hard to look
at times before TAOP retrospectively. To take on it all is way beyond that
time.

------
str0ng
Sweet Sorrow: Love, Loss and Attachment In Human Life

Quoting directly from Amazon: "In this volume the author proposes that it is
the interplay of love and loss that lies at the epicentre of the human story.
Support for this proposal is taken from neuroscience, art and psychoanalysis.
It will also introduce the reader to important ideas and findings from
Attachment Theory. An exploration of the relationship between love and loss
can lead us to some understanding of the meaning of our lives. It shows how
love and loss are inextricably bound at the centre of human experience, and
form the essential dynamic of the human struggle.

This book will appeal to sophisticated lay readers, in addition to various
categories of student and professional audiences. It will be of interest to
psychologists, psychiatrists, psychotherapists, philosophers, neuroscientists
and sociologists. Readers with a background mainly in the arts and humanities
will find it appealing because of its linkages and use of poetry, song and
visual art to elucidate and illustrate the major propositions of the book."

------
ctdonath
Find a good one on body language. Can't recommend one now, but some 25 years
ago read several and, done well, it amounts to basic mind reading.

~~~
codevandal
One that I would recommend is _What Every BODY is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent's
Guide to Speed-Reading People_ [http://www.amazon.com/What-Every-BODY-Saying-
Speed-Reading/d...](http://www.amazon.com/What-Every-BODY-Saying-Speed-
Reading/dp/0061438294)

------
orangethirty
Security Analysis - Teaches how to analyze securities in a manner that you
will understand. It opens your eyes to the world of stocks and bonds in way
that other book can't. After reading it, you will have the power to pick good
_investment_ stocks/bonds. It works. Though its not a get rich quick approach
(if you were thinking about that).

------
NancyLebovitz
<http://www.amazon.com/dp/039370789X> by Steve Andreas. Not a book everyone
needs, and it says the techniques don't work for everyone, but if you're
plagued by internal attacks, getting them toned down and less common feels
like a superpower.

------
superk
As far as speed reading books go, this one is decent:
[http://www.amazon.com/Spd-Rdng-Techniques-Accelerated-
ebook/...](http://www.amazon.com/Spd-Rdng-Techniques-Accelerated-
ebook/dp/B0047O2DRI)

It's the best superpower: read that book first, then all the rest here in
1/5th the time!

------
SideburnsOfDoom
Some of the answers are specialised e.g. " _The Easy Way to Stop Smoking_ " -
I don't feel the need to read that, nor e.g. " _The Easy Way to Stop Shooting
up Heroin_ " either. If you do smoke then go and read it, sure. But "I don't
smoke" isn't the most unusual or most super of powers.

At least one of them - _Ishmael_ is junk. I've read it, and it's facile newage
woo. I'd suggest instead one or two good scientific books on human nature and
history by the likes of Pinker, Dennett or Diamond.

And one or two good books on coding. Coding well, instead of hacking out
unmaintainable buggy code, is an unusual power and will keep you gainfully and
happily employed for a long time ;)

------
clockwork_189
I would highly recommend the following books: 1) Gettings things done (It is
kinda plain, but if you stick through it, you will get some great advice on
time management techniques) 2) How to win friends and Influence People
(Probable the best book on communication and interacting with people that I
have read.) 3) Good to great (Great advice on building a company) 4) The 80/20
Principle (Great advice on time management and doing more with less) 5) The
millionaire teacher (Great advice into playing the investment market game for
people who have never invested before.)

------
polskibus
My recommendation would be: Kahneman's "Thinking Fast and Slow" for people
wanting to understand social and psychological mechanisms and use them more
efficiently in real-life scenarios.

------
jnazario
because so much of our power to influence things comes from our ability to
interact with people:

"how to read a person like a book" [http://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Person-
Like-Book/dp/B000SABRO...](http://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Person-Like-
Book/dp/B000SABROU/)

and the classic dale carnegie "how to win friends and influence people"
[http://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-
People/dp/14...](http://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-
People/dp/1439167346/)

------
johnfuller
I think you would first need to define what a super power is in this world
today. Then find the most effective book in that area. I feel the super power
of today is the ability to sell because money is one of the most important raw
materials from which power is created. Or you could be selling a vision if you
are one of those "money is the root of all evil" types. Unfortunately, I don't
know of a good book on selling. ;)

------
saosebastiao
R in a Nutshell, combined with this tutorial:
<http://yudkowsky.net/rational/bayes>

------
sandycheeks
The Expert at the Card Table by S.W. Erdnase

It was written over one hundred years ago (1902) by a mysterious author who
many, including the late Martin Gardner, have been obsessed with identifying.

I originally bought it years ago to learn sleight of hand techniques but found
that the book increased my ability to detect subterfuge in many areas and not
just crooked card games. There is something special about the book.

------
michaelfeathers
_How to Sharpen Pencils: A Practical & Theoretical Treatise on the Artisanal
Craft of Pencil Sharpening for Writers, Artists, Contractors, Flange Turners,
Anglesmiths, & Civil Servants_

[http://www.amazon.com/How-Sharpen-Pencils-Theoretical-
Contra...](http://www.amazon.com/How-Sharpen-Pencils-Theoretical-
Contractors/dp/1612190405)

------
christensen_emc
Seconding Mindfulness in Plain English. I am a much healthier person today
because of that book.

------
dsrguru
I'm glad _Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming_ and _Moonwalking with
Einstein_ made that list. Lucid dreaming and "photographic" memories are two
of the most amazing near-superpower skills that anyone can and probably should
learn.

------
mindcrime
_Persuasion Skills Black Book_ \- Rintu Basu.
[http://www.amazon.com/Persuasion-Skills-Black-Book-
Practical...](http://www.amazon.com/Persuasion-Skills-Black-Book-
Practical/dp/190543054X)

------
ansgri
_The Minto Pyramid Principle: Logic in Writing, Thinking, & Problem Solving_
gives you a straightforward way to write a decent tech report of any
complexity (Ph.D thesis level included) in a reasonable time.

------
donniezazen
The Story of My Experiments with Truth by Mahatama Gandhi. The book is about a
humble journey of a simple man who became a great soul and in that process
freed a nation from British colonial oppression.

------
lsiebert
Ah, saw this previously. As an aside: Metafilter remains one of my favorite
community sites, and AskMeFi is one of the reasons. The one time membership
fee is also brilliant for keeping spammers out.

------
aufreak3
"How to talk so kids will listen and how to listen so kids will talk"

------
radley
Zhuangzi Speaks: The Music of Nature

[http://www.amazon.com/Zhuangzi-Speaks-The-Music-
Nature/dp/06...](http://www.amazon.com/Zhuangzi-Speaks-The-Music-
Nature/dp/0691008825/)

------
scottshea
I think When Bad Things Happen to Good People is an excellent way to help
reconcile jealousy and anger at the fortune of others/misfortune in ourselves

------
bufordtwain
"The Joy of Cooking" is great for learning how to cook.

~~~
JasonFruit
I own it, and used it until I realized how much time I was wasting on
unnecessary complications. Try "How to Cook Everything" by Mark Bittman — it
cuts out the cruft and the results are just as good.

~~~
dannyr
There's the Basic Edition of "How To Cook Everything". Should I get that
instead?

[http://www.amazon.com/How-Cook-Everything-Basics-
Photos/dp/0...](http://www.amazon.com/How-Cook-Everything-Basics-
Photos/dp/0470528060/)

~~~
JasonFruit
I don't know — I've never seen it. I don't see why you would; the full version
is simple enough for anyone who can fry an egg.

------
rdl
SPIN Selling by Neil Rackham. Basically the opposite of used car hucksters,
and really useful for professionals, founders, and enterprise sales.

------
plinkplonk
How to Prove It - by Velleman. Opens the path to theorems/proof based
mathematics, especially for people without a formal education in math.

------
JasonFruit
Try Strunk and White. Read it once a year, thinking about what you have
written since the last time, and you will be ashamed and improved.

~~~
tokenadult
I have a copy of Strunk and White, but I like other advice on writing much
better. The new book by Steven Pinker that is promised in Jerry Coyne's post
about Pinker's project

[http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2012/11/16/steve-
pin...](http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2012/11/16/steve-pinker-on-
how-to-write-science/)

is a book that I expect to be especially helpful for Hacker News participants.
The book isn't finished yet, but Pinker's lecture on how to write

[http://video.mit.edu/watch/communicating-science-and-
technol...](http://video.mit.edu/watch/communicating-science-and-technology-
in-the-21st-century-steven-pinker-12644/)

includes a convincing critique of Strunk and White.

Students who have read Strunk and White should read two other critiques of
Strunk and White,

1) the essay "50 Years of Stupid Grammar Advice" by Geoffrey K. Pullum,

[http://chronicle.com/article/50-Years-of-Stupid-
Grammar/2549...](http://chronicle.com/article/50-Years-of-Stupid-
Grammar/25497)

and

2) Adios, Strunk & White: A Handbook for the New Academic Essay by Gary and
Glynis Hofman.

[http://www.amazon.com/Adios-Strunk-White-Handbook-
Academic/d...](http://www.amazon.com/Adios-Strunk-White-Handbook-
Academic/dp/0937363413/)

~~~
mej10
Wow, I can't wait for Steven Pinker's book. That talk was excellent.

------
kator
"Tribal Leadership" <http://www.triballeadership.net/>

------
tectonic
Damn it HN, now I just spent $60 on books.

------
Jabbles
How do I read this page? Are there any more comments? Or is it just mainly
titles and one-liners?

------
robot
_Autobiography of a Spiritually Incorrect Mystic - Osho_

Life changing.

~~~
davidw
Just don't get any ideas about poisoning people in Oregon.

------
mtgx
Innovator's Dilemma gave me the "super-power" of identifying what kind of
businesses will succeed or fail in the tech industry, much earlier than most
people (or even big companies' CEO's). I think others who have read it and
understood it will feel the same way.

I'd also recommend his sequel Innovator's Solution, which also has a few
different and good insights in it. Blue Ocean Strategy is also pretty similar
to the idea of "disruptive innovation", but in other non-tech industries.

These books can also be extremely helpful in identifying if you have a "good
business idea" or not, and in choosing one with a high chance of success. But
of course business ideas can only help you so much. In the end execution will
matter a lot.

A very good complementary book to go with these, and about market dynamics and
market development, is Chasm Companion. It includes all the theories from
Crossing the Chasm, Inside the Tornado, etc, and is more like a handbook with
actionable advice, too.

~~~
zeteo
> Innovator's Dilemma gave me the "super-power" of identifying what kind of
> businesses will succeed or fail in the tech industry, much earlier than most
> people (or even big companies' CEO's)

Give us some non-trivial predictions or I call BS.

~~~
balsam
I also read the book and predict that raspberries will in 5 to 10 years
replace apples completely. It is up to you to find this humorous or not.

------
IgorP
I would say the following book may have given me a new, useful superpower:

[http://www.amazon.com/Ivor-Hortons-Beginning-Java-
Programmer...](http://www.amazon.com/Ivor-Hortons-Beginning-Java-
Programmer/dp/0470404140/?_encoding=UTF8&keywords=Ivor%20Horton%20Java&tag=produc05-20&linkCode=ur2&qid=1356744075&camp=1789&sr=8-1&creative=9325)

It is the first book that has actually explained the "why" of using a Java
interface to me (Rather than the usual "how").

To most of you, this may seem trivial. However, this brings up a bigger point
that I have noticed: Not all books (Or people) can teach or explain a concept
in a concise, easy to understand manner.

As such, it is a rare gem when I find a book that can explain the "why" of a
concept rather than just throw pages upon pages of filler at you.

Today, this book has given me a superpower of finally understanding just how
interfaces work. Tomorrow, others may benefit from me (Hopefully) writing
better code.

------
nerdfiles
A physical copy of the 3.5 "Player's Handbook", Forgotten Realms supplementary
literature, and likely all the literature on Psionics. Welcome to Modern D20
with tinges of Tolkien. Maybe pepper in Neal Stephensen. Read up.

------
IgorP
If you don't mind, I would like to share two more books that I have found to
be extremely useful:

Illustrated C# 2012 (And previous version: 2010, etc).
[http://www.amazon.com/Illustrated-C-2012-Daniel-
Solis/dp/143...](http://www.amazon.com/Illustrated-C-2012-Daniel-
Solis/dp/1430242787/?_encoding=UTF8&keywords=Illustrated%20C%23&tag=produc05-20&linkCode=ur2&qid=1356906474&camp=1789&sr=8-1&creative=9325)

Of all of the books I have read/browsed regarding C#, this has to be the
clearest, most concise on that I have had the pleasure of reading. The
material is presented in an understandable manner and the author provides the
reason "why" you are doing something rather than just list a series of "do
this" steps.

To me, this is the most important quality in a book: Succinctly convey your
point so that the reader can truly learn what you are trying to get across.

I do have one other book to recommend for you Rubyists. While I say this is
for Rubyists, the concepts in the following book are extremely helpful for
other OOP languages as well:

[http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Object-Oriented-Design-
Ruby-...](http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Object-Oriented-Design-Ruby-Addison-
Wesley/dp/0321721330/?_encoding=UTF8&s=books&keywords=Object%20Oriented%20Ruby&tag=produc05-20&linkCode=ur2&qid=1356906813&camp=1789&sr=1-1&creative=9325)

I hope this helps; I have spent many hours going through books that sort of
meander around the point, have extra fluff, etc. So when I come across two
truly stellar gems like the above, I would like to share with others so that
they, too, can save some time learning a programming language or paradigm.

------
JanezStupar
Here is my short list:

Frank Herbert, Dune - Changed my outlook on politics and complex systems full
of complex issues.

Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - Got me to
understand why West is so different to the East and what is the true root
cause to our current Western problems.

Sun Tzu, The Tao of War - If there was one and only one book I could have,
this would be it.

------
whyhellothere
Straw Dogs by John Gray - Interesting new ways of looking at things. Read at
your own peril.

------
frozenport
finnegans wake

~~~
return0
I wonder what superpower you got from that?

------
d--b
if superpower is what you're after, you should get something stronger than a
book

------
mikevm
This book helped turn my life around:
<http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594743061>

