Books

The best nonfiction books, according to hackers

152 nonfiction books recommended in Hacker News comments over the past year, ranked by how many separate people recommend each one.

• Most recommendedThe Cuckoo's Egg by Cliff Stoll40 people recommend it
• Built to lastSuperintelligence by Nick Bostromowners report a median of 12 years
• Free and lovedWar Is a Racket by Smedley Butler11 people recommend it

All nonfiction books

• The Cuckoo's Egg by Cliff StollReaders recommend this gripping, fun true story of tracking a hacker, often named as the book that sparked their interest in computing and security.40recommend
• Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil PostmanReaders recommend this short critique of how TV and visual media reshaped public discourse, saying its ideas still apply to social media and phones.36recommend
• The Anxious Generation by Jonathan HaidtRecommended for its scientific case that social media harms children, especially under 16; critics say its evidence is weak and its charts don't support its conclusions.24recommend
• Bullshit Jobs by David GraeberRecommended for framing jobs that add no real value, though critics say its economics is weak and it never names the jobs.20recommend
• Enshittification by Cory DoctorowPeople recommend it for clearly explaining how big platforms get worse over time, with many examples and useful antitrust context.19recommend
• Sustainable Energy without the Hot Air by David MacKayPeople praise its clear, rigorous energy analysis that puts every option in the same units, though critics say its economics and forecasts are dated and it commits the primary energy fallacy.19recommend
• Manufacturing Consent by Herman and ChomskyPeople recommend it for its propaganda model of mass media, backed by historical examples. Critics call it outdated and object to the author's politics.18recommend
• Masters of Doom by David KushnerReaders recommend it as an engaging history of id Software and the rise of Carmack and Romero, with a behind-the-scenes look at 90s game development. Some stories should be taken with a grain of salt.17recommend
• Apple in China by Patrick McGeeReaders call it a page-turning, detailed account of how Apple worked with Chinese manufacturers and the political situation there. One critic calls it motivated.16recommend
• Breakneck by Dan WangReaders praise it as a balanced, detailed look at China that broadens perspective. Critics note it is slightly outdated, about two years.16recommend
• Empire of AI by Karen HaoReporting from inside AI companies on OpenAI and the industry, praised as strong journalism. Critics say its water-use figures contain major errors and its tone is one-sided.15recommend
• If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies by Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate SoaresPraised as a detailed, well-argued case for AI extinction risk. Common caveat: critics call its scenarios vague and implausible.15recommend
• Winners Take All by Anand GiridharadasPeople recommend it as an enjoyable book examining the narrow limits of modern philanthropy.15recommend
• Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek ThompsonRecommended for its clear summary of over-regulation problems in building projects and proposed deregulation fixes; critics say its ideas are recycled neoliberal economics.14recommend
• Surveillance Capitalism by Shoshana ZuboffRecommended as a foundational account of how customer data shapes modern business and surveillance. One caveat: it was written before the recent AI boom.13recommend
• Seeing Like a State by James C. ScottRecommended for explaining how states and corporations lose sight of real conditions, and how well-meant simplification backfires. One reader felt its examples could have come from anywhere.13recommend
• Nexus by Yuval Noah HarariHarari's history of information networks from the Stone Age to AI, recommended for a deep discussion of its themes and for its influence.13recommend
• Bad Blood by John CarreyrouA journalist's account of the Theranos scandal, praised as suspenseful, well written and revealing, and recommended for anyone interested in the people involved.13recommend
• Superintelligence by Nick BostromRecommended as a serious, detailed early look at the risks of advanced AI and its threat to humanity. Critics find it dry and not fully persuasive.12recommend
• War Is a Racket by Smedley ButlerPeople recommend it as a short, direct first-person account by Marine Major General Smedley Butler on how war serves profit. No critics raised a complaint.11recommend
• Nuclear War by Annie JacobsenPeople recommend it as a chilling, plausible nuclear war scenario with a well-built timeline. Some readers say it loses pace after the opening days and needed more editing.11recommend
• Command and Control by Eric SchlosserRecommended as a gripping history of nuclear weapons safety, centred on the 1961 Damascus accident, that leaves readers both unsettled and well informed.10recommend
• The Maintenance of Everything by Stewart BrandPeople recommend it for its compelling case for maintenance and its history of engineering and service, and for its pleasant physical design.10recommend
• Normal Accidents by Charles PerrowRecommended for its clear analysis of how tightly coupled, complex technologies fail, with examples from medicine, maritime and other fields. One critic says it is less enjoyable on rereading.10recommend
• House by Tracy KidderRecommended for Tracy Kidder's clear, sympathetic portrayal of people and how systems work, and for its close look at house building.9recommend
• Simple Sabotage Field Manual by Office of Strategic ServicesPeople recommend it for practical advice on workplace dysfunction that still reads as relevant today; one critic doubts its effectiveness and one finds parts unclear.8recommend
• The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind by Julian JaynesRecommended as a bold, thought-provoking theory of consciousness's origins that raises good questions about mental imagery. Its main caveat: critics find the evidence weak and the central thesis probably wrong.8recommend
• The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas KuhnPeople recommend it as a detailed analysis of how scientific fields change, and as a work worth rereading for the history and philosophy of science.8recommend
• Countdown to Zero Day by Kim ZetterA well-researched, technically accurate history of the Stuxnet cyberweapon that readers find accessible to non-experts and eye-opening about industrial infrastructure security.8recommend
• Range by David EpsteinReaders recommend Range for its engaging, well-written look at how generalists and specialists learn and solve problems, with vivid examples of specialists' experiences.7recommend
• The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas TalebRecommended as a conceptual, readable guide to statistics that non-specialists can follow. Critics most often call it self-indulgent and padded.7recommend
• Bowling Alone by Robert PutnamPeople recommend it as an in-depth look at the topic of declining social connection and community life, and as a good place to start reading on the subject.7recommend
• The Power Broker by Robert CaroPeople recommend it as a classic, famous non-fiction book about Robert Moses, and a long-time Hacker News favorite. No recurring criticism appears in the quotes.7recommend
• The Checklist Manifesto by Atul GawandeRecommended as a clear, practical guide to building good checklists and getting things done with higher quality. Critics say the material is thin for its length.7recommend
• Stalking the Wily Hacker by Cliff StollPeople recommend it as an enjoyable, fun story of tracking a computer intruder, and one that got some readers into computers.7recommend
• Confessions of an Economic Hitman by John PerkinsRecommended as an overview of US relations with Saudi Arabia and how Saudi Arabia was set up, though one critic dismisses it as trash.6recommend
• Goliath's Curse by Luke KempReaders praise it as a fresh look at human history and collapse, and recommend it strongly. Critics say its evidence is most convincing when it covers the paleolithic.6recommend
• The Art of Doing Science and Engineering by Richard HammingRecommended as an insider's view of how computing and engineering developed, with advice that holds in good and bad times. Some readers say it needs context.6recommend
• Alchemy by Rory SutherlandReaders say it opens their eyes to surprising ideas about how people make decisions, and it helps with understanding marketing and business. No recurring criticism of the book appears in the quotes.6recommend
• Trust Me, I'm Lying by Ryan HolidayPeople recommend it as an insightful look at how online media manipulation works, though some say it is dated.6recommend
• Liftoff by Eric BergerPeople recommend Liftoff for explaining the early history of SpaceX and the reasons behind its decisions, often read alongside its sequel Reentry. No critical comments were recorded.6recommend
• Three Felonies a Day by Harvey SilverglatePeople recommend this book for explaining how US law became so broad that ordinary people commit crimes without knowing it.6recommend
• Factfulness by Hans RoslingPeople recommend it for showing that the world is improving more than our biased intuitions suggest, making readers less pessimistic. No critic in the quotes names a recurring drawback.6recommend
• The Fort Bragg Cartel by Seth HarpReaders recommend this book for its account of misconduct by Fort Bragg special operations soldiers and its look at the drug trade, and rate it good to great.6recommend
• The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr SolzhenitsynRecommended as a well-written, detailed account of how gulag camps worked and how totalitarian states treat their subjects. Critics find its technical detail heavy.6recommend
• Future Shock by Alvin TofflerPeople recommend it for its account of how accelerating technological, social, and economic change can overwhelm people's ability to adapt, and several call it prophetic.6recommend
• Man and the Computer by John G. KemenyA 1972 book by the co-creator of BASIC, recommended for how accurately it predicted home computers, the internet and online news decades early.6recommend
• Metaphors We Live By by George Lakoff and Mark JohnsonRecommended as a readable, enduring account of how metaphor shapes thinking and our embodied understanding of the world.6recommend
• Endurance by Alfred LansingRecommended as a gripping true account of Shackleton's Antarctic expedition that readers find hard to put down, with a rich collection of original photos.6recommend
• The Nerd Reich by Gil DuranRecommended as context on tech's threat to democracy, with clear Thiel and Y Combinator links. Critics say it overgeneralizes about Silicon Valley.6recommend
• Eichmann in Jerusalem by Hannah ArendtRecommended as an important philosophical work on the banality of evil, drawn from the Eichmann trial. Main caveat: critics say it contains factual errors and that its ideas were not novel.5recommend
• Understanding Media by Marshall McLuhanPeople recommend it for its ideas on how media shape the messages they carry, which they say remain true today. No critical comments were recorded.5recommend
• The Wizard and the Prophet by Charles C. MannPeople recommend it as a readable account of Norman Borlaug and the green revolution, framing the debate between technological innovation and its critics as a useful duality.5recommend
• How the World Really Works by Vaclav SmilReaders recommend it as an enjoyable big-picture look at how modern civilization depends on materials such as ammonia, steel, concrete and plastics. No recurring criticism appears in the quotes.5recommend
• Addiction by Design: Machine Gambling in Las Vegas by Natasha Dow SchüllPeople recommend it as an eye-opening account of how technology and gambling machines are designed to influence behavior.5recommend
• What Is Intelligence by Blaise Agüera y ArcasPeople recommend it as a great, mind-opening read on what intelligence is, and say it is worth reading. No critics appeared in the discussions.5recommend
• The Scout Mindset by Julia GalefArgues that getting things right comes from how a person thinks rather than from being smarter, and readers find it a clear, eye-opening account of their own habits.5recommend
• The High Cost of Free Parking by Donald ShoupPeople recommend it for showing how free parking wastes space and money and harms cities, and for its value to readers of urban economics and housing affordability.5recommend
• The Limits to Growth by Donella Meadows et al.People say its nuanced analysis of growth limits has aged well and matches later data; the one caveat raised is that it extrapolates from aggregate statistics.5recommend
• Artificial Intimacy by Sherry TurkleRecommended as an important, articulate look at how talking to machines shapes people psychologically and socially, with examples a reader can reuse.5recommend
• The Comfort Crisis by Michael EasterReaders recommend it for arguing that growing comfort shrinks our comfort zones, and for prompting them to rethink how they live and train.5recommend
• Not the End of the World by Hannah RitchiePeople recommend it as a very good, data-driven read on climate change, and one that sits alongside other compelling, contrasting takes on the subject.5recommend
• The Psychology of Software Teams by Cat HicksPeople recommend it for confronting a hard team dilemma head-on and for being an interesting, fun read. No recurring caveat appears in the quotes.5recommend
• Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth by Buckminster FullerA short book by Buckminster Fuller that people recommend for its clear, useful perspective on design and the dynamics it covers. No critics were found.5recommend
• Propaganda by Edward BernaysBernays's 1928 book gives a behind-the-scenes view of how propaganda works, and people call it a good place to start.4recommend
• Superforecasting by Tetlock and GardnerRecommended as an accessible starting point for learning how good forecasters think, including using outside views to adjust inside views.4recommend
• Recoding America by Jennifer PahlkaPeople recommend it as a thorough look at why government technology projects fail and how institutions shape outcomes, with examples from the IRS and VA.4recommend
• The Score by C. Thi NguyenPeople recommend it for its clear argument that you can tell when a value you care about has quietly become just a metric, which applies to modern measurement culture.4recommend
• The Elephant in the Brain by Kevin Simler and Robin HansonPeople recommend it for explaining how humans evolved to deceive themselves about their true motives, and for changing how readers see everyday behavior.4recommend
• Say Nothing by Patrick Radden KeefeHacker News readers recommend it in reading-list threads, and one commenter calls it great. Few comments discuss it in detail.4recommend
• The Palestine Laboratory by Antony LoewensteinPeople recommend it as a well-researched read that shows Israel's long history of murder around the world, a history one reader said they had not known.4recommend
• Means of Control by Byron TauPeople recommend it for a clear, in-depth picture of how the surveillance state works today.4recommend
• The Righteous Mind by Jonathan HaidtRecommended for its analysis of why different people think about ethics quite differently, and for being readable rather than dry.4recommend
• The Right Stuff by Tom WolfeRecommended as a stellar, interesting account of Project Mercury and the first astronauts, helping readers understand why astronauts take such risks.4recommend
• Skin in the Game by Nassim TalebPeople recommend it as a strong read on risk, incentives and accountability, with one commenter calling it among the best texts they have read on a specific type of conservatism.4recommend
• The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven PinkerRecommended to show how far society has come; critics say it ignores major problems and historians dispute its claims.4recommend
• Invisible Women by Caroline Criado PerezA book of examples showing how data and design routinely leave out women, recommended for its strong, evidence-driven case on missing data.4recommend
• The Wager by David GrannCommenters enjoyed it as one of their favorite reads of the year, mentioned alongside Pachinko.4recommend
• Doppelganger by Naomi KleinPeople recommend it as a compelling non-fiction explanation of how a major event happened, and one reader called it among the best non-fiction books they read that year.4recommend
• Character Limit by Kate Conger and Ryan MacPeople recommend it as an interesting behind-the-scenes account of what happened at Twitter under Elon Musk, and they praise its title.4recommend
• The New Jim Crow by Michelle AlexanderPeople recommend it as a good read for anyone interested in its topic, and commenters call it highly recommended.4recommend
• Oranges by John McPheePeople recommend it as a great read for anyone interested in its story, and praise McPhee as a phenomenal writer.4recommend
• The Road to Wigan Pier by George OrwellRecommended as a non-fiction account by George Orwell, praised for its authenticity, dedication and principled objection to unbounded progress. No recurring criticism appears in the quotes.4recommend
• The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha MukherjeeRecommended for its engaging writing and its clear picture of how hard early cancer screening is. One reader had to stop partway through.4recommend
• Liars and Outliers by Bruce SchneierRecommended as a valuable, rarely discussed book by Bruce Schneier, and as a human-scale game theory primer.4recommend
• The World Without Us by Alan WeismanA thought experiment on how the planet would recover if humans vanished, covering how cities, houses and artifacts would decay over time.4recommend
• Born to Run by Christopher McDougallReaders recommend it as a good story that helped one reader fix foot pain with thin shoes and walking on rocky ground. Critics say it is a story, not a practical handbook.4recommend
• Engineering Schizophrenia: Trusting Yourself Through Byzantine FaultsReaders recommend it for its interesting parts and systems mindset, and one says its first part could be a science fiction novel. Only one critic responded, and they objected to the crude title of chapter one.4recommend
• Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea by Gary KinderRecommended as a book about the treasure hunt for shipwreck gold. Critics note the author is enamored with Tommy Thompson, reading as borderline hagiography.4recommend
• The Devil in the White City by Erik LarsonRecommended as a good read and a favorite, though one commenter notes it takes yellow journalism at face value, unsupported by government records.4recommend
• Fooled by Randomness by Nassim Nicholas TalebPeople recommend it for explaining statistics and randomness at a conceptual level, readable without a technical or educational background.3recommend
• A Paradise Built in Hell by Rebecca SolnitPeople recommend it for its account of how communities care for each other in disasters, and why they rarely turn on themselves.3recommend
• The 48 Laws of Power by Robert GreenePeople recommend it as a sharp look at how power works in organizations, useful for understanding bosses and office politics. Critics say it reads as a playbook for manipulation.3recommend
• How to Take Smart Notes by Sönke AhrensRecommended for showing how writing drives thinking and learning, and for a Zettelkasten reading approach. Critics say it is vague and defines too many note types.3recommend
• Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam HigginbothamPeople praise its prose and updated analysis beyond the IAEA report, covering the disaster from run-up to aftermath.3recommend
• The Computational Beauty of Nature by Gary William FlakePeople recommend it as an inspiring book on generative art, and they especially like owning the physical copy. No recurring criticisms were raised.3recommend
• Dark Money by Jane MayerPeople urge readers to pick up this book and say the Netflix documentary of the same name is no substitute for it.3recommend
• The Transparent Society by David BrinRecommended as an early, thoughtful treatment of surveillance and privacy, with readers pointing to its ideas on how transparency could shape power and personal privacy.3recommend
• The Coddling of the American Mind by Jonathan Haidt and Greg LukianoffRecommended as an excellent account of the changing students in higher education. One critic says it presents overly simplified narratives.3recommend
• Merchants of Doubt by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. ConwayPeople recommend it as a clear, well-covered account of the subject, with one commenter calling what happened fairly clear.3recommend
• Why Greatness Cannot Be Planned by Kenneth O. Stanley and Joel LehmanPeople recommend it for its core idea that in open-ended problems you only know which actions were good in hindsight. One critic says it is padded and could be half as long.3recommend
• More Everything Forever by Adam BeckerPeople recommend it for a clear overview of AI doom, effective altruism, accelerationism and related movements, and one commenter says it covers that ground better than alternatives.3recommend
• The Secret of Our Success by Joseph HenrichPeople recommend it for its examples of how culturally evolved knowledge and practices help survival, sometimes where pure reason fails.3recommend
• Blind Man's Bluff by Sherry Sontag and Christopher DrewPeople recommend it for its detailed account of a secret US submarine program, including how the program was carried out and the Ivy Bells operation. No recurring complaints appear in the quotes.3recommend
• Computer Power and Human Reason by Joseph WeizenbaumPeople recommend it as a still-relevant critique of AI and computing, with lessons that many readers find eye-opening when read today.3recommend
• Digital Minimalism by Cal NewportRecommended as a deep look at cutting digital distraction, and one reader found the digital declutter process freed up space. Some feel one book is more than the topic needs.3recommend
• The Body Electric by Robert O. BeckerCommenters call this 1985 book interesting and recommend reading it. No critic raised a complaint about it.3recommend
• Stop Reading the News by Rolf DobelliRecommended by readers as an excellent book on the topic, with several urging others to take its advice and stop reading the news.3recommend
• Class: A Guide Through the American Status System by Paul FussellPeople recommend it as an interesting read and an excellent reference on the American status system.3recommend
• The Collapse of Complex Societies by Joseph TainterRecommended as a serious, non-conspiratorial study of why complex societies collapse, and as a read for anyone interested in societal collapse.3recommend
• The Weather Machine by Andrew BlumA readable history of weather forecasting, covering the field up to before Covid.3recommend
• The Second Estate by Ray MadoffPeople recommend it as an excellent analysis of US tax policy changes and a good way to learn about the topic. No recurring caveat appears in the quotes.3recommend
• The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI by Cory DoctorowRecommended by a few readers as an excellent read on AI and work, though one critic found it conventional anti-AI commentary.3recommend
• Poor Charlie's Almanack by Charles MungerRecommended for clearly thought-out, time-tested views; one critic finds its repeated speech a rehash.3recommend
• No Logo by Naomi KleinPeople recommend it for its detailed account of how branding expanded in the 1980s and 1990s, and how that mechanism works.3recommend
• Le Ton Beau de Marot by Douglas HofstadterPeople recommend it as a deep dive into translation, full of fun linguistic trivia, for readers who want something substantial.3recommend
• The Age of Spiritual Machines by Ray KurzweilReaders recommend it for Kurzweil's computing predictions, which they found accurate. The common caveat is that his biology and longevity forecasts seem well off.3recommend
• Governing the Commons by Elinor OstromReaders recommend it as a clear account of how groups cooperate to manage shared resources, including Ostrom's eight rules for governing the commons.3recommend
• On Killing by Dave GrossmanRecommended as a classic on the psychology of killing; the most common caveat is that it leans on S.L.A. Marshall's dubious work.3recommend
• You Are Not a Gadget by Jaron LanierRecommended for clear thinking about causes and outcomes, and for its discussion of music development alongside computers.3recommend
• The Technological Society by Jacques EllulThree Hacker News commenters recommended it, but the quotes give few reasons; one commenter remarked on its lengthy preambles.3recommend
• The Spy and the Traitor by Ben MacintyreCommenters call it incredibly gripping, with a true story of courage and perseverance that is hard to believe.3recommend
• Reinventing the RenaissanceReaders praise it as an excellent, delightful book, full of facts, opinions and humor, written with real expertise and diligence. No criticism was posted.3recommend
• Takedown by Tsutomu Shimomura and John MarkoffRecommended for its look at the mindset behind social engineering. One critic felt it gives Kevin Mitnick more attention than is warranted.3recommend
• Half a Second by Adrian MastronardiFree, honest book on the XZ backdoor that people find worthwhile despite quirks. Most common caveat: critics say it reads as AI-generated and adds little new.3recommend
• Why Does He Do That? by Lundy BancroftRecommended as a book on male domestic violence perpetrators that goes into more detail than the parable it accompanies; one reader found the story a bit strange.3recommend
• Catch and Kill by Ronan FarrowPeople recommend it as a phenomenal, enjoyable book that exposes wrongdoing by powerful people. No criticism appeared in the quotes.3recommend
• Plunder: Private Equity's Plan to Pillage America by Brendan BallouA reader highly recommends it; the most common caveat is a painfully repetitive third act.3recommend
• A World Appears by Michael PollanReaders praise its nuanced, well-researched survey of consciousness researchers' views and engaging footnotes. Common caveat: it is challenging and can leave readers more confused.2recommend
• Difficult Conversations by Stone, Patton and HeenPeople recommend it for getting along with others outside work and for expanding their awareness of conversations.2recommend
• Privacy is Power by Carissa VélizRecommended by commenters as a book on why privacy matters, often paired with Surveillance Capitalism for reading on technology and surveillance.2recommend
• The Chaos Machine by Max FisherRecommended as an excellent, well-documented account of how social media platforms work and their effects. No caveat recurs in the quotes.2recommend
• Evicted by Matthew DesmondReaders say it helped them understand eviction and poverty much better, and they recommend it for that clearer picture of how these problems play out.2recommend
• Active Measures by Thomas RidPeople recommend it as a detailed, good starting point for understanding the subject it covers.2recommend
• How to Feed the World by Vaclav SmilPeople recommend it for its well-sourced, data-heavy treatment of global food supply, which they say refutes common claims with evidence.2recommend
• The Master and His Emissary by Iain McGilchristTwo commenters recommend it for its fascinating ideas, and one considers it the missing idea for AI.2recommend
• Incerto by Nassim Nicholas TalebRecommended for sharpening judgment about randomness, uncertainty and bogus claims; one reader rereads it regularly to refresh that skepticism.2recommend
• The Human Use of Human Beings by Norbert WienerRecommended as a thoughtful examination of automation and human augmentation from cybernetics pioneer Norbert Wiener.2recommend
• The End of the World is Just the Beginning by Peter ZeihanTwo readers call it a great book with interesting analysis. No critical reviews were found in these threads.2recommend
• Chokepoint Capitalism by Rebecca Giblin and Cory DoctorowTwo commenters recommend it as a really great book with a very good chapter. No critical comments were found.2recommend
• Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop by Lee DrutmanPeople recommend it for its analysis of American electoral problems, including primaries, and its case for multiparty democracy as a way forward.2recommend
• When McKinsey Comes To Town by Bogdanich and ForsytheRecommended for documenting the standard tactics McKinsey uses, with examples such as those seen in insurance, and named as a favourite read by one commenter.2recommend
• When Google Met WikiLeaks by Julian AssangeRecommended as a fun read that people found eye-opening, covering Julian Assange's book about Google and WikiLeaks.2recommend
• The Rules of the Game by Andrew GordonRecommended as a worked example of ideas in context, specifically Gordon's book on the Battle of Jutland. One commenter cites a different book with the same title by Neil Strauss.2recommend
• Crucial Conversations by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan and SwitzlerRecommended as a good place to start on handling difficult conversations, with attention to the role emotions play in dialogue.2recommend
• Copaganda by Peter MoskowitzRecommended as an excellent book on police propaganda, with long, detailed footnotes for readers who want to check the sources.2recommend
• The Inevitable by Kevin KellyRecommended as a counterpoint to AI-future hype. Its predictions hold up only partly, by one reader's rough count.2recommend
• Irreducible by Federico FagginRecommended by a couple of commenters who say it discusses the limits of classical computing and who agree with its argument that consciousness is not computation.2recommend
• Collapse by Jared DiamondPeople recommend it for a walk through a variety of past societies that went through collapse, and say it is worth reading.2recommend
• This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends by Nicole PerlrothRecommended as a well-researched history of the cyberweapons and exploit market from the late 1990s to the early 2010s. One commenter who had not read it disputed a claim the author makes about NSA stockpiling web bugs.2recommend
• After the Spike by Dean Spears and Michael GerusoReaders recommend it for its honest, perspective-giving look at falling birth rates, and for ending with open questions rather than false certainty.2recommend
• Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. ThompsonPeople recommend it mainly for its opening line, which one reader says is hard to top. One critic said they did not finish it.2recommend