# Inventing the Renaissance by Ada Palmer

4 Hacker News commenters recommended Inventing the Renaissance by Ada Palmer and 0 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 2 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Recommended as complex history told with science fiction tools and infectious enthusiasm. Its tone matches the author's videos, which may not suit everyone.

## Why people recommend it

- Complex history told with science fiction tools (1 comments): "It's a fantastic work of complex history, told with the tools of science fiction and fantasy writing." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49587232))
- Infectious enthusiasm from the author (1 comments): "her enthusiasm is totally infectious" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49910098))
- Enjoyable, distinctive tone (1 comments): "The book is in the same tone as her videos, so it won't be for everyone, but I've really been enjoying it" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49895370))
- Helpful for understanding the Renaissance (1 comments): "It's good to read Ada Palmer's Inventing The Renaissance, because understanding whatever the Renaissance is" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49306682))

## What people warn about

- Tone may not suit everyone (1 comments): "The book is in the same tone as her videos, so it won't be for everyone, but I've really been enjoying it" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49895370))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber and David Wengrow](https://hackerapproved.com/p/dawn-of-everything.md): 23 recommend
- [Cadillac Desert by Marc Reisner](https://hackerapproved.com/p/cadillac-desert.md): 18 recommend
- [The Box by Marc Levinson](https://hackerapproved.com/p/box.md): 16 recommend
- [Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari](https://hackerapproved.com/p/sapiens.md): 13 recommend
- [Chip War by Chris Miller](https://hackerapproved.com/p/chip-war.md): 13 recommend

## Where to get it

- [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0226837971?tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link)
- [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/130825/9780226837970) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Inventing the Renaissance by Ada Palmer", https://hackerapproved.com/p/inventing-the-renaissance/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).