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What’s your favorite textbooks? How do you discover which ones to buy? Is there a space online where people are talking about this?
by randmeerkat 5y ago
What’s your favorite textbooks? How do you discover which ones to buy? Is there a space online where people are talking about this?
- epgui 5y agoI spend a lot of time sniffing them out. One thing I'll do once in a while is visit a university bookstore to get a sense of what's being used in classrooms. I ended up with a lot of my law textbooks like that. In law, I've really loved: - Canadian Administrative Law (Guy Régimbald): https://store.lexisnexis.ca/en/categories/shop-by-jurisdiction/federal-13/canadian-administrative-law-3rd-edition-skusku-cad-00635/details https://store.lexisnexis.ca/en/categories/shop-by-jurisdicti... - Tort Law (Horsey & Rackley): https://www.amazon.ca/Tort-Law-Kirsty-Horsey-dp-019886776X/dp/019886776X/ https://www.amazon.ca/Tort-Law-Kirsty-Horsey-dp-019886776X/d... - Handbook of Canadian Higher Education Law (Shanahan, Nilso & Broshko): https://www.amazon.ca/Handbook-Canadian-Higher-Education-Law/dp/1553394429 https://www.amazon.ca/Handbook-Canadian-Higher-Education-Law... I've been on a maths, stats and ML/AI binge in the last year, and so far my top picks are: - Calculus (Stewart): https://www.amazon.ca/Calculus-James-Stewart/dp/1337624187/ https://www.amazon.ca/Calculus-James-Stewart/dp/1337624187/ - Linear Algebra Done Right (Sheldon Axler): https://www.amazon.ca/Linear-Algebra-Right-Undergraduate-Mathematics-ebook/dp/B00PULZWPC https://www.amazon.ca/Linear-Algebra-Right-Undergraduate-Mat... - An Illustrative Guide to Multivariable and Vector Calculus (Miklavcic): https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/3030334589/ https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/3030334589/ - Probability: A Graduate Course (Allan Gut): https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1461447070/ https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1461447070/ - Statistical Rethinking (McElreath): https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/036713991X/ https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/036713991X/ - An Introduction to Statistical Learning (James, Witten, Hastie & Tibshirani): https://www.amazon.ca/Introduction-Statistical-Learning-Applications-dp-1071614177/dp/1071614177/ https://www.amazon.ca/Introduction-Statistical-Learning-Appl... - Regression and Other Stories (Gelman, Hill & Vehtari): https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1107676517/ https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1107676517/ - Data Analysis Using Regression and Multilevel/Hierarchical Models (Gelman & Hill): https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/052168689X/ https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/052168689X/ - Statistical and Data Analysis for Financial Engineering (Ruppert & Matteson): https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1493926136/ https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1493926136/ - Reinforcement Learning (Sutton & Barto): https://www.amazon.ca/Reinforcement-Learning-Introduction-Richard-Sutton/dp/0262039249/ https://www.amazon.ca/Reinforcement-Learning-Introduction-Ri... - Deep Learning (Godfellow, Bengio & Courville): https://www.amazon.ca/Deep-Learning-Ian-Goodfellow/dp/0262035618/ref=pd_bxgy_img_1/136-5872634-9070117 https://www.amazon.ca/Deep-Learning-Ian-Goodfellow/dp/026203... - Networks (Mark Newman): https://www.amazon.ca/Networks-Mark-Newman/dp/0198805098/ https://www.amazon.ca/Networks-Mark-Newman/dp/0198805098/ I have a ton of textbooks in my wishlist that seem noteworthy and interesting, but that I haven't gotten the chance to read yet: no promises, but you might find something in there https://www.amazon.ca/hz/wishlist/ls/1FWW046Q3RWWM https://www.amazon.ca/hz/wishlist/ls/1FWW046Q3RWWM My area of expertise is biochemistry, life science, immunology, cell bio... So if anyone wants good recommendations in these topics I have plenty! :)
- chermi 5y ago+1 to Axler (linear algebra) and Newman (networks)
- randmeerkat 5y agoDo you have any recommendations on a good primer for biochem? It is a topic I’m interested in and I would like something that sets me up to dig into everything from viruses to cancer to life extension.
- epgui 5y agoAbsolutely, I have quite a few I'd recommend. If you tell me more about your background and what you're looking for, I can refine my recommendations further. Either way, the first thing you have to know is that it's a huge huge field, and you won't find any single book that introduces you well to every subtopic (it's just impossible), and the amount of background/support knowledge you need in order to be able to fully and critically appreciate even basic research papers is pretty enormous. General biochem and cell bio: - https://www.amazon.com/Biochemistry-Reginald-H-Garrett/dp/1305577205/ https://www.amazon.com/Biochemistry-Reginald-H-Garrett/dp/13... - https://www.amazon.ca/Molecular-Cell-Biology-Harvey-Lodish-dp-1319208525/dp/1319208525/ https://www.amazon.ca/Molecular-Cell-Biology-Harvey-Lodish-d... - https://www.amazon.ca/Lehninger-Principles-Biochemistry-David-Nelson/dp/1319228003/ https://www.amazon.ca/Lehninger-Principles-Biochemistry-Davi... Biotech: - https://www.amazon.com/Molecular-Biotechnology-Principles-Applications-Recombinant-dp-1683673646/dp/1683673646/ https://www.amazon.com/Molecular-Biotechnology-Principles-Ap... Cell signaling: - https://www.amazon.com/Cell-Signaling-Wendell-Lim/dp/0815342446/ https://www.amazon.com/Cell-Signaling-Wendell-Lim/dp/0815342... Immunology: - https://www.amazon.ca/Janeways-Immunobiology-Paperback-Version-Kenneth/dp/0815345054/ https://www.amazon.ca/Janeways-Immunobiology-Paperback-Versi... - https://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Inflammation-Charles-Serhan-PhD/dp/0521887291/ https://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Inflammation-Charles-Ser... Microbiology: - https://www.amazon.com/Jawetz-Melnick-Adelbergs-Medical-Microbiology-dp-1260012026/dp/1260012026/ https://www.amazon.com/Jawetz-Melnick-Adelbergs-Medical-Micr... - https://www.amazon.com/Microbiology-Laboratory-Fundamentals-Applications-2nd/dp/0130100749/ https://www.amazon.com/Microbiology-Laboratory-Fundamentals-... Embryology: - https://www.amazon.com/Developmental-Biology-Michael-J-F-Barresi/dp/1605358223/ https://www.amazon.com/Developmental-Biology-Michael-J-F-Bar... Haematology: - https://www.amazon.com/Hematology-Clinical-Practice-Fifth-Medicine/dp/0071626999/ https://www.amazon.com/Hematology-Clinical-Practice-Fifth-Me... Genetics and bioinformatics: - I actually have never found a great textbook, please let me know if you know of any. Anatomy & physiology (leaning more towards human & medical): - https://www.amazon.ca/Human-Anatomy-Physiology-Elaine-Marieb/dp/0134580990/ https://www.amazon.ca/Human-Anatomy-Physiology-Elaine-Marieb... - https://www.amazon.ca/Guyton-Hall-Textbook-Medical-Physiology/dp/0323597122/ https://www.amazon.ca/Guyton-Hall-Textbook-Medical-Physiolog... - https://www.amazon.ca/Medical-Physiology-Walter-Boron-PhD-dp-1455743771/dp/1455743771/ https://www.amazon.ca/Medical-Physiology-Walter-Boron-PhD-dp... Basic/general medicine (don't shoot me I'm trying to keep the list short and general): - https://www.amazon.ca/Robbins-Cotran-Pathologic-Basis-Disease/dp/032353113X/ https://www.amazon.ca/Robbins-Cotran-Pathologic-Basis-Diseas... - https://www.amazon.ca/Cecil-Essentials-Medicine-Edward-FIDSA/dp/0323722717/ https://www.amazon.ca/Cecil-Essentials-Medicine-Edward-FIDSA... - https://www.amazon.ca/Harrisons-Principles-Internal-Medicine-Twentieth/dp/1259644030/ https://www.amazon.ca/Harrisons-Principles-Internal-Medicine... Neuroanatomy (deserves a mention, one of my all time favs): - https://www.amazon.ca/Neuroanatomy-through-Clinical-Cases-Blumenfeld/dp/1605359629/ https://www.amazon.ca/Neuroanatomy-through-Clinical-Cases-Bl... USMLE step 1 prep materials are surprisingly good outlines, but not great for an introduction on their own: - https://www.amazon.ca/First-USMLE-Step-Thirty-first/dp/126046752X/ https://www.amazon.ca/First-USMLE-Step-Thirty-first/dp/12604... Cancer: - I don't know of any good textbooks on the subject, but once you have some of the fundamentals of biochem under your belt, start reading the papers referenced here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hallmarks_of_Cancer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hallmarks_of_Cancer
- lifefeed 5y agoAsk yourself, "what would batman want to learn," and learn that. That's how I ended up with Practical Homicide Investigation Tactics, Procedures, and Forensic Techniques. It's amazing.
- necrodome 5y agoThis list from LessWrong is ok: https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/xg3hXCYQPJkwHyik2/the-best-textbooks-on-every-subject https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/xg3hXCYQPJkwHyik2/the-best-t...
- chermi 5y agoIs this website/thread still watched and update? I have some thoughts and recommendations for that list.
- mejutoco 5y agoUniversity requirements can be useful gor this (the book list for specific studies). Goodreads is another one.
- randmeerkat 5y agoAre some universities better than others for this? Do you have any favorite universities that you follow?
- sn9 5y agoI think your best bet would be to compare the curricula and syllabi of different universities and see which books are the most commonly recommended. You could just look at Ivy League universities, or maybe the top N universities for undergraduates in field X.
- wheelinsupial 5y agoI try to look at a mix of universities. The top couple in a field, some state schools (that aren't the top couple), and some schools that are more practically oriented. This way you'll get exposure from more theoretical to more applied. Even if the same textbooks are used across these institutions there may be a difference in emphasis and assignments. One can start from the least rigorous and work up to the more rigorous courses. Even some of the top schools may have honors and non-honors versions of courses.
- mejutoco 5y agoI checked MIT‘s curriculum for Math books (logic in particular) and I got 2 or 3 that looked interesting. I thought if it more like browsing things that look interesting (checking on goodreads) more than a systematic approach.