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This article began with John McPhee, who begins many great things. Somers' article is the most practical single bit of writing advice I've seen in a long time (
by timdierks 12y ago
This article began with John McPhee, who begins many great things. Somers' article is the most practical single bit of writing advice I've seen in a long time (it even includes software you can install).
If you're not familiar with McPhee, you're missing out. He's one of the greatest English-language essayists of the 20th century. My favorite is "Coming into the Country" (on Alaska), but the Hacker News set in general may prefer "The Control of Nature".
- arethuza 12y ago"The Curve of Binding Energy: A Journey into the Awesome and Alarming World of Theodore B. Taylor" is excellent as well: http://www.amazon.com/The-Curve-Binding-Energy-Alarming/dp/0374515980 http://www.amazon.com/The-Curve-Binding-Energy-Alarming/dp/0...
- JackFr 12y agoOranges. http://www.amazon.com/Oranges-John-McPhee/dp/0374512973 http://www.amazon.com/Oranges-John-McPhee/dp/0374512973 Absolutely fascinating -- it's just about oranges.
- schoen 12y ago"The Control of Nature" was fascinating. I read it right around the time of Hurricane Katrina, which adds a new resonance to McPhee's discussion of the Army Corps of Engineers trying to protect New Orleans from floods.
- jleader 12y agoOne of my favorites, which I read as a teenager in the 70s, was "The Deltoid Pumpkin Seed", about a startup that tried to commercialize a hybrid airship/airfoil craft. It provided the first description I'd read of using a computer approximation to solve a real-world optimization problem (in this case, finding the shape that gave the best combination of volume for helium and aerodynamic lift with the least drag).