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Ask HN: What recreational books related to programming can you recommend?
I'm going on a holiday and I'll have a lot of time dedicated to reading so I want to take a book related to programming. Since I won't carry my computer with me but only my Kindle, I'm looking for a book that doesn't require code practice.
I just started to play with Swift for a few months as a hobby so I'm either interested interested in something related or into something generic (such as a book about algorithms or data structures).
I would love to read a book that helps novices to understand concepts, problems, etc...it doesn't matter as long as it improves your thinking.
Thanks!
- informatimago 11y agoThe best book of last century: GEB. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6del,_Escher,_Bach https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6del,_Escher,_Bach More challenging: Fun With Algorithms: http://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319078892 http://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319078892
- boogdan 11y agoThanks, the first one looks extremely interesting.
- a3n 11y agoThe Emperor’s New Mind, Penrose. The Mind's I: Fantasies And Reflections On Self & Soul, Hofstadter and Dennet. The Society of Mind, Minsky. Martin Gardner. http://www.amazon.com/Martin-Gardner/e/B000AP8X8G/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_6?qid=1438610937&sr=1-6 http://www.amazon.com/Martin-Gardner/e/B000AP8X8G/ref=sr_ntt... Donald Knuth. http://www.amazon.com/Martin-Gardner/e/B000AP8X8G/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_6?qid=1438610937&sr=1-6 http://www.amazon.com/Martin-Gardner/e/B000AP8X8G/ref=sr_ntt... Things a Computer Scientist Rarely Talks About, Knuth. e: The Story of a Number, Maor. The Pythagorean Theorem: a 4000-year history, Maor. Flatland, Abbot. Snowcrash, Stevenson. Johnny Mnemonic, Gibson.
- boogdan 11y agoAlso found this, for those who are interested: "The Inmates Are Running the Asylum", by Alan Cooper: http://www.amazon.com/The-Inmates-Are-Running-Asylum/dp/0672326140 http://www.amazon.com/The-Inmates-Are-Running-Asylum/dp/0672...
- NY_hudson 11y agoCoders at Work: Reflections on the Craft of Programming - Peter Seibel http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1430219483 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1430219483 great book, easy reading, inspiring and insightful, highly recommended!