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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by brudgers on Sunday September 13, 2015 @10:30PM (#10213452)
Hugo and Nebula award winner Ancillary Justice is pretty good, though perhaps not great. Before that I reread No Country for Old Men, Cormac McCarthy is definitely great and I enjoyed it far more this time than when I read it nine years ago. Right now I am rereading Dune for the first time in at least twenty and possibly thirty years partially because Ancillary Justice reminded me of it, partially because it might be something I recommend trying to my son and partially because being able to read previously read books in new ways is turning out to be a pleasure of getting older. Anyway, Dune is great in ways that Dino Delaurentis and subsequent film makers had made me forget.

Langston Hughes' Weary Blues is amazing, but I'm no expert on poetry.

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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by Jemaclus on Monday September 14, 2015 @03:33PM (#10216977)
Just recently finished "Seveneves" by Neal Stephenson. It's sci-fi, but fantastic.

For non-sci-fi, my favorite fantasy book I've read recently was "The Lies of Locke Lamora" (and its sequels) by Scott Lynch. Another is "Dirty Jobs" by Christopher Moore, a bit on the Pratchett-inspired side of things.

I also recently finished Felicia Day's memoir, "You're Never Weird on the Internet," which I highly recommend.

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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by BatFastard on Sunday September 13, 2015 @04:19PM (#10212682)
Great science fiction book covering the topic. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Diamond_Age

Ideas from that book come up once a week in conversations.

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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by Vaskivo on Wednesday September 16, 2015 @12:38PM (#10227869)
I believe that, following VR, 'ractors' will be the next big thing for entertainment.
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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by darrelld on Monday September 14, 2015 @04:40PM (#10217334)
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

Excellent storytelling, humour and slice of life human drama. It's just amazing how Junot Diaz tells of the tragedy of one family and the fukú curse that haunts them over generations.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Brief-Wondrous-Life-Oscar/dp/15944...

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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by SpikedCola on Sunday September 13, 2015 @02:50PM (#10212377)
"In the Interests of Safety: The absurd rules that blight our lives and how we can change them" - Tracey Brown & Michael Hanlon

http://www.amazon.com/In-Interests-Safety-absurd-blight/dp/0...

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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by icpmacdo on Sunday September 13, 2015 @07:34PM (#10213126)
I'm going through the audiobook of Cryptonomicon, its my first Neal Stephenson book and I am quite enjoying it.
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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by vincentbarr on Sunday September 13, 2015 @08:08PM (#10213189)
"Meet Your Happy Chemicals: Dopamine, Endorphin, Oxytocin, Serotonin" by Loretta Graziano Breuning

http://www.amazon.com/Meet-Your-Happy-Chemicals-Endorphin/dp...

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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by hmartiniano on Monday September 14, 2015 @03:40AM (#10213983)
"God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything" by Christopher Hitchens. http://www.amazon.com/God-Is-Not-Great-Everything/dp/0446697...
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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by planet_carter on Monday September 14, 2015 @03:28PM (#10216946)
"Arcadia" by Tom Stoppard. It's an incredible play which explores some of the foundational concepts of Chaos Theory as literary themes. I'm not a huge fiction reader, but this one gets me every time I read it. The ending is really beautiful.
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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by frigg on Tuesday September 15, 2015 @05:51AM (#10219738)
The Metamorphosis of Prime Intellect by Roger Williams.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/64341.The_Metamorphosis_o...

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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by idefine on Sunday September 13, 2015 @09:57AM (#10211410)
Man's Search for Meaning - Viktor Frankl

http://www.amazon.com/Mans-Search-Meaning-Viktor-Frankl/dp/0...

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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by ChildOfEru on Sunday September 13, 2015 @11:43AM (#10211732)
"A People's Tragedy: The Russian Revolution: 1891-1924" by Orlando Figes

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014024364X

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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by ddw on Sunday September 13, 2015 @10:16AM (#10211468)
"Annihilation" by Jeff VanderMeer and the rest of the Southern Reach trilogy.
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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by icuci on Sunday September 13, 2015 @09:54AM (#10211399)
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by fisadev on Sunday September 13, 2015 @02:52PM (#10212383)
Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality. Don't know if "great", but quite interesting and fun free book at hpmor.com
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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by vimalvnair on Sunday September 13, 2015 @10:38AM (#10211533)
"The Fabric Of Cosmos" by Brian Greene
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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by cpete on Monday September 14, 2015 @08:31PM (#10218324)
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter.

Gorgeous, funny writing. The story spans roughly half a century and moves between Europe and the United States.

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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by partisan on Sunday September 13, 2015 @02:35PM (#10212315)
Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke.
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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by monroepe on Monday September 14, 2015 @02:47PM (#10216709)
I just bought that book and will be starting it tomorrow. I am finishing up The Eye of the World - Robert Jordan today. My wife loved it (she reads a lot faster than me).
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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by partisan on Monday September 14, 2015 @04:08PM (#10217169)
I read through the first three books of the Wheel of Time, but couldn't make it further. I may try again at some point. Did you also love Eye of the World?
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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by monroepe on Wednesday September 16, 2015 @08:36AM (#10226072)
I really enjoyed The Eye of the World. I can't wait to start book 2. I have heard the series slows down considerably later on.But so far I love it.
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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by browseatwork on Monday September 14, 2015 @08:29PM (#10218318)
Of Human Bondage by Somerset Maugham

Gold by Isaac Asimov

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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by jeo1234 on Sunday September 13, 2015 @01:45PM (#10212134)
"Every Nation for Itself: Winners and Losers in a G-Zero World" by Ian Bremmer
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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by georgeott on Tuesday September 15, 2015 @07:08PM (#10223691)
"The Potato Factory: The Australian Trilogy" - Bryce Courtenay
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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by atmosx on Monday September 14, 2015 @02:55PM (#10216756)
Brothers Karamazov by FD
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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by frostmatthew on Sunday September 13, 2015 @09:44AM (#10211369)
Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! - Richard Feynman
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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by cdvonstinkpot on Sunday September 13, 2015 @09:40AM (#10211352)
'Zen and the Art of Archery' by Eugen Herrigel
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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by ruraljuror on Monday September 14, 2015 @11:36AM (#10215579)
Slightly-techy fiction: Amnesia by Peter Carey.
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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by monroepe on Monday September 14, 2015 @09:23AM (#10214906)
Dune - Frank Herbert. Just an amazing book.
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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by TobbenTM on Monday September 14, 2015 @07:25PM (#10218130)
Population: 485 from Michael Perry
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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by harryc2011 on Tuesday September 15, 2015 @08:06AM (#10220125)
The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers
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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by BlackLamb on Sunday September 13, 2015 @02:28PM (#10212290)
Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle.
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Re:Ask HN: Great nontech book that you read recently? by monknomo on Tuesday September 15, 2015 @06:48PM (#10223627)
Super-Cannes - JG Ballard
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