Ask HN: Which books have made you introspect?

Re:Ask HN: Which books have made you introspect? by gajjanag on Friday May 11, 2018 @10:31AM (#17047530)

Fiction is in general severely underrated among STEM people today, with many arguing for how it is a waste of time, etc. I was fortunate enough to grow up in an environment where I had good access to it, and a healthy level of support for my interest.

THe thing I find funny about this is that many of the "STEM legends" such as von Neumann, Ulam, Einstein and others had read a lot of classical literature. Einstein himself is quoted saying: "Dostoevsky gives me more than any scientist, more than Gauss." I just make sure I give this quote only when there are no number theorists in the room.

Sure, if one just confines oneself to the "popular" works on a standard YA list, it may be reasonable to conclude that some fiction is not worth reading for a STEM person. However, the classics are classics for a reason after all.

Moreover, it is also not implausible that a discerning eye can find plenty of great worth in modern authors as well, something the parent has done.

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Re:Ask HN: Which books have made you introspect? by internetman55 on Friday May 11, 2018 @10:50AM (#17047673)

If someone in real life told me that fiction is not worth the time, I'd instantly write him off as at best a moron who has mastered some technical skills.

Edit: he may manage to become not a moron in the future, I just mean that I would proceed under the assumption that he is at this time a moron.

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Re:Ask HN: Which books have made you introspect? by _pgmf on Friday May 11, 2018 @12:06PM (#17048437)

I am a literature major working as a software engineer, and I agree! Humanity has a very long history of story-telling. Often stories can tell us more than rational argument, since they hook-up with our intuition (rather than logic). This isn't to say there aren't laws in the Universe, but that the way we understand things is often emotional and intuitive. A good story can say so much about the human experience.

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Re:Ask HN: Which books have made you introspect? by trentmb on Friday May 11, 2018 @10:58AM (#17047723)

I wish I had the discipline to read more. Even when I finally get myself to sit down with a book I always find myself zoning out.

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Re:Ask HN: Which books have made you introspect? by bmpafa on Friday May 11, 2018 @12:05PM (#17048431)

I had the same problem. I've been doing 100% audiobooks for several years now and I'll never go back. I can work through a regular length book in a week w/ retention on par with regular book reading.

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Re:Ask HN: Which books have made you introspect? by iamben on Friday May 11, 2018 @11:54AM (#17048307)

Yeah, I feel you. Used to read a huge amount. Found myself zoning out and reaching for my phone to check (ironically) HN, or my email. Solved by turning my phone off and leaving it in another room. Checking it becomes more effort than not checking it - habit quickly broken.

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