Re:Ask HN: What Books Are You Reading?
by saboot on Monday June 30, 2014 @08:28PM
(#7968565)
An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth by Col. Chris Hadfield
Hadfield's description of the massive preparation that astronauts must go through to be cleared for space flight really shows how seemingly insurmountable tasks can be accomplished by determined individuals. I think it's valuable to understand that becoming an astronaut (or any other high skill profession) isn't through some magic process but is the result of years of keeping your nose to the grindstone.
It's full of many pragmatic life lessons (visualize failure, aim to be a zero) that are contrary to what many 'life gurus' espouse. A wonderful sigh of realism.
Hadfield's description of the massive preparation that astronauts must go through to be cleared for space flight really shows how seemingly insurmountable tasks can be accomplished by determined individuals. I think it's valuable to understand that becoming an astronaut (or any other high skill profession) isn't through some magic process but is the result of years of keeping your nose to the grindstone.
It's full of many pragmatic life lessons (visualize failure, aim to be a zero) that are contrary to what many 'life gurus' espouse. A wonderful sigh of realism.