Ask HN: What were the best books you read this year?
Readers share the most memorable books they’ve read this year, spanning literary fiction, sci‑fi, history, politics, math, and personal development. Certain titles recur — from Rhodes’ “The Making of the Atomic Bomb” and Jacobsen’s “Nuclear War: A Scenario” to Ishiguro’s “Piranesi” and various space and AI-themed novels — reflecting strong interest in technology, war, and the future. Alongside recommendations, people compare reading habits, audiobooks vs. print, and how particular works have shifted their views on issues such as race, colonialism, gender, and climate change.
Overview
- Thread is a wide-ranging exchange of favorite reads from the year, spanning literary classics, science fiction, fantasy, history, politics, science/tech, and self-help.
- Many comments include quick mini‑reviews, comparative judgments, and notes on how specific books affected them personally or changed their views.
Standout Fiction and Series
- Strong enthusiasm for various science‑fiction series: space operas, near‑future tech thrillers, post‑cyberpunk trilogies, progression fantasy, and web serials. Some note later volumes as weaker or oddly paced.
- Several literary novels are called “best ever” or life‑changing, especially for their structure, language, or psychological depth. Some readers re‑read long classics and report they improve as they go.
- Short, tightly written speculative novels (e.g., with unusual settings, limited character counts, or experimental structures) are praised for being engrossing and emotionally impactful, though not universally loved.
Notable Non‑Fiction
- Popular themes include nuclear war scenarios, the making of the atomic bomb, climate change, statistical thinking, empire/colonial legacies, biographies, and political history.
- Some books are praised for changing political or social views (e.g., on race politics, social justice, housing policy, or global development).
- Others are valued for explaining complex topics accessibly (math intuition, multi‑agent systems, linear algebra, breathing, time management, risk and decision‑making).
Science, Technology, and Math
- Commenters highlight microbiology visualizations, particle physics histories, semiconductor geopolitics, AI/AGI analogies, and books connecting genetics, intelligence, or reinforcement learning to broader questions.
- A math‑thinking book is lauded as revelatory for people who struggled with higher‑level abstraction.
Politics, History, and Society
- Many recommendations in political history (Brexit, fascism, dictatorships, Stalinism, colonialism, US and UK politics), narrative economic history, and works on how cultural norms form.
- Some books are framed as correctives to dominant narratives; others as broad, synthetic overviews of “how the world really works.”
Reading Habits and Formats
- Several high‑volume readers describe strategies: heavy use of audiobooks at 2–3x speed, leveraging chores and commutes, cutting screen time, and always keeping a backlog of interesting titles.
- There’s a side discussion about whether audiobooks “count” as reading; one commenter is skeptical in the context of a “books you read” thread.
Debates and Controversies
- A major subthread debates a race‑politics book and the public positions of its author on trans issues.
- One side characterizes the author as denying trans people’s ability to coexist, tying current rhetoric to earlier opposition to civil rights and same‑sex marriage.
- The other side argues this is a misrepresentation, framing the dispute as about language, sports categories, and sex‑based rights rather than existence.
- The discussion extends into fairness in women’s sports, sex verification methods, and a specific athlete’s eligibility, with links to journalistic sources; evidence and interpretations conflict.
- Some meta‑comments note perceived influxes of specific ideological stances and the use of new accounts for such debates.