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FROM THE SHARED SHELF · 2006–2026 SAMPLE

A Mind for Numbers

Barbara Oakley

5 readers recommend it across 5 discussions

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THE WORD OF MOUTH

What made it worth passing on?

Original Hacker News comments, in the readers’ own words.

billybatson
A Mind for Numbers by Barbara Oakley: Decent. I think this book would best be read in conjunction while working through a textbook. I will admit that it did do quite a bit to help relieve math anxiety, but the nature of the book is practicality. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley: A reread. A bit depressing considering the state of the world today. I found myself wondering which reality would be preferable. Letters to a Young Mathematician by Ian Stewart: Easy, but fruitful read. I've struggled a lot with math confidence, and this helped alleviate a lot of that. How to Speak, How to Listen by Mortimer J. Adler: A lot of practical advice. My biggest takeaway was this: if it's worth talking about, even if the conversation sucks or the other person doesn't understand, any bit of advancement and understanding is worth the effort. Really helped me increase my patience when talking to people. Quack This Way by David Foster Wallace and Bryan Garner: Super useful and practical discussion between two lovers of language. I keep a copy with me at all times. The Autobiography of Gucci Mane: Just a fun read while on vacation. "If Gucci can do it, you can do it".…
sn9
She can learn just about anything nowadays from sites like Coursera, edx, and Udacity. Books like Realm of Racket can be fun introductions to programming that happen to teach some advanced stuff. Books that the parent's might like are Carol Dweck's Mindset, Barbara Oakley's A Mind for Numbers, and Angela Duckworth's Grit. If she shows an interest in mathematics, the Art of Problem Solving books and forums are great.
kennyfrc
Ha! Just had that binge too... ... Here's what I like: On the business end: - Badass by Kathy Sierra - Impossible to Inevitable by Aaron Ross - Traction by Gabriel Weinberg - Cold Calling Early Customers by Robert Graham - Learn or Die by Edward Hess On "refining your thought process": - Mind for Numbers by Barbara Oakley - Racing Towards Excellence by Jan Sramek - Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin - Case Interview Secrets by Victor Cheng (helps you think in a nice, structured way)