HN Books @HNBooksMonth

Lack of sleep is a huge public health danger that our society refuses to take seriously so far.

I highly recommend the book Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker (2018) [1]. It goes into great detail how driving while tired late at night is no different from driving drunk in terms of resulting fatalities -- yet driving while tired is entirely legal while drunk will lose your license.

It's also terrifyingly eye-opening in the number of hospital fatalities from sleep-deprived doctors, surgeons, residents, and nurses with their extremely long shifts.

This is a conversation America needs to be having. Thankfully there are hard-won limits on how many hours a day drivers and pilots can drive and fly... but it's a vastly larger problem than just those professions.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1501144324

⬐ sidm83

This is a brilliant book. You get major new insights every few pages, and many of them are highly relatable with your own experiences with sleep. Probably goes a bit overboard with some of its claims but even then there is too much good in it. Considering we spend anywhere between 25-30% of our lives on this one activity, its almost criminal how we ignore its importance.

⬐ HenryKissinger

We also idolize overwork to an unhealthy degree.

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones https://www.amazon.com/American-Marriage-Novel-Tayari-Jones/...

Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Sleep-Unlocking-Dreams/dp/1501...

These Truths: A History of the United States by Jill Lepore https://www.amazon.com/These-Truths-History-United-States/dp...

Growth by Vaclav Smil https://www.amazon.com/Growth-Microorganisms-Megacities-MIT-...

Prepared by Diane Tavenner https://www.amazon.com/Prepared-What-Kids-Need-Fulfilled/dp/...

The Friend by Sigrid Nunez https://www.amazon.com/Friend-Novel-Sigrid-Nunez/dp/07352194...

Michael Pollan: How to Change Your Mind [1]

Not just about an utterly fascinating topic (psychadelic drugs), in terms of history (LSD turning from a scientific wonder drug to illegal), his personal experiences, and the neuroscience behind it, but also just extremely well-written -- a real page-turner. A crazy potent combination of science, spirituality (from a skeptic), and narrative. I expect his book will be a significant part of why psychadelic drugs will be legalized in the near future specifically for therapeutic purposes.

Also +1 for 2017's Why We Sleep [2]. After reading it, I couldn't believe how shockingly ignorant I'd been of how I spend a full third of my life, and how much it affects the other two-thirds -- and the degree to which a lack of sleep prevents us from perceiving the effects of lack of sleep, in a kind of vicious cycle.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Change-Your-Mind-Consciousness-Transc...

[2] https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Sleep-Unlocking-Dreams/dp/1501...

⬐ osdoorp

you might also enjoy:

PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story by Dr. Alexander Shulgin and Ann Shulgin

It's an autobiographic story from the creator of MDMA and 2C-B — an amazing account of scientific approach and original thinking — in addition to an amazing love story and the history of progressive-thinking Bay area

(one of my favorite books I've read in 2018)

⬐ real-hacker

+1 for Why We Sleep, just finished it a few days ago.

⬐ mclightning

+1 for Why We Sleep

and

The Shallows - What the internet is doing to our brains

⬐ wpmoradi

Truly a great read

⬐ LowLevelHacker

Idiot

⬐ None

None

⬐ mxschumacher

the topic of psychedelic drugs is truly fascinating, but I think Pollan's books "How to change your mind" is poor. I read most of it and felt angry and hollow after. I don't recommend a purchase.

Here's the review I left on Amazon (2 star):

"How tot change your mind" delivers and important core message, but it should have been an article or a podcast episode. Cutting the fluff offers vast room for lossless compression.

If you listen to the episode of Russ Robert's Econtalk (a podcast) with Pollan you'll know everything the book has to say.

Some takeaways:

When LSD and psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) were first studied by western science, there was a lot of hope for their potential use as medical treatment. Recreational use exploded and governments around the world banned the drugs, crudely throwing psychedelics in the same bucket as Heroin. Research stalled for 40 years but has recently picked up again. Partial legalization and increased medical use can be expected in the near future.

Psychedelics can move humans away from the "default mode" of consciousness and lead to ego dissolution. This is a trans formative experience for many.

Psychedelics harbor the potential for alleviation: Within the right medical setting (non-supervised usage is discouraged), the use of these substances can help addicts, those close to death and the depressed.

LSD and psilocybin are neither toxic or addictive.

According to some, it is possible to reach the enlightened states through a long term meditative practice, psychedelics can be seen as a shortcut.

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What annoyed me about the book is that acronyms are spelled out repeatedly (for readers who don't pay attention?) while deeper explanations, especially regarding Timothy Leary are made too late in the book (e.g. only after the name has been mentioned several times - I am reminded of the frequent mentioning of John Galt in Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged").

Numerous academic researchers are introduced, I'm fine with an elaboration on their respective academic affiliations and educational backgrounds - but spending a third of a page on the description of their physical appearance is disrespectful of the reader's time.

How others can refer to this book as "the best book they've ever read" is beyond me. I'm going to try to send the book back, I don't want it in my library.

⬐ crazygringo

It appears you clearly don't like narrative, and yes -- if you don't like narrative, you won't like this book.

But many (if not most?) people do enjoy narrative -- they enjoy the build-up and suspense of what did Timothy Leary do that was so bad instead of getting straight to it, literary descriptions that paint a picture of a main character visually and personality-wise, and sentences that are natural and conversational (not a science article full of acronyms).

This is why I specifically mentioned the book is a combination of science and narrative -- which comes out of fiction. Born to Run is another classic example.

It's very rare that an author is excellent at clearly explaining science, excellent at writing narrative that hooks you, and also covers a topic that is very timely, widely unknown, and fascinating. That's the kind of triple-threat combination that makes it a best book for me.

⬐ yesenadam

Ram Dass wrote and said some interesting things about LSD in his books and talks, and had a unique perspective, as an ex-psychology professor and Hindu guru. He gave his guru in India a very large dose of LSD and the guru said "Enlightenment has come to America in the form of a pill."

Personally, I tried (what I think was) LSD a few times, mushrooms a half dozen times; in short, it was the most amazing thing I've ever done. Super-highly recommended. Mushrooms especially, as you know what you're getting. Do it with someone who knows what they're doing and you trust.

⬐ ThomPete

But do you have a better book recommendation?

⬐ arikr

Not op, but acid test is a great read too on the same topic

⬐ thenaturalist

Gee, I guess people just don't read books the same way. What might be annoying to you might be an enjoyable style of writing to others.

I respect your opinion, but your verdict is just not the single truth out there. Personally, I read such books very different from reading at a younger age or non-fiction books.

Encounter a paragraph which does not catch your interest or you don't like the writing style? Skim over it. Familiarize yourself with the rough contents of a chapter before you read it, as to understand the general topic - makes skipping single paragraphs much easier.

The goal is not school like reading, where you ought to know all the contents to fill out a standardized test, but reflect your own personal values and experiences against what you are reading. If there are passages which don't give you anything - people are very diverse - then, well, skip them. The author did not conspire to make the experience unpleasant for you.

Ultimately, this is a fascinating topic for many, whether you prefer the podcast or the book should be left for everyone personally to decide.

I highly recommend the 2017 book "Why We Sleep" [1]. Written by a doctor, starting at page 335 he calls exactly for ensuring hospital patients can sleep, why this is so critical for recovery, and how many things in hospitals currently work against this. (The book covers so much ground, including other reforms like school time starts, why society doesn't value sleep because sleep-deprived people don't perceive their substandard performance, and so on.)

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Sleep-Unlocking-Dreams/dp/1501...

"Why We Sleep", by Matthew Walker [1]. I've read a lot about sleep over the years, but I still found it fascinating and comprehensive.

I've mentioned the book on several other threads [2], so I'll avoid repeating here.

Along the same lines of expanding the ability of your body/mind, one that I'm currently reading is "What doesn't kill us" [3]. Pretty fascinating to think that we have a lot more control over our immune system than originally thought.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Sleep-Unlocking-Dreams/dp/1501...

[2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17606274

[3] https://www.amazon.com/What-Doesnt-Kill-Environmental-Condit...