Cryptonomicon
#23 of 644 all-time
Cryptonomicon
Neal Stephenson
25 people recommended it in 9 threads, 2007–2024.
3 commenters pushed back on it — worth reading the threads.
What people on Hacker News said
Inspired most of the work on endergen(See Ender's Game Above). Introduced me to the concepts of privacy/security implemented in technical form and the conflict between the two.
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson. Long and sometimes tedious, as his books can be, but the characters are so memorable. Bobby Shaftoe is one of my all-time favorites. The book takes place on two timelines, involving two generations of characters, that have interesting parallels.
If ever there was a book that was deeply foundational to the person I’ve grown up into, it was Cryptonomicon. I read it for the first time in middle school.
Reading one of his books is almost like sitting in a really interesting philosophy class in college that just makes you think about familiar concepts differently or way more in depth.
No hacker site would be complete without mention of Cryptonomicon.
I still use Stephenson’s definition of “failing an intelligence test” from those books. I’d heard the term before, but the example he uses is concise.
Where it comes up
- Hard comp-fi reading list 2019 · 8 recommendations
- Ask YC: What's the most inspiring sci-fi book you've read? 2008 · 4 recommendations
- Ask YC: favorite books 2007 · 4 recommendations
- Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read? 2024 · 3 recommendations
- Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021? 2021 · 2 recommendations
- Ask HN: Great fiction books that have had a positive impact on your life? 2020 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: What books changed the way you think about almost everything? 2019 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: Book Recommendations? 2016 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: Best books you read in 2012 2012 · 1 recommendation