| Short Stories (Collection) | Ted Chiang | Science Fiction | Notable stories include “Exhalation,” “Division By Zero,” “Understand,” “The Story of Your Life,” “Liking What You See,” “The Lifecycle of Software Objects,” and “What’s Expected of Us.” Praised for excellent themes and ideas. |
| The Selfish Gene | Richard Dawkins | Nonfiction/Science | A classic for understanding evolution and natural selection; explains that genes are the primary unit of selection rather than individuals, clarifying concepts like altruism and colonial organisms. |
| The Lord of the Rings | J.R.R. Tolkien | Fantasy | Valued for its complex universe, rich mythology, invented languages, and themes of courage, friendship, and heroism. Described as a comfort read with layers to discover upon each reading. |
| The Martian | Andy Weir | Science Fiction | Appreciated for its scientific accuracy, portrayal of competence, and fast-paced, entertaining storyline. |
| The Vital Question | Nick Lane | Nonfiction/Science | Provides insight into the bridge between geology and biology, the origin of life, and perspectives on the likelihood of life elsewhere in the universe. |
| How To Live | Derek Sivers | Nonfiction/Philosophy | Presents 27 conflicting answers to how to live life, emphasizing the diversity of consistent approaches to meaning and purpose. |
| 1984 | George Orwell | Dystopian Fiction | Impactful for concepts like Newspeak, Ministry of Truth, Doublethink, and Thoughtcrime. Notable for chilling world-building and parallels to reality. |
| In Defense of Food | Michael Pollan | Nonfiction/Food | Centered on the philosophy “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” Reveals concerning practices in the food industry regarding processing, additives, and marketing. |
| The Accidental Superpower | Peter Zeihan | Nonfiction/Geopolitics | Found to be elucidating on geopolitical concepts, though the reader notes mixed opinions on the author’s work over time. |
| Countdown to Zero Day | Kim Zetter | Nonfiction/Cybersecurity | Details the Stuxnet cyberattack; considered important reading on cybersecurity, future warfare, and artificial general intelligence. |
| A Fire Upon the Deep | Vernor Vinge | Science Fiction | Specifically chapter one is highlighted for its portrayal of superintelligence that left a lasting impression. |
| Guns, Germs, and Steel | Jared Diamond | Nonfiction/History | Analysis of how geographical and environmental factors shaped human societies and history. Described as dry but informative, like a real-world game of Civilization. |
| Flowers for Algernon | Daniel Keyes | Science Fiction | Described simply as a “totally crushing masterpiece on intelligence.” |
| Atlas Shrugged | Ayn Rand | Fiction/Philosophy | The reader notes that while few finish it, the initial chapters and worldbuilding provide thought-provoking perspectives that alter one’s view of reality. |
| An Immense World | Ed Yong | Nonfiction/Biology | Explores the diverse sensory abilities of animals, highlighting how limited human perception is compared to the full spectrum of reality. |
| The Master Switch | Tim Wu | Nonfiction/Tech History | Chronicles how information technologies typically evolve from decentralized and open systems to centralized, controlled oligopolies, with implications for current technologies like LLMs. |