Posted a blog on youtube channels I enjoy: https://sunilkowlgi.com/learning-stuff-on-youtube/

I just find his style a bit dry. But it's worth it for the mind-bending ideas.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CptJLtvWcAAdIiS?format=jpg&name=...

Huge difference to be honest. Canadian ones (same as in US I think) were more like belletristic texts written with the goal to give basics without too much thought needed by the reader.

In contrast you cannot approach Soviet text math book without serious thinking effort. You need to overcome some mental barrier to get into. If you cannot do that then this is not yours - choose something else.

I believe that is because of different motivations of high-school systems. University on the West gets its money directly from students so they motivated to attract and keep as many students as possible - so books are entry level to do not scare students. Barrier here is established from "paying user" side.

In USSR universities were getting money from state/society as education was free so they must maintain those barriers so only those who went through were there. Barrier here is from "service provider" side.

Algorithms to live by [0] - I am an engineer by training and product manager. I am always on the lookout to improve my knowledge of computer science. This book helps tremendously by showing a way to _look_ at problems. Certainly helps to have a better mental toolkit.

Inner Engineering - A Yogi's guide to joy [1] . Has really helped me get perspective on the issues that matter and how to lead a happier life.

I have been reading up on Physics (Richard Feynmann's books, obviously) and intend to continue this in the quest for better thinking. I do wish I had done this earlier in my life :-( but never too late!

[0]https://www.amazon.in/Algorithms-Live-Computer-Science-Decis...

[1] https://www.amazon.in/dp/B06XXN19Y9/

Completely with you about Spivak, as far as calculus goes.

Physics: recently picked up Walter Lewin's "For the Love of Physics" and it's a masterpiece. Didn't get the chance to finish it because of the pandemic and it got locked in the office but it appears he's managed to cram in an entire university course in one book.

Biology and anatomy - "The Selfish Gene" by Richard Dawkins is brilliant entry point for people with limited knowledge on the subject.

Chemistry - no idea, that's the one subject which I hated with a passion since I was a child. Very paradoxical, given that physics was arguably my favorite subject ¯\_(ツ)_/¯...

History - Yuval Noah Harari's books, though somewhat anecdotal as far as history is concerned. I'd say there are way too many to list here and there is way too much to read about all major events in history to fit in just a few books.

We are not cells and molecules. We are souls. Strange that an essay that talks about philosophy doesn't have even once the word soul.

Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotel seperates animals from humans as beings that have soul and the ability to think.

His work "Physics" tried to capture concepts people ignore even these days, and tried to examine in an amazing use of reason various metaphysical phenomena trying to find balance between whats real, fake and imaginary.

If you read the works of Aristotel and others, in original Greek you will be amazed by his astonishing ability to convey truth in a wonderful ingenious word of speech.

--

Plato talked about many not-connected subjects in a very indirect way to put the reader in becoming part of his works. Ingenius!

A very important concept of Socrates and Plato is the world of ideas. A seperate existance/entity/world that we all have access to. Modern science doesn't accept that, as there is not proof for that. But doesn't the fact that a lot of people share similar ideas at different place and time may be a small clue of exactly that?

I'd like to point out a recent tweet @joeerl shared [0][1] that contained things he felt were good wisdom but lost over time:

--

Ideas that we forgot:

1. Flow based programming.

2. Pipes.

3. Linda Tuple Spaces.

4. Hypertext (=/= HTML).

Computer Science 101:

1. Observational equivalence.

2. Isolation.

3. Composition.

4. Causality.

5. Physics.

Two papers to read:

1. The Emperor's Old Clothes - ACM.

2. A Plea for Lean Software - Nikalus Wirth.

Two videos to watch:

1. The Computer Revolution Hasn't Happened Yet - Alan Kay.

2. Computers for Cynics - Ted Nelson.

Four old tools to learn: Emacs, Bash, Make, Shell.

Three books to read:

1. Algorithms + Data Structure = Programs.

2. The Mythical Man Month.

3. How to Win Friends and Influence People.

Correct a typo:

?? Learn git -> locate program that creates page -> locate typo -> correct -> send push [sic] request.

!! Select text -> type in correction -> people see change.

Two projects:

1. Link to content hash not a name (request content by sha256, immune to pepole in the middle).

2. Elastic Links (links should not break if you move an endpoint).

--

Easily one of the best thinkers of his generation [2]. RIP.

[0] https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ds19oHnXoAAwlAp.jpg

[1] https://www.youtube.com/embed/-I_jE0l7sYQ

[2] https://learnxinyminutes.com/docs/erlang/

Tangential to all this, but a fun apropos: it's interesting that the original title of Aristotle's (multiple 'books' collectively known as) 'Metaphysics' is (widely believed to be) a matter of noting down the arrangement/order of his treatises: τὰ μετὰ τὰ φυσικά (ta meta ta fysika) - '[writings] after the Physics' (Physics being another arrangement of prior treatises of his.)

'What comes after Physics' can of course be evaluated conceptually, but many scholars think that 'τὰ μετὰ τὰ φυσικά' here means 'writings that come after the Physics'.

Which is a somewhat humbling (if that's the word) idea, and which might be able to reduce the aura of drama and mystique oft associated with the word of 'metaphysics'. :)

> is to be properly understood as the physics of objects immersed in a fluid, air or water [1]

Kindergarten children can engage in physics, construct their theories. And only much later learn that space bodies move differently and how that knowledge can be applied to the world around us.

Trust experiment not authority.

[1] Aristotle’s Physics: a Physicist’s Look https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/157866135.pdf

* Physics Barbie, a toy that talks physics

* Meme-Making DVR, which would let you edit and remix video

* Rein N Train, letting you selectively block private data, like loyalty cards or GPS for auto insurance

* Ad-Free YouTube Kids

* Machine Translation, for translating video based on subtitles or automated speech-to-text then translation

* Text-to-speech, for ebooks

* Third party consumables for 3D printers

* Fonts on e-readers, just being able to choose and change them

* Arielle, which chooses the appropriate soundtrack for whatever you're reading or watching

I note that the lead author is a Physicist, which makes it even more suspect for me - Physics and Theoretical Computer Science share some of the same toolkit, but the tricks and corner cases in each case can be wildly different, meaning that even if someone is a world leader in one field, they can be a complete novice in another!

His math books:

1. Mathematics Can Be Fun
2. Figures for Fun
3. Arithmetic for entertainment
4. Geometry for Entertainment
5. Lively Mathematics
6. Fun with Maths & Physics

His physics books:

1. Physics for Entertainment (1913)
2. Physics Everywhere
3. Mechanics for entertainment
4. Astronomy for entertainment
5. Tricks and Amusements

Free electronic edition of "Physics for Entertainment" @ Internet Archive.
http://www.archive.org/details/physicsforentert035428mbp