Best of 2016 · Top 10 Books

Best of 2016

The 10 highest-scoring books whose peak discussion occurred in 2016.

01
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Douglas Adams
A humorous science fiction comedy following an ordinary human thrust into absurd intergalactic adventures. HN readers enjoy it as entertaining fiction with clever social commentary and recurring jokes, praising its comedic relief and believably absurd characters.
Score
75.1
Sent.
68.6/100
Positive
Subst.
59.0/100
Substantive
Diverse
100.0/100
Extremely Diverse
Story
78.9/100
High-Quality
Mentions
169
Threads
55
Commenters
148
02

Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software

Gang of Four
A foundational textbook documenting reusable design patterns for object-oriented software. HN readers debate its value, with many arguing it's inappropriate for self-taught beginners without sufficient problem-solving experience and recommending language-specific resources instead.
Score
73.7
Sent.
56.7/100
Positive
Subst.
77.1/100
Very Substantive
Diverse
100.0/100
Extremely Diverse
Story
67.6/100
Good Stories
Mentions
130
Threads
28
Commenters
103
03

The Martian

Andy Weir
A hard science fiction novel about an astronaut stranded on Mars using real science and problem-solving to survive. HN opinions vary, with some praising its entertaining narrative and humor while others consider it overhyped.
Score
73.0
Sent.
61.5/100
Positive
Subst.
64.6/100
Substantive
Diverse
100.0/100
Extremely Diverse
Story
72.1/100
High-Quality
Mentions
84
Threads
48
Commenters
78
04

The Intelligent Investor

Benjamin Graham
A foundational investment guide covering risk management and long-term investing strategy by Benjamin Graham. HN community considers it essential reading for personal investing and cites it as a key text in venture capital circles.
Score
68.9
Sent.
56.9/100
Positive
Subst.
57.1/100
Substantive
Diverse
100.0/100
Extremely Diverse
Story
69.0/100
Good Stories
Mentions
59
Threads
34
Commenters
57
05

A Pattern Language

Christopher Alexander
A design methodology exploring recurring patterns in architecture and urban planning. HN readers enthusiastically recommend it as a valuable book worth reading.
Score
67.9
Sent.
51.6/100
Mildly Positive
Subst.
57.6/100
Substantive
Diverse
100.0/100
Extremely Diverse
Story
78.3/100
High-Quality
Mentions
38
Threads
17
Commenters
29
06

Capital in the Twenty-First Century

Thomas Piketty
Cited for Piketty's analysis of economic productivity differences between the UK, US, France and Germany and how work-life balance varies by country.
Score
67.0
Sent.
34.6/100
Mixed
Subst.
75.4/100
Very Substantive
Diverse
100.0/100
Extremely Diverse
Story
93.5/100
Exceptional Stories
Mentions
19
Threads
15
Commenters
18
07

Energy in World History

Vaclav Smil
Used as a reference for understanding the energy-lens-of-history model and how energy flows and stocks relate to civilization development.
Score
66.9
Sent.
41.3/100
Mixed
Subst.
95.8/100
Exceptionally Deep
Diverse
80.0/100
Highly Diverse
Story
64.2/100
Good Stories
Mentions
19
Threads
16
Commenters
3
08

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

Robert B. Cialdini
A psychology book explaining the principles of persuasion and influence that underlie decision-making and agreement. HN users recommend it as essential for understanding sales, marketing, and how to effectively persuade others.
Score
66.4
Sent.
51.6/100
Mildly Positive
Subst.
54.3/100
Moderate Depth
Diverse
100.0/100
Extremely Diverse
Story
71.5/100
High-Quality
Mentions
41
Threads
25
Commenters
38
09

Ulysses

James Joyce
A modernist literary novel following the parallel journeys of Leopold Bloom and Stephen Dedalus through Dublin in a single day. HN readers acknowledge it as a challenging but masterfully-written work capturing humanity's transition to modernity.
Score
66.0
Sent.
46.3/100
Mildly Positive
Subst.
63.8/100
Substantive
Diverse
100.0/100
Extremely Diverse
Story
65.6/100
Good Stories
Mentions
43
Threads
13
Commenters
38
10

Connections

James Burke
A historical exploration of technological innovation tracing how key inventions and ideas interconnected throughout history. HN readers recommend it for understanding innovation history, and it's also available as a PBS television series.
Score
66.0
Sent.
39.5/100
Mixed
Subst.
71.5/100
Very Substantive
Diverse
100.0/100
Extremely Diverse
Story
72.8/100
High-Quality
Mentions
17
Threads
13
Commenters
12