Anathem
by Neal Stephenson · first published 2008
52% recommend41% neutral6% critical
Why HN recommends it
Idea-driven SF about monk-like scholars in cloistered maths, mixing math, philosophy and academia-vs-industry themes. Slow, world-building opening pays off; suits geeks who want a mind-broadening read.
Common criticism: Slow opening and long, dense world-building
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Anathem, the latest invention by the New York Times bestselling author of Cryptonomicon and The Baroque Cycle, is a magnificent creation: a work of great scope, intelligence, and imagination that ushers readers into a recognizable — yet strangely inverted — world.Fraa Erasmas is a young avout living in the Concent of Saunt Edhar, a sanctuary for mathematicians, scientists, and philosophers, protected from the corrupting influences of the outside "saecular" world by ancient stone, honored traditions, and complex rituals. Over the centuries, cities and governments have risen and fallen beyond th
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…many ways, these two parts feel like completely different books, one of which is significantly better than the other. Also, I was occasionally distracted at the beginning when snippets of dialog from Anathem were reused in the form of exposition in Seveneves. But, that said, I think the book is worth reading, especially the first 2/3's. My personal, quick, rough ranking of Stephenson's bibliography:…
on “An Interview with Neal Stephenson” ↗…priesthood, where an exclusive political group would use its own rituals and myths to preserve knowledge of radioactive areas, like a church. Minor spoiler alert: this is a side element in the wonderful novel "Anathem" by Neal Stephenson.
on “Beyond Biohazard: Why Danger Symbols Can’t Last Forever” ↗The way he describes friction reminds of the book Anathem by Neal Stephenson. Good book with a giant obstacle of tons of made up vocabulary. I read that a long time ago, and now I'm not sure how much I enjoyed the story/characters and how much of it was just…
on “Inside Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator’s deliberately designed friction” ↗I'm reminded of Neal Stephenson's book Anathem [1], which some people didn't like (compared to say Snow Crash or Cryptonomicon) but I really enjoyed. Apart from the mystical elements it raised some interesting points. At one point it was talking…
on “Who 'likes' my Virtual Bagels?” ↗I was introduced to sci-fi last year and pretty much stuck to it throughout 2018. Perhaps the usual suspects given the crowd here but in any case below are my highlights. Completely blew me away: - Anathem by Neal Stephenson - Accelerando by Charles Stross - Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy by Liu Cixin Great Reads: - Seveneves by Neal Stephenson - Glasshouse, Neptunes Brood & Saturns Children by…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2018?” ↗another hyperion devotee here. my favorite since reading the hyperion and olympos books was Anathem by N. Stephenson, if you haven't read that one I bet you'll like it too!
on “Sci-Fi Novels You Should Read” ↗…Abraham Flexner. Intended to be a "paradise for scholars" with no students or administrative duties, it allowed its academic stars to fully concentrate on deep thoughts," I highly recommend reading "Anathem" by Neal Stephenson. The basic premise is there are institutions known as "Maths" that are essentially walled temples, the gates of which only open once every 1, 10, 100, and 1000 years (outermost gate…
on “We Need More ‘Useless’ Knowledge” ↗…Alfred Bester (also known as Tiger Tiger). Really great Count of Monte Cristo type plot with teleportation and a great antihero. I'm surprised it hasn't been adapted to film or long form series yet. Anathem by Neal Stephenson is superb and I recommend you carve out some time to really let it soak in. Anything by Neal is phenomenal, but Anathem stands out for me. Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson is my favorite…
on “Ask HN: What are the best Sci-Fi books you've ever read?” ↗…sort of... incoherent and rambling... came as a horrible disappointment. I don't know what the book is trying to say, or even if it's trying to say anything at all. Oh, well. I'll just have to go reread Anathem now.
on “Bezos names big next rocket New Glenn” ↗"Anathem", by Neal Stephenson. Don't be put off by its size, the book is great. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anathem
on “What are you reading?” ↗Anathem, by Neal Stephenson Consider Phlebas, by Iain M. Banks Selfish Gene, by Richard Dawkins Business Stripped Bare, by Richard Branson Programming Collective Intelligence, by Toby Segaran Zen and Art…
on “Ask HN: Great books you read in 2009?” ↗…writing style is exceptionally clear and easy to understand. The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb - some really interesting ideas and analysis, although the book could have been 1/2 as short Fiction: Anathem by Neal Stephenson - starts out slow but after the first 200 pages it became a really great story that I couldn't put down. Life of Pi by Yann Martel - loved the main story of the book, the controversial…
on “Ask HN: Great books you read in 2009?” ↗If you're interested in this theory there is a novel worth reading that covers this ground, almost from first principles. It is Anathem by Neal Stephenson. Great book. Like most Stephenson books it gets a little weird at the end but is nonetheless well worth reading.
on “What's the most mind-blowing fact you heard/read in your life?” ↗"Anathem" by Neal Stephenson is the best book I've read in years. The first 50 pages or so are a slog, but after that I couldn't put it down. "What is the What" by Dave Eggers is also phenomenal.
on “Ask HN: What should I read next?” ↗Anathem gets my vote. It's a mystery, with things left for the reader to figure out. These things include where and when it's set, and what genre it's written in. A brilliantly apt form for a novel about science,…
on “Ask HN: Best book you read in 2010 and briefly why” ↗