Chaos
making a new science
by James Gleick · first published 1987
71% recommend24% neutral5% critical
Why HN recommends it
Readable popular-science account of chaos theory, told through the scientists behind it, such as Feigenbaum. It gave many readers vivid metaphors and fractals, and inspired some to code the models themselves.
Common criticism: Some experts find it imprecise and not the best route to understanding chaos theory
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
The author describes how scientists studying the growth of complexity in nature are discovering order and pattern in chaos. He explains concepts such as nonlinearity, the Butterfly Effect, universal constants, fractals, and strange attractors, and examines the work of scientists such as Mitchell J. Feigenbaum, Edward Lorenz, and Benoit Mandelbrot.
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
Related books
2017–2025Silence
Shūsaku Endō
Recommended by 3 · mentioned by 33 recommend · 3 mention3 recommend · 33 recommend
2012–2022Physics of the Future
Michio Kaku
Recommended by 4 · mentioned by 44 recommend · 4 mention4 recommend · 44 recommend
2010–2022Yet another introduction to analysis
Victor Bryant
Recommended by 4 · mentioned by 44 recommend · 4 mention4 recommend · 44 recommend
2008–2026Nonlinear dynamics and Chaos
Steven H. Strogatz, Steven Strogatz
Recommended by 24 · mentioned by 2924 recommend · 29 mention24 recommend · 2924 recommend
2016–2023Spark Joy
Marie Kondo
Recommended by 3 · mentioned by 43 recommend · 4 mention3 recommend · 43 recommend
2008–2022The Mathematical Tourist
Ivars Peterson
Recommended by 4 · mentioned by 44 recommend · 4 mention4 recommend · 44 recommend
2010–2023An Introduction to Genetic Algorithms
Melanie Mitchell
Recommended by 4 · mentioned by 54 recommend · 5 mention4 recommend · 54 recommend
Introduction to logic and to the methodology of deductive sciences
Alfred Tarski
Recommended by 4 · mentioned by 44 recommend · 4 mention4 recommend · 44 recommend
…Lewis first). If you're interested in reading an excellent account of a startup HFT/hedge fund, it's worth ordering a secondhand copy of The Predictors by Thomas Bass (for a fuller appreciation, read Chaos by James Gleick first).
on “What are hedge funds, and what social functions do they serve?” ↗In 1987 there was a pop-science book called “Chaos” by James Gleick that was, naturally, about chaos theory. At one point it described things like Mandelbrot/Julia sets and their ilk. There was one page that had a footnote at the bottom that described…
on “Ask HN: At which moment did you realise that you are built for computer science?” ↗James Gleick‘s “Chaos”[0] (history of chaos theory) and “The Information”[1] (history of information theory) are so beautifully and artfully written you might forget they’re technical. As close as (history of) science writing…
on “Ask HN: Examples of good technical writing?” ↗Chaos by James Gleick was wildly inspiring to me
on “Ask HN: Are there any books that changed your life during college or school?” ↗Cool - I just bought it for my Kindle. Gleick is a master of digging into some interesting branch of science and how it affects society. In the 1980s, I added Common Lisp chaos theory examples to my first Springer Verlag book, inspired by his wonderful book Chaos. I can't wait to savor the new book.
on “Gleick's new book on information theory” ↗The introductory chapters of James Gleick's Chaos are about meteorology. When I read it I was blown away by the fact that these mathematical systems had sensitive dependence on initial conditions to such a degree that there was fractal complexity. Very…
on “Modern meteorology was born 60 years ago” ↗…understand object oriented design. I'd claim at least 95% of programmers in our industry programming in an object oriented language don't know object oriented design. Math: - The Code Book by Simon Singh. - Chaos by James Gleick.
on “Ask HN: The book that did it for you in math and/or CS?” ↗Chaos by James Gleick The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
on “Ask HN: What are some must read books?” ↗Chaos by James gleick for multiple fields in physics
on “Ask HN: Which book can attract anyone towards your field of study?” ↗I still use SICP. K&R is a great too. I didn't get them till the 90's though. The book I used the most in the 80's was Chaos by James Gleick. I spent months coding up his mathematical models in basic on my 286. Good times.
on “Which is your favorite 70-80s computer book?” ↗1) Rockets, Missiles and Men in Space - Willy Ley ( side note: I rescued this book from a friend who was using it for target practice with an airgun!) 2) Chaos - James Gleick (I have to mention this one too) The Armchair Universe : An exploration of Computer Worlds - A. K. Dewdney
on “Ask HN: Which two books were the most influential on you?” ↗"Chaos" by James Gleick is about the same age as Hawking's book. The story of discovery there gives a great idea of the adventure in science.
on “Stephen Hawking has died” ↗…recommendations: Bill Bryson's A Brief History of Nearly Everything Neil Degrasse Tyson reading his own book, Astrophysics for People in a Hurry Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space - By Carl Sagan Chaos by James Gleick
on “Ask HN: Are there any good tech or science related audio books?” ↗Chaos, by James Gleick. It's somewhere between biography and science for laypeople. Almost a biography of an idea. What he wrote about the edges of science and how scientific rebels think about their fields…
on “Ask HN: What books changed the way you think about almost everything?” ↗For context, James Gleick’s Chaos is a great account of this paper and related discoveries. https://books.google.com/books?id=de4PAQAAQBAJ&pg=PT94&dq=Pe...
on “Period Three Implies Chaos (1975) [pdf]” ↗