Books

Here’s a list of books that in some way affected and shaped how I think about things.

I’ve read a lot more books than the books I list here, but this specific collection is special to me – it’s hard for a book to make its spot in one of the cubes of my small library 🙂

1. Introducing Software Verification with Dafny Language – this is the third book I authored, and the second one with Apress, after writing the one on Lisp. The book contains some parts of my Master’s thesis, and also some parts from my paper on implementing the Hoare logic system in Haskell.
2. Gentle Introduction to Dependent Types with Idris – this is the first book I ever authored, and I used Amazon’s KDP. Did a lot of research, some of which are available on this blog, and reading Logical Foundations also helped. I blogged about it in detail here. In 2023, I re-published it with Apress.
3. Introducing Blockchain with Lisp – this is the second book that I authored. Apress contacted me after they found my GitHub repository on a toy Blockchain implementation.
4. The C Programming Language – I read this book a long time ago. This was one of my first serious introductions to a programming language (before that I tackled a little bit of BASIC and Pascal).
5. The Little Schemer – this is the book that taught me Lisp. I enjoyed its writing style: a dialogue between two imaginary people – one a teacher and the other a student.
6. Learn You a Haskell for Great Good – this is the book that taught me the Haskell programming language. I enjoyed its writing style – it almost read like a comic book. Very easy to follow.
7. Algorithms & Programs – I read this a long time ago when I was in high school attending competitive programming. Contains mostly basic algorithms but it’s what got me started.
8. Guide to Competitive Programming – Similar to the previous book, but more advanced.
9. JavaScript Patterns – Read this a long time ago, and blogged about it here. One of my first books on design patterns.
10. Programming Languages
11. Thinking as Computation – Introductory book to Prolog, along with some proofs and example programs. Prolog (and Metamath) is what inspired me to implement Budge-TP.
12. How to Prove It – This book taught me how to write mathematical proofs. I solved all the exercises cover to cover. I blogged about it here. This book helped me to complete Software Foundations Vol. 1: Logic.
13. Gödel, Escher, Bach – Most of the concepts in this book were already familiar more or less, but it is the book that made formal systems (their interpretation and various levels) click for me. I blogged about it here and here.
14. Calculus Essentials – I’d learned calculus in high school/university but this book is what made it click for me. Easy introduction without too much theory.
15. What is the name of this book?
16. The lady or the tiger and other logic puzzles
17. The Godelian puzzle book

1. Sophie’s World – One of the first books on philosophy I’ve ever read. It was a magical experience. I blogged about it here: part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4. A good pre-requisite for the read was a course I took: Philosophy for Everyone.
2. Philosophy for Everyone – Sophie’s World inspired me to take this MOOC and also buy the book. The contents are similar to Sophie’s World, but without the story – mostly in an academic style. I blogged about it here. (I found The Philosophy Book to be a good supplement reading as it provides a brief and general overview of a lot of different philosophies)
3. What is Philosophy – My third reading on philosophy, and a very meta book, compared to the other philosophy books I read. I blogged about it here. A good follow-up was another course I took: Philosophy and Critical Thinking.
4. Making Contact – Overview here.
5. Stillness is the Key – Overview here.
6. A Guide to Becoming Your Own Therapist – One of my first psychology reads. I blogged about it here.
7. Games People Play – My second psychology read. I blogged about it here.
8. The Courage to be Disliked – Third psychology read 🙂 Blogged about it here.
9. Read People Like a Book – Overview here.
10. Power of Habit – Overview here.
11. Emotional Intelligence 2.0 – Overview here.
12. Retrain Your Brain – Overview here.
13. C.J. Wounded Healer of the Soul – Overview here.
14. Psychology – Picked up this book as an extra read, during my first year psychology studies. Overview here.
15. Introducing Psychoanalysis – Overview here.
16. Gestalt Therapy Verbatim – An excellent book on a popular psychotherapy, by its founder. Overview here.
17. In and out the Garbage Pail – Great autobiography/Gestalt book, again, by the founder of Gestalt. Overview here.

1. The Mirrors In Us – My fourth book. Blogpost here.
2. Thinking, Fast and Slow – Blogged about it here.
3. As a man thinketh – Short book on thinking.
4. Lunyu conversations – Overview here.
5. Stillness Speaks – Short book on stillness. Overview here.
6. Spirit, Soul, Body – The author was a medical doctor and talks about Christianity and the purpose of the Spirit, the soul, and the body. The author switches back and forth between medical explanations+logic and Bible verses and links them together. I blogged about it here.
7. On faith, unbelief, and doubt – This is a really good book that captures the essence of religion – in particular, Christianity. It was a magical experience for me. I blogged about it here.

Check this for an older list.