Books from Nassim Taleb

The Jewish War

Josephus’ account of a war marked by treachery and atrocity is a superbly detailed and evocative record of the Jewish rebellion against Rome between AD 66 and 70. Originally a rebel leader, Josephus changed sides after he was captured to become a Rome-appointed negotiator, and so was uniquely placed to observe these turbulent events, from the siege of Jerusalem to the final heroic resistance and mass suicides at Masada. His account provides much of what we know about the history of the Jews under Roman rule, with vivid portraits of such key figures as the Emperor Vespasian and Herod the Great. Often self-justifying and divided in its loyalties, The Jewish War nevertheless remains one of the most immediate accounts of war, its heroism and its horrors, ever written.
Nassim Taleb
Writer, Journalist
I knew I was going to be smeared for my Gaza position, but not by idiots using "he is outside his expertise". Except here Jew=Judean WAS MY POINT. Alas for my detractors, I read Hebrew. And, BTW @baytifirasek no self-respecting person of culture reads Josephus in English.
Books from Nassim Taleb

Le labyrinthe des égarés: L'Occident et ses adversaires

Le labyrinthe des égarés: L'Occident et ses adversaires
Nassim Taleb
Writer, Journalist
An excellent book on modern historical dynamics, covering the stories of the rise of Japan, the Soviet Union, China, & the U.S. I learned tons lot of stuff. It reads like a novel.
Books from Nassim Taleb

The Great Eastern Question and the Strange Case of Lebanon



Nassim Taleb
Writer, Journalist
Links to his book, based on scaling, majority and minority rules.
Books from Nassim Taleb

What Is ChatGPT Doing ... and Why Does It Work?

Nobody expected this--not even its creators: ChatGPT has burst onto the scene as an AI capable of writing at a convincingly human level. But how does it really work? What's going on inside its "AI mind"? In this short book, prominent scientist and computation pioneer Stephen Wolfram provides a readable and engaging explanation that draws on his decades-long unique experience at the frontiers of science and technology. Find out how the success of ChatGPT brings together the latest neural net technology with foundational questions about language and human thought posed by Aristotle more than two thousand years ago.
Nassim Taleb
Writer, Journalist
OK, OK, we found for #RWRI 18 the best possible person for the Q&A, the one who literally wrote the book on ChatGPT.
Books from Nassim Taleb

Quand la Chine s'éveillera...: ... Le monde tremblera

Quand la Chine s'éveillera...: ... Le monde tremblera
Nassim Taleb
Writer, Journalist
A prophetic book I just found in my parent's library, titled (tr.) When China Wakes Up... the World Will Shiver. 53 years ago, a French diplomat thought dynamically in a world lacking in clarity of mind. I read it as a child. Today, play the same exercise.
Books from Nassim Taleb

Intellectuals in the Middle Ages



Nassim Taleb
Writer, Journalist
"Excellent book." - Nassim Taleb
Books from Nassim Taleb

The Complete Guide to Fasting

Thousands of books have been written about the latest and greatest diets that will help people lose weight and improve health. But a key element in any successful nutritional health program is a tried-and-true method that most people haven’t thought about—yet it could be revolutionary for taking health to the next level. This ancient secret is fasting.Fasting is not about starving oneself. When done right, it’s an incredibly effective therapeutic approach that produces amazing results regardless of diet plan. In fact, Toronto-based nephrologist Dr. Jason Fung has used a variety of fasting protocols with more than 1,000 patients, with fantastic success. In The Complete Guide to Fasting, he has teamed up with international bestselling author and veteran health podcaster Jimmy Moore to explain what fasting is really about, why it’s so important, and how to fast in a way that improves health. Together, they make fasting as a therapeutic approach both practical and easy to understand. The Complete Guide to Fasting explains: • why fasting is actually good for health • who can benefit from fasting (and who won’t) • the history of fasting • the various ways to fast: intermittent, alternate-day, and extended fasting • what to expect when starting to fast • how to track progress while fasting • the weight loss effects of fasting • how to ward off potential negative effects from fasting The book also provides tools to help readers get started and get through their fasts, including a 7-Day Kick-Start Fasting Plan and healing liquid recipes.
Nassim Taleb
Writer, Journalist
An excellent book!
Books from Nassim Taleb

The Tartar Steppe

Idealistic young officer Giovanni Drogo is full of determination to serve his country well. But when he arrives at a bleak border station in the Tartar desert, where he is to take a short assignment at Fort Bastiani, he finds the castle manned by veteran soldiers who have grown old without seeing a trace of the enemy. As his length of service stretches from months into years, he continues to wait patiently for the enemy to advance across the desert, for one great and glorious battle . . . Written in 1938 as the world waited for war, and internationally acclaimed since its publication, The Tartar Steppe is a provocative and frightening tale of hope, longing and the terrible sorcery of dreams and desires.
Nassim Taleb
Writer, Journalist
"A masterpiece." - Nassim Taleb
Books from Nassim Taleb

The Longevity Solution

Getting older doesn’t have to mean experiencing more pain and illness, becoming less mobile, or developing disease. Renowned cardiovascular research scientist and doctor of pharmacy Dr. James DiNicolantonio partners with leading physician and bestselling author Dr. Jason Fung to deliver The Longevity Solution, a groundbreaking new book that unlocks the secrets of healthy aging. Using evidence drawn from their years of medical research and clinical practice, Dr. DiNicolantonio and Dr. Fung lay out five simple, easy-to-follow steps you can take now for a longer, fuller, healthier life. The Longevity Solution explains how to incorporate time-honored wellness traditions while doing away with fads, unnecessary supplements, and unsubstantiated wellness practices. It investigates the dietary habits and other practices of the healthiest, longest-lived humans on the planet, who live in regions known as Blue Zones, as a model for what and how we should eat. It teaches the benefits of intermittent fasting and calorie restriction, which have been shown to slow the aging process, while consuming proper ratios of protein and healthy fats. It also looks at how red wine, tea, and coffee play key roles in optimizing health and why salt is an ally, not an enemy, in the longevity equation. In this comprehensive guide, Dr. DiNicolantonio and Dr. Fung unveil cutting-edge science in an approachable format that is easy to understand and can be put into practice immediately. Simple dietary changes can help you break the cycle of carbohydrate dependence, kick your metabolism into high gear, and jump-start your longevity genes. The Longevity Solution puts healthy aging back in your control!
Nassim Taleb
Writer, Journalist
"Incredibly well made book." - Nassim Taleb
Books from Nassim Taleb

1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die

The ultimate gift for the food lover. In the same way that 1,000 Places to See Before You Die reinvented the travel book, 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die is a joyous, informative, dazzling, mouthwatering life list of the world’s best food. The long-awaited new book in the phenomenal 1,000 . . . Before You Die series, it’s the marriage of an irresistible subject with the perfect writer, Mimi Sheraton—award-winning cookbook author, grande dame of food journalism, and former restaurant critic for The New York Times. 1,000 Foods fully delivers on the promise of its title, selecting from the best cuisines around the world (French, Italian, Chinese, of course, but also Senegalese, Lebanese, Mongolian, Peruvian, and many more)—the tastes, ingredients, dishes, and restaurants that every reader should experience and dream about, whether it’s dinner at Chicago’s Alinea or the perfect empanada. In more than 1,000 pages and over 550 full-color photographs, it celebrates haute and snack, comforting and exotic, hyper-local and the universally enjoyed: a Tuscan plate of Fritto Misto. Saffron Buns for breakfast in downtown Stockholm. Bird’s Nest Soup. A frozen Milky Way. Black truffles from Le Périgord. Mimi Sheraton is highly opinionated, and has a gift for supporting her recommendations with smart, sensuous descriptions—you can almost taste what she’s tasted. You’ll want to eat your way through the book (after searching first for what you have already tried, and comparing notes). Then, following the romance, the practical: where to taste the dish or find the ingredient, and where to go for the best recipes, websites included.
Nassim Taleb
Writer, Journalist
"This is THE reference book." - Nassim Taleb
Books from Nassim Taleb

A New Kind of Science

This work presents a series of dramatic discoveries never before made public. Starting from a collection of simple computer experiments---illustrated in the book by striking computer graphics---Wolfram shows how their unexpected results force a whole new way of looking at the operation of our universe. Wolfram uses his approach to tackle a remarkable array of fundamental problems in science: from the origin of the Second Law of thermodynamics, to the development of complexity in biology, the computational limitations of mathematics, the possibility of a truly fundamental theory of physics, and the interplay between free will and determinism.
Nassim Taleb
Writer, Journalist
"Not a book, but a monument." - Nassim Taleb
Books from Nassim Taleb

The Practice Of Natural Movement

Erwan Le Corre, creator of the world-renowned fitness system MovNat, is on a mission to reintroduce natural movement to our modern lives with the most ancient movement skill set: walking, running, balancing, jumping, crawling, climbing, swimming, lifting, carrying, throwing, catching, and self-defense. Try to imagine an out-of-shape tiger stepping on an exercise machine to get a workout. It doesn't make any sense, does it? Wild animals simply move the way nature intended, and they become powerful, healthy, and free in the process. So why should it be any different for us? We have become "zoo-humans," separated from nature and living movement-impoverished, unnatural lifestyles. As a result, we are suffering physically, mentally, and spiritually. Exercise has become artificial and boring--a chore, if not a punishment. We are training parts of our bodies, not the whole, and we have lost our drive for movement. What we need is not a better understanding of exercise physiology or more variety in fitness programs and modalities. What we need is simplicity, meaning, purpose, inspiration, and enjoyment. We need to get back to natural movement. In The Practice of Natural Movement, Le Corre demonstrates our innate and versatile ability to perform practical and adaptable movements. With countless techniques and movement variations, as well as strategies for practicing anytime and anywhere, he will inspire you to build a naturally strong and flexible body and to form yourself anew into a mindful, skillful, and physically capable human being.
Nassim Taleb
Writer, Journalist
"Excited to find in my mailbox [this book]." - Nassim Taleb
Books from Nassim Taleb

The Bitcoin Standard

A comprehensive and authoritative exploration of Bitcoin and its place in monetary history When a pseudonymous programmer introduced "a new electronic cash system that’s fully peer-to-peer, with no trusted third party" to a small online mailing list in 2008, very few people paid attention. Ten years later, and against all odds, this upstart autonomous decentralized software offers an unstoppable and globally accessible hard money alternative to modern central banks. The Bitcoin Standard analyzes the historical context to the rise of Bitcoin, the economic properties that have allowed it to grow quickly, and its likely economic, political, and social implications. While Bitcoin is an invention of the digital age, the problem it purports to solve is as old as human society itself: transferring value across time and space. Author Saifedean Ammous takes the reader on an engaging journey through the history of technologies performing the functions of money, from primitive systems of trading limestones and seashells, to metals, coins, the gold standard, and modern government debt. Exploring what gave these technologies their monetary role, and how most lost it, provides the reader with a good idea of what makes for sound money, and sets the stage for an economic discussion of its consequences for individual and societal future-orientation, capital accumulation, trade, peace, culture, and art. Compellingly, Ammous shows that it is no coincidence that the loftiest achievements of humanity have come in societies enjoying the benefits of sound monetary regimes, nor is it coincidental that monetary collapse has usually accompanied civilizational collapse. With this background in place, the book moves on to explain the operation of Bitcoin in a functional and intuitive way. Bitcoin is a decentralized, distributed piece of software that converts electricity and processing power into indisputably accurate records, thus allowing its users to utilize the Internet to perform the traditional functions of money without having to rely on, or trust, any authorities or infrastructure in the physical world. Bitcoin is thus best understood as the first successfully implemented form of digital cash and digital hard money. With an automated and perfectly predictable monetary policy, and the ability to perform final settlement of large sums across the world in a matter of minutes, Bitcoin’s real competitive edge might just be as a store of value and network for the final settlement of large payments a digital form of gold with a built-in settlement infrastructure. Ammous’ firm grasp of the technological possibilities as well as the historical realities of monetary evolution provides for a fascinating exploration of the ramifications of voluntary free market money. As it challenges the most sacred of government monopolies, Bitcoin shifts the pendulum of sovereignty away from governments in favor of individuals, offering us the tantalizing possibility of a world where money is fully extricated from politics and unrestrained by borders. The final chapter of the book explores some of the most common questions surrounding Bitcoin: Is Bitcoin mining a waste of energy? Is Bitcoin for criminals? Who controls Bitcoin, and can they change it if they please? How can Bitcoin be killed? And what to make of all the thousands of Bitcoin knockoffs, and the many supposed applications of Bitcoin's 'block chain technology'? The Bitcoin Standard is the essential resource for a clear understanding of the rise of the Internet’s decentralized, apolitical, free-market alternative to national central banks.
Nassim Taleb
Writer, Journalist
"Bitcoin is an excellent idea." - Nassim Taleb
Books from Nassim Taleb

The Doctrine of Deification in the Greek Patristic Tradition

The Doctrine of Deification in the Greek Patristic Tradition
Nassim Taleb
Writer, Journalist
"The most complete overview of theosis." - Nassim Taleb
Books from Nassim Taleb

Happy Accidents: Serendipity in Modern Medical Breakthroughs

Happy Accidents: Serendipity in Modern Medical Breakthroughs
Nassim Taleb
Writer, Journalist
"Please Please READ This Book! Read it TWICE!" - Nassim Taleb
Books from Nassim Taleb

Dream of Reason

Dream of Reason
Nassim Taleb
Writer, Journalist
"Deep, readable & investigative." - Nassim Taleb
Books from Nassim Taleb

A History of the Mind

A History of the Mind
Nassim Taleb
Writer, Journalist
"Clarity, so rare, so prized..." - Nassim Taleb
Books from Nassim Taleb

Probability, Random Variables, and Stochastic Processes

The fourth edition of Probability, Random Variables and Stochastic Processes has been updated significantly from the previous edition, and it now includes co-author S. Unnikrishna Pillai of Polytechnic University. The book is intended for a senior/graduate level course in probability and is aimed at students in electrical engineering, math, and physics departments. The authors' approach is to develop the subject of probability theory and stochastic processes as a deductive discipline and to illustrate the theory with basic applications of engineering interest. Approximately 1/3 of the text is new material--this material maintains the style and spirit of previous editions. In order to bridge the gap between concepts and applications, a number of additional examples have been added for further clarity, as well as several new topics.
Nassim Taleb
Writer, Journalist
"I always always recommend [this book]." - Nassim Taleb
Books from Nassim Taleb

Who We are and how We Got Here

A groundbreaking book about how technological advances in genomics and the extraction of ancient DNA have profoundly changed our understanding of human prehistory while resolving many long-standing controversies. Massive technological innovations now allow scientists to extract and analyze ancient DNA as never before, and it has become clear--in part from David Reich's own contributions to the field--that genomics is as important a means of understanding the human past as archeology, linguistics, and the written word. Now, in The New Science of the Human Past, Reich describes with unprecedented clarity just how the human genome provides not only all the information that a fertilized human egg needs to develop but also contains within it the history of our species. He delineates how the Genomic Revolution and ancient DNA are transforming our understanding of our own lineage as modern humans ; how genomics deconstructs the idea that there are no biologically meaningful differences among human populations (though without adherence to pernicious racist hierarchies) ; and how DNA studies reveal the deep history of human inequality--among different populations, between the sexes, and among individuals within a population.
Nassim Taleb
Writer, Journalist
"Finally, science enters historical fields." - Nassim Taleb
Books from Nassim Taleb

How Nature Works

and acknowledgments Self-organized criticality is a new way of viewing nature. The basic picture is one where nature is perpetually out of balance, but organized in a poised state-the critical state-where anything can happen within well-defined statistical laws. The aim of the science of self-organized criticality is to yield insight into the fundamental question of why nature is complex, not simple, as the laws of physics imply. Self-organized criticality explains some ubiquitous patterns existing in nature that we view as complex. Fractal structure and catastrophic events are among those regularities. Applications range from the study of pulsars and black holes to earthquakes and the evolution of life. One intriguing conse quence of the theory is that catastrophes can occur for no reason whatsoever. Mass extinctions may take place without any external triggering mechanism such as a volcanic eruption or a meteorite hitting the earth (although the the ory of course cannot rule out that this has in fact occurred). xu How Nature Works Since we first proposed the idea in 1987, more than 2,ooo papers have been written on self-organized criticality, making ours the most cited paper in physics during that period. How Nature Works is the first book to deal with the subject. The basic idea is simple, and most of the mathematical models that have been used in the implementation of the theory are not complicated.
Nassim Taleb
Writer, Journalist
"Intuitive & makes you think of universal laws." - Nassim Taleb
Books from Nassim Taleb

Mapping the Mind

Today a brain scan reveals our thoughts and moods as clearly as an X-ray reveals our bones. We can actually observe a person's brain registering a joke or experiencing a painful memory. In Mapping the Mind, award-winning journalist Rita Carter draws on the latest imaging technology and science to chart how human behavior and personality reflect the biological mechanisms behind thought and emotion. This acclaimed book, a complete visual guide to the coconut-sized, wrinkled gray mass we carry around inside our heads, has now been completely revised and updated throughout. Among many other topics, Carter explores obsessions and addictions, the differences between men's and women's brains, and memory. - Comprehensively updated for this edition with the latest research, case studies, and contributions from distinguished scientists- Addresses recent controversies over behavior prediction and prevention- Includes new information on mirror neurons, unconscious cognition, and abnormalities in attention spans
Nassim Taleb
Writer, Journalist
"Great reference book, very pedagogical." - Nassim Taleb
Books from Nassim Taleb

Mean Genes

Short, sassy, and bold, Mean Genes uses a Darwinian lens to examine the issues that most deeply affect our lives: body image, money, addiction, violence, and the endless search for happiness, love, and fidelity. But Burnham and Phelan don't simply describe the connections between our genes and our behavior; they also outline steps that we can take to tame our primal instincts and so improve the quality of our lives. Why do we want (and do) so many things that are bad for us? We vow to lose those extra five pounds, put more money in the bank, and mend neglected relationships, but our attempts often end in failure. Mean Genes reveals that struggles for self-improvement are, in fact, battles against our own genes -- genes that helped our cavewoman and caveman ancestors flourish but that are selfish and out of place in the modern world. Why do we like junk food more than fruit? Why is the road to romance so rocky? Why is happiness so elusive? What drives us into debt? An investigation into the biological nature of temptation and the struggle for control, Mean Genes answers these and other fundamental questions about human nature while giving us an edge to lead more satisfying lives.
Nassim Taleb
Writer, Journalist
"So readable as to perhaps set a standard." - Nassim Taleb
Books from Nassim Taleb

A Guide to Econometrics

This is the perfect (and essential) supplement for all econometrics classes--from a rigorous first undergraduate course, to a first master's, to a PhD course. Explains what is going on in textbooks full of proofs and formulas Offers intuition, skepticism, insights, humor, and practical advice (dos and don’ts) Contains new chapters that cover instrumental variables and computational considerations Includes additional information on GMM, nonparametrics, and an introduction to wavelets
Nassim Taleb
Writer, Journalist
"The best intuition builder in both statitics and econometrics." - Nassim Taleb
Books from Nassim Taleb

Scale

"This is science writing as wonder and as inspiration." —The Wall Street Journal Wall Street JournalFrom one of the most influential scientists of our time, a dazzling exploration of the hidden laws that govern the life cycle of everything from plants and animals to the cities we live in.Visionary physicist Geoffrey West is a pioneer in the field of complexity science, the science of emergent systems and networks. The term “complexity” can be misleading, however, because what makes West’s discoveries so beautiful is that he has found an underlying simplicity that unites the seemingly complex and diverse phenomena of living systems, including our bodies, our cities and our businesses. Fascinated by aging and mortality, West applied the rigor of a physicist to the biological question of why we live as long as we do and no longer. The result was astonishing, and changed science: West found that despite the riotous diversity in mammals, they are all, to a large degree, scaled versions of each other. If you know the size of a mammal, you can use scaling laws to learn everything from how much food it eats per day, what its heart-rate is, how long it will take to mature, its lifespan, and so on. Furthermore, the efficiency of the mammal’s circulatory systems scales up precisely based on weight: if you compare a mouse, a human and an elephant on a logarithmic graph, you find with every doubling of average weight, a species gets 25% more efficient—and lives 25% longer. Fundamentally, he has proven, the issue has to do with the fractal geometry of the networks that supply energy and remove waste from the organism’s body. West’s work has been game-changing for biologists, but then he made the even bolder move of exploring his work’s applicability. Cities, too, are constellations of networks and laws of scalability relate with eerie precision to them. Recently, West has applied his revolutionary work to the business world. This investigation has led to powerful insights into why some companies thrive while others fail. The implications of these discoveries are far-reaching, and are just beginning to be explored. Scale is a thrilling scientific adventure story about the elemental natural laws that bind us together in simple but profound ways. Through the brilliant mind of Geoffrey West, we can envision how cities, companies and biological life alike are dancing to the same simple, powerful tune.
Nassim Taleb
Writer, Journalist
"Will expand your thinking from three dimensions to four." - Nassim Taleb