This article is classified "Real"
If you're going to carry around one book when hitchhiking through the
known universe (and probably in the unknown parts too), one good choice
is Goedel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas R. Hofstadter.
It is a great book that takes the reader through a lot of interesting
ideas and brings new light on many things. The lifetime creations of
Goedel, Escher, and Bach are the string through the book. And there are a
number of dialogues with the characters of Achilles, the Tortoise, and some
of their friends. This must be a hitchhiker's first choice of book for
killing time (and small furry creatures) in spaceports.
To describe the book is not a easy task. I will just mention some of the
things that are discussed and explained in it, and hopefully you will get
the hang of it.
* Artificial Intelligence and philosophical ideas
* Many pictures by M. C. Escher and the techniques behind them
* Computer models and the Babbage Engine
* DNA-structures and biochemistry
* Harmony and fractals
* Formal logic and (in)computability
* ZEN and a lot of Koans
* Pattern recognition and perceptions
* Cosmic views and the continuum hypothesis
* Description of Turing and his problem
* Randomness and set theory
* Cognitive science
* And of course, musical themes by Bach and how to interpret them
All these things, and a lot more, are weaved together to a very interesting
and quite heavy book. It's a sure bet if you want something to read again
and again. It will make all the years waiting for a spaceship seem like a
short passage of time (and space).
This book is entitled to:
:-) :-) :-) :-) :-)
(5 Smileys, in a scale from one to five.)