Here's the MVP interface: https://bcmullins.github.io/reading/

I appreciate any feedback. Hope you find something interesting to read!

Several readers have asked for an easy way to get recommendations without working through long-form review articles.

Here's the first iteration of a simple recommender: https://bcmullins.github.io/reading/

Feel free to post some of your favorites from 2025!

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46529875

Points: 2

# Comments: 1

I've had lots of great suggestions from HN readers in the past. If I've missed anything cool that you like, please share!

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46446765

Points: 1

# Comments: 1

My favorite book this year was "Differential Privacy" (2025) by Simson Garfinkel. Differential privacy is a mathematical theory of data privacy sandwiched between cryptography, databases, and ML. This is the first book-length non-technical introduction, and it's well executed.

Here's my full book list for the year: https://bcmullins.github.io/interesting-books-2025/.

I've really enjoyed writing recurring posts. For example, each December, I write up lists of the most interesting books and papers I've read during the year. These usually generate a decent amount of interest and are something I look forward to writing each year.

> If you were starting today, what would you do differently?

I wish I would have started earlier. Writing a blog has kept my writing skills sharp.

A readable but thorough introduction to differential privacy.

2. Tales of the Weird: An Uncanny Introduction (2023)

A collection of short stories from the British Library to introduce the many flavors of weird fiction.

3. An Introduction to Information Theory: Symbols, Signals and Noise (1980) by John R. Pierce

A fun survey of information theory with great anecdotes about Bell Labs in mid-century.

See my full list here: https://bcmullins.github.io/interesting-books-2025/

Here's a peek at my list:

* Differential Privacy by Simson Garfinkel (2025)

* The Philosopher in the Kitchen by Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1825)

* After Adam Smith: A Century of Transformation in Politics and Political Economy by Murray Milgate and Shannon G. Stimson (2009)

* Philosophical Analysis: Its development between the two World Wars by J. O. Urmson Haskins (1956)

* Tales of the Weird: An Uncanny Introduction (2023)

* An Introduction to Information Theory: Symbols, Signals and Noise by John R. Pierce (1980)

* Relativism and the Foundations of Philosophy by Steven D. Hales (2006)

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46194162

Points: 2

# Comments: 1

Differential Privacy (2025) by Simson Garfinkel. This is an accessible and enjoyable introduction to differential privacy from the MIT Press essentials series.

The Philosopher in the Kitchen (1825) by Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. This is a primer on gourmandism or the art and science of cooking, eating, and hosting. An interesting look at the French intellectual milieu at the turn of the nineteenth century.

Relativism and the Foundations of Philosophy (2006) by Steven Hales. This book argues for relativism about philosophical propositions, e.g., metaphysical statements. I came across this book and picked it up after enjoying a few articles from Hales' blog [0].

I usually put up a list at the end of each year. Here's the list from last year [1].

[0] https://hilariusbookbinder.substack.com

[1] https://bcmullins.github.io/interesting-books-2024/

I'm increasingly thinking about mowing the yard and managing the garden. That's a hobby, right?

[0] e.g. http://bcmullins.github.io/research-from-1825/

It's always an interesting exercise choosing which books or articles to write about. There's a balancing act between what I want to read, what I think is important or representative, and what do I know enough about to have anything to add.

Thanks for pointing this out! I'll update the post.

I'm now not sure what's the distinction between verifiability and discoverability among truths in a formal system.