The Brothers Karamazov
Fyodor Dostoevsky
69 people recommended it in 34 threads, 2009–2024.
2 commenters pushed back on it — worth reading the threads.
What people on Hacker News said
And of course, the book finally convinced me that I should not give into nihilism and pessimism even when everyone around me does.
Nowhere I found such a great depth and insight into the nature of human freedom, and the reading questioned many beliefs I had at the time about human nature and the meaning of life.
It implanted the idea that people, all people can be understood explicitly, through empathy (and that all people can be empathized with).
On a side note, you'll get along well with Doestevesky's Brothers Karamazov if you found N&G affecting.
An excellent book with a deeply human and philosophical viewpoint.
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