Reading
I read the way other people scroll. Five books at a time, across genres that have no business being next to each other. Buddhist suttas next to hard SF next to SaaS playbooks. My brain doesn't do categories. (See: ADHD.)
All-time favorites
The ones that live rent-free.
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy The answer is 42. The question is still loading.
- The Restaurant at the End of the Universe And really, all Douglas Adams. Every word.
- Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency The fundamental interconnectedness of all things.
- Foundation Psychohistory is just product-market fit at civilizational scale.
- I, Robot The three laws, before we needed them for real.
- Dune Fear is the mind-killer. Also: spice is just chai.
- God Emperor of Dune All Frank Herbert Dune books. We don't talk about the others.
- Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality Fan fiction smarter than most published fiction.
The dharma shelf
- Majjhima Nikāya The suttas. Speed-readable at suttaspeed.com.
- Dhammapada Verses to live by. Better than any self-help book.
- Visuddhimagga The deep end.
A quote, because why not
"The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty: not knowing what comes next."
— Ursula K. Le Guin, The Left Hand of Darkness
FAQ
What does Prasanna Krishnamoorthy read?
Prasanna reads across science fiction, Buddhist suttas, rationalist fiction, SaaS and startup writing, and books by authors such as Douglas Adams, Isaac Asimov, Frank Herbert, and Eliezer Yudkowsky.
What are Prasanna’s favorite books?
Prasanna’s recurring favorites include The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Foundation, I, Robot, Dune, God Emperor of Dune, Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, and the Majjhima Nikāya.
Where should I start with Buddhist reading?
A good starting point is the Majjhima Nikāya, also called the Middle Length Discourses. The Dhammapada is shorter, more poetic, and easier to sample.