Delightful insights into and from computer science

The authors set out to provide insights from computer science to help in your everyday life - how long to search before committing to your flat or wife, how to organise your closet to find your favourite clothes quickly, how to schedule interruptions and context switches to make your to-do list disappear faster. However, they also do a great job of sketching out the challenges that the wunderkinder at Google or Amazon solve everyday in their unending quest to make our lives better and richer and easier.

Written by two computer scientists the prose is limpidly clear. Their logically trained minds cannot tolerate any ambiguity in a sentence - which makes the book above averagely readable, despite fairly sophisticated material.

Narration. Sort of apt - read very clearly and melodiously by one of the authors (who thus understands the material), at exactly the correct speed for comprehension (I bet Christian researched this and timed himself). A little bit like an AI machine might narrate...

48 people found this helpful

Great and practical concepts, too much theory

The concepts, parallels anf conclusions are very good, but the background and introductions are a bit too long. The book could be some 36% shorter.

41 people found this helpful

Simply delightful

Fantastic listen. Lot's of concepts to digest but you'll find at least one useful and useful in your everyday being. The simplicity of the rendition and linkage to everyday life means you don't even need a college education to follow this and learn a thing or two about life.
It made me reflect on how we all have a tendency to be sure or certain of things that are far from certain, in a world that is so much more complicated than we could imagine.
From choosing a spouse to sorting out our wardrobes, the book links human cognition and intuition to mathematically proven concepts while admitting the limitations of many so-called intellectual truths that we hold.
In the end, it says, to me at least: "don't grieve about the past, learn from it; don't worry about the future, make the best preparations you can for it and in between, just be yourself".

39 people found this helpful

Not really what I expected.

The book was ok and broadly interesting but it's just an introduction to computer algorithms. I was expecting a bit more of a link to how you can change your everyday life than the few examples that are given.
Fortunately I like maths (in particular decision maths) so got through to the end but it doesn't fit the title "algorithms to live by".
I think I'd call it "A discussion of the various algorithms you don't know are going on around you"... But then I probably wouldn't sell many audiobooks!

33 people found this helpful

Why good people get it wrong

If you've ever felt the odd one out; ever doubted your decisions; always seemed to go against the herd out of compassion, only to see them right: here is your redemption. A book implicitly about the Buddhist conundrum: Why bad things happen to good people (or, why good people get it wrong).

32 people found this helpful

Interesting Overview on Algorithms

What made the experience of listening to Algorithms to Live By the most enjoyable?

The story's about the scientist using their knowledge in daily life.

What did you like best about this story?

It is not a story but a facts book. I liked the the clear presentation.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

Enjoy is not the right word, I took most out of how one might handle a drug addict relative.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Because of the title I expected to take out more practical advice out of the book, but that was not the case to the extend I had hoped for.

Any additional comments?

I think the title is a bit misleading. Maybe. A history of Algorithms in Computer Science spiced with anecdotes about the scientist is more to the point.

27 people found this helpful

One of the most educational and fun books I've read

A great book from start to finish.
Every chapter has a great balance of computer science and its application to human life alongside a healthy dose of history.

The first book I've heard in audio that proved too good not to buy a readable version for reference.

Please write a follow up!

21 people found this helpful

A superb listen, fascinating and enlightening

This is the first time i have been moved to write a review for a book I have listened to, I always rate them but have not felt the need to comment before.

This book is different - I found this to be a fascinating listen and, whilst some will look at the subject matter and perhaps feel it doesn't appeal to them, I would urge anyone to listen to it as it relates to almost everyone's lives in some way.

The pace of this book is perfect, it starts with simple sorting and searching but accelerates through several other areas, inceasing the interest as it goes.
It explains in simple to understand language without dumbing down the premise it is explaining - even though some of the concepts are quite complex, the explanations are always easy to follow.

Whilst the narrator is no actor, his voice is reasonably pleasant, combined with his knowledge and obvious enthusiasm for the subject mean his presentation is easy on the ears.

There are a few points of humour (see favourite quote below) and there are several places where I found it related exactly to scenarios I have found myself in - 'thrashing' being an example (I won't ruin the surprise as to what that refers to, but i would be surprised if a lot of people didn't relate to it.)

Favourite quote of a quote from the book : "if you are flammable and have legs, you are never blocking a fire escape"

Brilliant book and i will definitely be listening to it again.

18 people found this helpful

How to make your life as predictable as possible..

I couldn't get beyond more than two hours of this. Even if the message was profound the narration is dull, which is asking for failure when the competition is so strong.

I think this is aimed at twenty-somethings or fresh graduates who don't have much confidence or life experience to inform their judgement. The impression it leaves me with is essentially suggesting you reduce every important decision you make into a (yawn) equation.

The dating advice is utterly cringeworthy. If you meet a woman using the advice from this book, if she has any sense she'll probably run a mile when she discovers the advice herein.

Seriously, rather than listen to this and learn to become a robot, just get out there and connect with people. You'll learn the lessons within anyway, and they'll be reinforced by emotion which is how humans learn and remember. This is a concept that this book appears to overlook.

I know it may sound like harsh criticism given the expectations the title raises, but as someone interested in decision theory, I thought I'd find this interesting. I could listen to the end and find out why it's rated as highly as other audiobooks I've loved.

This criticism is not of the author(s), it is of the work. If the author(s) worked on the presentation and engagement, and did more interesting research, maybe I'll look again.

16 people found this helpful

Reduces life to dullness

Not every situation in life can be reduced to a decision matrix or formula and trying to do so sucks the enjoyment out of life. I know how to make these decisions without resorting to formulas. And other simple decisions are best left to randomness and exploration. I would not get on with the author or people who reduce life to equations.

7 people found this helpful