There are a few treasured books that I have read multiple times over the years. Great books always find a way to surprise you. Some even have characters that age with you. For others, the initial awe and luster gradually fade over time.
I almost never read technical books more than once, except when I come back to review a particular topic or find a specific piece of information. There is, however, one notable exception to this rule.
The one technical book I have read multiple times -not only to internalize what I perceive as very important, powerful, and elusive ideas, but also because I find it genuinely beautiful— is The Mathematical Theory of Communication by Claude Shannon and Warren Weaver (University of Illinois Press, 1949).
It contains Shannon’s seminal paper, a towering achievement in the 20th century. It’s hard to overstate the importance of Shannon’s work. His theory of communication is incredibly pervasive and has applications or implications across many disciplines (all?), including statistics, biology, and linguistics.
Weaver’s commentary is also excellent, though I once heard someone blame him for popularizing the mixing of the concepts of entropy and information. I would verify that next time I read it.
It’s a great book that I hope to continue reading and trying to understand in the years to come.
