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866 ratings | 129 reviews | avg rating:4.33

Michael’s Year In Books

Michael’s 2025 Year in Books

Take a look at Michael’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

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Michael Nielsen’s Followers (1,710)

Michael’s Bookshelves

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Michael’s Friends (137)

Anna

4,954 books | 506 friends

John

4,184 books | 332 friends

Susan Rigetti

995 books | 48 friends

Alexander Telfar

811 books | 49 friends

Alejandro Maza

2,403 books | 253 friends

Elizabeth

1,553 books | 39 friends

Anna

1,545 books | 101 friends

Andrew Louis

1,862 books | 380 friends

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Michael Nielsen

Goodreads Author

Born

Australia

Website

http://michaelnotebook.com/

Twitter

michael_nielsen

Genre

Science, Computers & Internet

Member Since

October 2007

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Many of the books below listed as by me are not, in fact, by me. Goodreads makes it timeconsuming and difficult to change this, so I don't bother. It's a real pain though.

On friend requests: I use the "updates" list a lot to find new books. So I will only accept friend requests if either (a) we're actually friends; or (b) your list of updates is mostly books that look really interesting to me, and like the kind of thing I might otherwise not see. It doesn't mean I don't like you if I don't accept the request!

On technical books: I struggle with how to shelve technical books. Serious reading of such a book may take an hour or more per page; I will rarely seriously read the entire book for that reason. On the other hand, I would like to put th ...more

Combine Editions
Michael Nielsen’s books

Average rating: 4.23 · 1,192 ratings · 144 reviews · 13 distinct works • Similar authors

	Reinventing Discovery: The New Era of Networked Science 3.94 avg rating — 641 ratings — published 2011 — 15 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Neural Networks and Deep Learning 4.57 avg rating — 463 ratings — published 2013	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Quantum Computing for The Very Curious 4.68 avg rating — 34 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Quantum Country by Andy Matuschak, Michael Nielsen (Goodreads Author) 4.48 avg rating — 21 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Kingdom of the Red and White Banner by Michael Nielsen (Goodreads Author), Natasha La (Illustrator) 4.33 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2015 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	essay on learning and motivation liked it 3.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Princeton University Press byNielsen 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	An Introduction to Psychology of Religion 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Path to Fulfillment: Embracing Your True Calling 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Craft of Baking in Copenhagen 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Michael Nielsen…

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Michael’s Recent Updates

Michael Nielsen wants to read Unbelonging: A Life in Search of Home by Catherine Jagoe	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
1 hour, 11 min ago · like
Michael Nielsen liked Mona’s status update Mona Alsubaei wants to read The Autistic Brain: Thinking Across the Spectrum
1 hour, 11 min ago · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Autistic Brain by Temple Grandin. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Autistic Brain by Temple Grandin <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Michael Nielsen liked Mona’s status update Mona Alsubaei wants to read Death: The End of Self-Improvement
1 hour, 11 min ago
Michael Nielsen liked Mona’s status update Mona Alsubaei wants to read All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me
1 hour, 11 min ago
Michael Nielsen wants to read Newton's Principia for the Common Reader by Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 05, 2026 09:48PM · 1 like · like
Michael Nielsen wants to read Thoughts without a Thinker: Psychotherapy from a Buddhist Perspective by Mark Epstein	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 28, 2026 01:20PM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Thoughts without a Thinker by Mark Epstein. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Thoughts without a Thinker by Mark Epstein <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Michael Nielsen wants to read Selected Essays by David Hume	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 27, 2026 11:11PM · 2 likes · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Selected Essays by David Hume. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Selected Essays by David Hume <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Michael Nielsen rated a book really liked it Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland by Christopher R. Browning	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
How do systems organize around atrocity? What is the experience of the individuals carrying out the atrocity? These are questions Browning helps us understand, examining detailed records and testimony from individual members of Reserve Police Battali ...more
Sep 24, 2026 01:28PM · 6 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Ordinary Men by Christopher R. Browning. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Ordinary Men by Christopher R. Browning <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Michael Nielsen wants to read War without Mercy: Race and Power in the Pacific War by John W. Dower	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 24, 2026 01:27PM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of War without Mercy by John W. Dower. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — War without Mercy by John W. Dower <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Michael Nielsen liked a quote “Surfers have a perfection fetish. The perfect wave, etcetera. There is no such thing. Waves are not stationary objects in nature like roses or diamonds. They’re quick, violent events at the end of a long chain of storm action and ocean reaction. Even the most symmetrical breaks have quirks and a totally specific, local character, changing with every shift in tide and wind and swell.” William Finnegan
Sep 13, 2026 03:33PM · like · more quotes by William Finnegan · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Barbarian Days by William Finnegan. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Barbarian Days by William Finnegan <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

More of Michael's books…

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
WACKY READING CHA...: I ♥ Audiobooks Challenge	446	187	Mar 31, 2022 08:37AM

Michael’s Quotes

“Science is the only news. When you scan a news portal or magazine, all the human interest stuff is the same old he-said-she-said, the politics and economics the same cyclical dramas, the fashions a pathetic illusion of newness; even the technology is predictable if you know the science behind it. Human nature doesn't change much; science does, and the change accrues, altering the world irreversibly”
― Stewart Brand

55 likes

“A library doesn't need windows. A library is a window.”
― Stewart Brand, How Buildings Learn: What Happens After They're Built

tags: library

53 likes

“If you don't like bacteria, you're on the wrong planet.”
― Stewart Brand

tags: bacteria, life, microbes, science, world

19 likes

“Function reforms form, perpetually.”
― Stewart Brand, How Buildings Learn: What Happens After They're Built

13 likes

Michael’s Year In Books

Michael Nielsen’s Followers (1,710)

Michael’s Bookshelves

Michael’s Friends (137)

Michael Nielsen

Goodreads Author

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Michael Nielsen’s books

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Michael’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — The Autistic Brain by Temple Grandin

See a Problem?

Preview — Thoughts without a Thinker by Mark Epstein

See a Problem?

Preview — Selected Essays by David Hume

See a Problem?

Preview — Ordinary Men by Christopher R. Browning

See a Problem?

Preview — War without Mercy by John W. Dower

See a Problem?

Preview — Barbarian Days by William Finnegan

Topics Mentioning This Author

Michael’s Quotes

recent posts
Michael’s Groups

Michael’s Friend Comments

Michael’s Year In Books

Michael Nielsen’s Followers (1,710)

Michael’s Bookshelves

Michael’s Friends (137)

Michael Nielsen

Goodreads Author

Combine EditionsMichael Nielsen’s books

rssMichael’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — The Autistic Brain by Temple Grandin

See a Problem?

Preview — Thoughts without a Thinker by Mark Epstein

See a Problem?

Preview — Selected Essays by David Hume

See a Problem?

Preview — Ordinary Men by Christopher R. Browning

See a Problem?

Preview — War without Mercy by John W. Dower

See a Problem?

Preview — Barbarian Days by William Finnegan

Topics Mentioning This Author

Michael’s Quotes

recent postsMichael’s Groups

Michael’s Friend Comments

Combine Editions
Michael Nielsen’s books

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Michael’s Recent Updates

recent posts
Michael’s Groups