Anathem

*Anathem* is a book that rewards multiple readings. And I say that as someone who rarely rereads books, particularly ones as lengthy as this one.

One of my favorite books. I'm sure it's been 10 years since I read it last... Time for a reread!

Parent context: One of my favorites, though I haven't reread it in a long time. As a physics major, some of the exchanges are absolute killers. Reply: Same here, finished it like 2 years ago and still randomly think about concepts from it - the whole idea of the mathic world just stuck with me in a way most books don't

One of my favorites, though I haven't reread it in a long time. As a physics major, some of the exchanges are absolute killers.

It’s one of those books that keeps rewarding you on re-reads. Such a wild ride.

Anyway I really love this book. It's one of my "emotional support books" that I reread when I'm feeling down.

I finished it feeling genuinely smarter and a little heartbroken it was over. Immediately wanted to reread to catch all the layers I missed. If you’re on the fence about pushing through the slow start… do it. It’s worth every page.

Once I was fully drawn in, I didn’t resent the effort at all. I was hooked and genuinely sad to see the story end. Anathem stands out for many reasons, especially the intricate rules and history of the mathic world, but perhaps its greatest achievement is this: readers who finish it may very well find themselves tempted to turn back to page one and start again.

I really like Neal Stephenson’s books (Anathem mainly but also Snow Crash, Seveneves).