GEB

I recently finished my reading of GEB and based on one of my close friends idea I would like to present my thoughts as I read through each of the chapters.

For the unintended and for someone looking for a reason to read this book, let me try to paraphrase what this book is about. Before I do that, a statutory warning: Numerous people before me have tried and failed and I know I myself might become one of them, but nevertheless let me give it a go.

First and foremost let me try to define the target audience: This book has an unprecedented fan following on the net throughout the world, so that would mean a huge chunk of the cyberworld population. The kind of people who will find it instantly likeable is someone who likes programming, mathematics, philosophy and above all someone who is looking to find meanings in forms.

Now what this book is about: This book takes you through an unforgettable intellectual journey, something which will stay with you for a long time to come. For me this book is all about discerning patterns where Hofstadter tackles Math, Arts, Music, DNA, Turing and Zen among other things and reunites them all under a common thread.

In case you have started wondering how in the world can these discordant things be connected at all, I highly recommend you to take this journey where Hofstadter with a prelude of dialogues follows it up with profound images of self reference and the likes which is bound to keep you hooked.