August 2025
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    Hello all.
    I’m self studying some graduate level maths, and there are often some challenging problems. This isn’t a rant, but a request for specific reading recommendations. After I spend some time thinking around a problem, not even trying that hard, every thought eventually ends with me abandoning it and going along with others’ perspective/solutions.
    This is not just limited to studies, though. It has almost become habitual. I feel like something within me has given up imposing on things. A lack of will, if you may. I began reading again an year ago, mostly introspective works – Some Murakami, Sylvia Plath, Camus, Kafka, some Russian Literature, and Japanese slice of life for lighter reads. Some non fiction – math/cryptograohy/computer science related apart from these.
    I’m looking for books where the protagonist struggles with a decently well defined problem or an issue (preferably, but not limited to academia/sci-fi), and finds inspiration along the way to overcome it (maybe a rebirth or so, if you include fantasy) . It’s better if the character is introspective too, and the writer spends enough time around the characters thoughts and pov.

    Thanks in advance and best wishes!

    Tldr; Please recommend me some lengthy and detailed books where the mc is in a rut and finds inspiration in some way. Thanks!

    by Viable-public-key

    1 Comment

    1. Nightbloodssmoke91 on

      The stormlight archive, Brandon Sanderson , starting with the way of kings. The main character starts in a dark position and struggles with his own will and darkness through a myriad of wins and losses. Many characters work through arcs of immense change. It’s fantasy, many opinions about the series are out there . There are good chunks of characters facing mathematical/ scientific quandaries as the story moves forward, though it takes a few thousand pages to arrive at those sections. Whether you find this interesting or not, good luck in your search. Both in life and literature.

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