Geek Sublime: The Beauty of Code, the Code of Beauty

The title of Vikram Chandra's book, “Geek Sublime,” doesn't give away a lot about its content, and even its subtitle, “The Beauty of Code, The Code of Beauty,” is somewhat elusive. When you finish this relatively brief book you'll agree that the title is apt, but still regard it as somewhat recondite.Okay, BLUF: the sum of the book is less than the total value of its parts. Chandra, a long-time writer of code, enthralls the reader with his survey of the history of code, the challenges of code-writing, and the argument over whether code can be beautiful. His inside-the-business revelations, e.g., that a lot of code writers don't really understand how computers actually work, can be small epiphanies and also oddly reassuring. That's the first third of the book. The second third is a survey of classical Indian literary aesthetics, focusing on the work of Anandavardhana (9th c.) and Abhinavagupta (10th-11th c.).What? you're asking yourself. It bears pointing out, if you weren't aware, that Chandra is also an acclaimed novelist. And as an Indian by birth, he has clearly an appreciation of his cultural roots. It doesn't necessarily follow that Chandra would be well positioned to write on Indian literary aesthestics, however, since he isn't, so far as I can tell, a scholar of Indian classical literature, but at least to this admittedly uninformed reader, he does a credible job. Although at times the Indian terms and names might cause the eyes to glaze over, this reader was able not only to follow along his discussion, but, in time, enjoy it as much if not more than the section on code-writing.If beauty in code writing was the thesis, and Indian literary aesthetics the antithesis, the final third of the book attempts synthesis. Chandra is less successful here; I found the synthesis less absorbing that the prior more-or-less independent discussions. Chandra tries to get at the kinetic nature of both poetic language and code: “What programmers want to do in their investigations of the 'eloquence' of code, I think, is analogous to what Anandavardhana and Abhinavagupta tried to do with poetic language...: to understand how the effects of a language can escape language itself” (Loc 3027). He continues, “The 'rasa-dhvani' theorists ...tried to formalize the processes of literary affect, to investigate how poetry moves across the borders of bodies and selves, and to understand how consciousness uses and is reconstructed by poetry...” (Loc 3017-3033). Turning to code, then, he notes that “programs are not just algorithms as concepts or applied ideas; they are algorithms in motion. Code is uniquely kinetic.... In code, the mental and material are one” (Loc 3033). Chandra then goes on to give examples of this, such as programmed or synthetic biology (synbio), which is programming at the genetic level to bioengineer new life (beg. Loc 3059). For some of us, that sounds a bit more frightening than beautiful. However that may be, by this point rasa-dhvani theory, if ever I understood it, has become somewhat lost on me as I ponder programmed monsters.Nonetheless, I recommend this work as a thought-provoking if perhaps overly ambitious attempt to leverage Indian aesthetics to explain the beauty of code. In the end, although I enjoyed reading about code-writing, I was most intrigued by Chandra's presentation on Indian aesthetics. The best non-fiction writers will inspire their readers to pursue the subject some more; I look forward to reading more about a topic I think most Westerners know little about: Indian classical literature.

I give it 3 stars (***) for the geek part. What was there was good. but only about 10% of the book. Four stars (****) for the attempt to understand the concept->language->specification->actual problem. This problem statement is sort of commutative - start with any of the 4 things, resolve any next 2, and you have a non-zero chance of doing a successful program/project. The Indian (SE Asia) literary nagging was actually useful, as it clarified some of my unknown assumptions re Tantric/Sanskrit etc. from college in the 1960s.And 3 stars for the physical paperback. The spine print split diagonally after ONE (1) reading. The spine glue itself is OK. So back to 3 star (***).Errata paperback - p.118 "staring at the abject" is "abyss", more auto correct?. p.140 - "...long ago trauma. Jaques Lucan...". There are missing transition sentences or paragraphs here

I think this book holds the most for anyone who appreciates science/ technology/ logic and all it can do, but struggles with the culture around it where (at least in modern America) it downplays things like beauty, human connection, and the ability to stir emotion.I found it to be a beautiful weaving together of computer science, premodern Indian linguistics/aesthetic philosophy, and the author's own experiences with writing, programming, and cross-cultural experiences concerning the US and India. It really resonated with me as someone who comes from a mixed American/Indian cultural background and is also involved with programming, linguistics, and the arts. That said, there was plenty of material which was new to me, and I think the author did a lovely job of explaining those things patiently and clearly (without getting boring when he covered familiar ground).

I am sad that too few people will read this book and perhaps even fewer will understand it. (Based on the comments to date). A fresh look at the history of computing is much needed, women, particularly in the US, have been marginalized by this cowboy culture whose origins seem to have nothing to do with computing itself. The high incidence of Indians as tech CEOs is a fact. And as Steven Pinker points out English grammar embeds physics. Why can't Sanskrit and it's derivatives embed instructions for coding?I always thought that Paul Graham's comparison of Hackers and Painters was a little thin. Chandra takes it to another strata and I for one see the virtue in his brilliant, insightful and even beautiful construct.

Vikram Chandra has written an engaging work, with a slightly misleading title. While it discusses computer coding, its history, and what makes it elegant (when it is), Geek Sublime is much more about Hindu culture and philosophy, focusing around Sanskrit, an artificial language that shares much in common with programming languages. There is much that I learned and enjoyed learning in reading Geek Subline.

As an Amazon author of "Conceal Carry; Pause" I like interesting innovation by an author to make a book interesting. I heard the interview of the author of this book on public radio. While I am an artist in oil painting as a hobby I was enamored by the author saying he sees Computer coding as an art form genre. Thus his approach likely is a fresh breeze to be experienced by a computer science graduate so to provide a brain garnishment for a career geek. My one grandson is one such geek and he welcomed receiving this book.

The commentaires on sanskrit and aesthetics are fine, he never mentions carharsis which seems a bit suprising, the coding description is fun, but nothing really new to practicioners, the connections code-beauty, and beauty (rasas)-code are a bit tenous,fun to read, thought-provoking, good enough to pass on to friends, and i know stuff i didn't before and had fun readong.what's not to like.

Good read for Technology nerds.

The author clearly drives home the point that coding is an art ,sanskrit could be a close substitute to a programming language due to its inherent logical constructs.

ich hätte mir mehr erwartet... es geht fast nur darum, was er alles gemacht hat. habe nur bis seite 32 gelesen