A few years back I tried listening to the audiobook but couldn't push myself to finish it, even though it's fairly short. As I recall, I picked it up after completing Snow Crash. Unfortunately it's been so long that I barely remember any details. I just vaguely remember having a hard time getting into it, as well as finding it hard to relate to the characters, and thinking the slang was confusing.

For Neuromancer fans here, I'd love to read about your perspective on the book. Maybe when I picked it up I didn't have the right mindset. What aspects did you enjoy most? Do any details stand out? How did it impact you?

I'll take this opportunity to remind the Americans on HN that your local public library has access to audiobooks and many other resources, free of charge. I've been living in Santa Clara for a while but I only just found out about all their perks a few weeks back. Just by having a library card, you get access to SO MANY high quality online resources [0]! It includes stuff like eAudiobooks, eBooks, digital magazines, research databases, etc. Two services which I suspect will be of interest to HN readers are: (1) Safari Books Online, which contains technical and business eBooks; and (2) Lynda.com, which has tons of videos for learning new business, software, technology, and creative skills. Although it's sadly worth noting that Safari Books Online only provides access to a subset of their full catalogue :(. Better than nothing, though!

Another great resource you gain access to is this Point of View Reference Center [1] service. It lists controversial issues. Inside each, you find an overview of the issue, along with some background and contextual info, and finally points and counter-points. It provides the information in a way that's very approachable, while remaining fairly unbiased. Oh, and the best part is that everything includes sources, so you know where stuff comes from! If something seems fishy, you can inspect the source. The topics have varying levels of detail, but it seems to be an overall good starting point for trying to understand current events or issues.

[0] http://santaclaraca.gov/government/departments/library/resea...

[1] https://www.ebscohost.com/us-high-schools/points-of-view-ref...