Introduction

The Best Textbooks on Every Subject is the Schelling point for the best textbooks on every subject. My The Best Tacit Knowledge Videos on Every Subject is the Schelling point for the best tacit knowledge videos on every subject. This post is the Schelling point for the best reference works for every subject.

Reference works provide an overview of a subject. Types of reference works include charts, maps, encyclopedias, glossaries, wikis, classification systems, taxonomies, syllabi, and bibliographies.

Reference works are valuable for orienting oneself to fields, particularly when beginning. They can help identify unknown unknowns; they help get a sense of the bigger picture; they are also very interesting and fun to explore.

How to Submit

My previous The Best Tacit Knowledge Videos on Every Subject uses author credentials to assess the epistemics of submissions. The Best Textbooks on Every Subject requires submissions to be from someone who [...]

---

Outline:

(00:10) Introduction

(01:00) How to Submit

(02:15) The List

(02:18) Humanities

(02:21) History

(03:46) Religion

(04:02) Philosophy

(04:29) Literature

(04:43) Formal Sciences

(04:47) Computer Science

(05:16) Mathematics

(05:59) Natural Sciences

(06:02) Physics

(06:16) Earth Science

(06:33) Astronomy

(06:47) Professional and Applied Sciences

(06:51) Library and Information Sciences

(07:34) Education

(08:00) Research

(08:32) Finance

(08:51) Medicine and Health

(09:21) Meditation

(09:52) Urban Planning

(10:24) Social Sciences

(10:27) Economics

(10:39) Political Science

(10:54) By Medium

(11:21) Other Lists like This

(12:41) Further Reading

---

First published:
May 14th, 2025

Source:
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/HLJMyd4ncE3kvjwhe/the-best-reference-works-for-every-subject

---

Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

“The Best Reference Works for Every Subject” by Parker Conley 13:03 Share

LessWrong (30+ Karma)

Shownotes Transcript

“The Best Reference Works for Every Subject” by Parker Conley