This article is reprinted with permission from: "Web3Brand"
Original author: Rubywang.eth
Since the Second Dragon reared its head in February, the price of Bitcoin has continued to reach new all-time highs. Friends around me began to inquire one after another, wanting to systematically understand Web3/encryption/blockchain, and some have even been doing transactions for a while.
Frankly speaking, there is a mixed bag of information in this industry, and you really need to understand that the threshold for learning is not low at all. Therefore, in line with the principle of being responsible to my friends and not being able to stump them all at once, I recommend 1~2 books published in the past year.
It was 4 years ago when I started, and a lot of the information has been updated. Then I thought about it, why not ask netizens how they make recommendations now?
So last week, I launched a question on both X and Immediately. Unexpectedly, the response was overwhelming, with nearly 150,000 views in less than two days. Compared with last year's bear market, articles that I worked hard to write for several days may not necessarily get tens of thousands of exposures. I really have to lament that it looks like a bull market.
Recommendations from many friends are very good. Star and I combined some of the information we usually compile and included in this article.
I would like to state in advance that this collection is just a recommendation from us and does not constitute any formal investment advice. At the same time, our arrangement does not mean that we have read all the content in the article. On the contrary, precisely because we also need to constantly update and improve our knowledge, we hope to systematically check and fill in the gaps in stages. This list itself is also a backup reference for ourselves.
Considering that our readers and friends are mainly Chinese users, we have prioritized some content that can be found in Chinese to learn with a low threshold. But if you can read English directly, I believe you will gain faster in Web3. Therefore, I will include the must-read English content, and a quick way to read the original English book at the end.
Our recommendations are divided into 6 sections:
Literacy popularization
Classic must-read
Investing and Hoarding
Safety first
Long live entertainment
Cangdu was added incorrectly (it’s best not to)
If there is good content that is not included, you are welcome to leave us a message at any time so that this directory can be updated from time to time in our official website Newsletter.
No matter where you are on your Web3 journey, I hope your 2024 will be a fruitful one!
1. Popularization of literacy science
The reason why I recommend my friends to read 1 or 2 popular literacy books or article collections first is because I am afraid that recommending the "Bitcoin White Paper" to others will immediately scare them away, especially those who are not from a technical background and just want to know about Web3 and Crypto. What, what and how he, she can play with friends.
I myself recommend two new books to my friends, one in English and one in Chinese.
English: Chris Dixon's new book (released in February 2024) "Read Write Own", we at Web3brand also wrote a special article recommendation a month ago. I finished reading it this Spring Festival. It is indeed very concise and popular, reaching the level that "high school students can understand it." Even if you don't want to participate in Web3, but just want to understand the development process of the Internet, it is recommended to read.
Chinese: "From Technology to Application: Ordinary People's Web3 Learning Manual", written and published by two editors-in-chief of PANews and many people in the industry. This book was published in December 2023, and the concepts and cases in it are relatively new. Moreover, reading on WeChat is very convenient, and it is very convenient to read on the mobile phone. It helps to have a comprehensive understanding of the industry and the track, and quickly form some basic concepts, and then learn about the vertical track and practice it.
At this point, I have to confess that my introductory literacy skills were completed by watching Gary Gensler (currently Chairman of the U.S. SEC)’s open class video at MIT in 2018. His course was also recommended by his friend Yilong Xiaobaozi.
Although there are many mixed emotions about Gensler in the encryption world, his public course "Blockchain and Money" is still worth watching. You can search for it on YouTube or Bilibili.
The following are recommendations from netizens, special thanks to:
@0xGarfield recommends the comic version of "The Bitcoin whitepaper in comic", produced by the legendary comic master Scott Mccloud.
0xkookoo compiled an article "How to Quickly Enter Web3 Characters" in early 2023, which is comprehensive and in-depth.
Teacher @Anymose recommended his new book "Understanding Web3 from Scratch".
@YeSiChen recommended article "A must-read guide for newbies to Web3: How to get started with zero basics?" 》.
Star wrote this article 2 years ago to understand Bitcoin and Ethereum in one article, which is suitable for beginners to get started.
2. Classic must-reads
If you are interested in working in Web3 for a long time, whether you are studying, doing projects, or investing to make money, classics must be used to lay a solid foundation and establish long-term basic knowledge. Therefore, many friends have recommended it with conscience. Don’t forget that these classics are the foundation.
Bitcoin
Thanks to netizen xiakezhang for reminding me that "Bitcoin White Paper" (Chinese version) is definitely a must-read.
Chao replied, "If you are a geek and want to learn from the basics, I recommend Mastering Bitcoin."
The latest version of the book "Mastering Bitcoin" is the 3rd edition. The original book is not yet available in Chinese.
We attach and thank Jeffery Hu for providing the Chinese translation of the netizen and the notes of the intensive reading activity he led.
Ethereum
"Ethereum White Paper" and follow Vitalik, there should be no reason to recommend it
Some other resources recommended by netizens:
Sheng (New Decade) recommends the following two books, "The Future of Money" and "The Monetary Pyramid: From Gold and Dollars to Bitcoin and Central Bank Digital Currency."
Will recommends Deschool, which has many courses.
Of course, some netizens also recommend podcasts, such as a16z, Bankless, Unchained, etc., which have been published in our podcast selection before. Since the pace of updates in the Web3 industry is too fast, many updates will be in the form of podcast conversations or live broadcasts.
Web3Podcast has a lot of recommended programs, and I listen to them a lot. I will find time to update a separate article in the near future and recommend corresponding tools. Please remember to subscribe to the Newsletter and set our address in your mailbox as non-junk/advertising emails to avoid not receiving updates.
3. Investment and currency hoarding (by Star)
How to evaluate the value of Bitcoin as a new monetary asset? Recommend Paradigm co-founder Matt Huang: "Preaching Bitcoin to Enlightened Skeptics", a very concise 8-page PDF that introduces a simple and intuitive architecture.
If you have healthy off-site income and the main reason for investing in Bitcoin is to fight inflation and be optimistic about its long-term value (1 Bitcoin is worth 160 million in 2038?), then Jiu Shen’s "Hoarding Bitcoin" Perfect for you.
This book not only has very practical technical guidance (including the famous Nine Gods Coin Hoarding Index, which guides fixed investment and bargain hunting), but also has a lot of psychological construction and experience of the elderly. It is very friendly to newcomers. It can be said that it is my top recommendation. book
Image source: Excerpt from "Web3Brand" "Tuen Bitcoin"
4. Safety first
Wandering in the blockchain world is like driving in a dark forest. There is a driver's license requirement for driving on the road, but encrypted permissionless makes many people think that the threshold is low and ignore the most basic protection. He didn’t fasten his seat belt and was riding on the road without even memorizing the traffic rules.
Many times, because of the strong drive to make money, you end up focusing on profits, while bad project parties and hackers focus on your wallet and principal. Therefore, please strengthen your basic safety knowledge before hitting the road to avoid regrets.
Many netizens such as @0xGarfield recommended the "Blockchain Dark Forest Manual Self-Help Manual" compiled by the SlowMist team.
Some netizens directly recommended following Cosine’s X and turning on the small bell to learn about the latest security incidents.
Cosine has also recommended a security test website before, with more than 200 questions. I haven't had time to test my mastery yet, so I recommend that friends who are interested take a look.
In addition, the collection of tweets about security in the Chinese area also recommends OneKey's Chinese Web3 security popular science volume, which contains many live cases. In the English section, regarding security in the crypto world, if you only focus on one person, I recommend Chain Detective ZachXBT.
5. Long live entertainment
Okay, if you think the above four recommendations are too serious, you might as well take a look at these serious friends who are funny to me
My friend Wang Er'e, an unemployed artist, suggested reviewing "The Big One Is Coming" (Me:?)
Two friends mentioned the same word:
I finally figured it out:
One suggested stud and the other suggested stud. ——Lu Xun
My sister Ruby Wang recommended "The Self-cultivation of Leeks" by Teacher Li. To get started, you must first get a grip.
I laughed so hard, it was worthy of the tacit understanding of the same name. I bought the paper version of this book in 2018 (the year it was published). After reading it, I declared that I was really a leek for paying more than 30 yuan for this book.
But last week, a Bitcoin OG who has been in the industry for 10 years gave me feedback. If this book is recommended to newcomers, he thinks there is nothing wrong with it. To quote his original words:
I have finished reading "The Self-cultivation of Leeks". It is mainly about some principled talk, and there is nothing wrong with it. If you mainly want to get started with trading and investing, then see if there is really no problem...
Please judge for yourself, after all, Li Xiaolai is really good at writing. If you don't read this book, you can also read "Blockchain Little White Book", or more sincere chicken soup, such as "Treat Time as a Friend", or "The Road to Wealth Freedom" which is regarded as the little red book. .
Yes, they are both written by the same author.
Of course, the most important thing is practical operation, low cost, low risk and quick try. Becoming an experienced driver ultimately depends on practice, and book reference will ultimately serve your life goals and investment goals.
6. Wrong addition of warehouse
Finally, if you just want to do charity, no one can stop you (you understand what I mean, right), you have the following options
Netizen Luo Binghe suggested opening a contract. In my opinion, it is indeed the first shortcut to turn the blockchain into a "loss-fast chain". Because recently, a blockchain veteran friend was tricked by his friend into playing contracts and lost a lot of money. Contracts are not something ordinary people can touch. The sooner you understand them, the better.
This past weekend, many people discovered that the fastest way to open a wallet may be to redeem Meme coins, which is simply a large-scale 24X7 global online gaming station. Download a DexScreener and Pepeboost to play
Keep up with Pepeboost on Telegram, and you may have created your first wallet just like this.
Note: Please confirm all the above download links again and again. Avoid searching on the web (such as a certain website). It is best to confirm that it is the official X and the official website. Try to only click on the official website link in the official X.
Again, we sincerely remind you that investment is risky, DYOR, never invest money you cannot afford to lose.
7. Conclusion
I hope the above content is helpful to you.
It is not easy to organize. If you have a dear friend or colleague who wants to systematically understand the knowledge of Web3, blockchain, and encryption industry, we will be very honored if you can forward and recommend following Web3brand.
Due to the rush of time, it is inevitable that there will be some omissions. Please feel free to find Ruby or Star to leave us a message. We are grateful to have friends like Darter.
By the way, please be sure to subscribe to our Newsletter and Podcast again. This is the motivation for us to share our efforts.
Finally, what I want to say is
These days, content is actually not scarce. What is truly scarce is your attention, concentration, and deep knowledge and understanding of a certain industry.
Time is the ultimate currency.
In this impetuous bull market, I would like to encourage you all.
