[rTX5CMRXIfFG]

I get what you mean about a great deal of books being fluff but are you sure you're not just looking at the self-help and bestseller section? Because this was my problem too, but I eventually figured out that if I really wanted to learn something or survey a subject, I'd end up with a college reference textbook. Or, audit a class and watch videos in Coursera or some other open education platform.

The irony of your getting this advice from an HN comment isn't lost on me, but if you're so concerned about fluff, I'd have thought that comments in the internet would be the first thing you'd rule out because it's so full of noise and non-expert hot takes.

[carlosjobim]

Some of the books containing the most important insights and knowledge are plagued by mountains of fluff. Having important things to say unfortunately doesn't always correlate with being a great or good author.