A bit different from the audiobook request 2 years ago, as I’m not looking for audiobooks (so it does not have to be nice to listen to, I can see code examples) but regular books you read. Let me know which books helped you out the most, or that you just found fun to read!
EDIT: Thank you to everyone for helping me inflate my reading list! I was wondering what question I should ask to get answers including books on databases, cybersecurity, basically any topic that might fall under “computer science” and not just programming. In hindsight I maybe should have posted somewhere other than Programming and said something other than “Programming book recommendations” if I wanted that, but since I am also interested in programming and software engineering all these books will definitely be eaten soon. Thank you!
Oh, and !books@programming.dev for programming books exists but is sadly not getting much attention.
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Kernighan & Ritchie, the C programming language. Yes it’s old, and about one specific language that you may never use. But it’s also very well written and can give good insight into how to tame computers. And it’s short.
Design Patterns by Gamma, Helm, Johnson, and Vlissides (the Gang of Four). Not so much a book to read as a reference with patterns to at least be aware of.
Algorithms + Data Structures = Programs
Niklaus Wirth
I researched a lot this topic, found some great books and some not so great. My top in my recommended reading order:
Structure and interpretation of computer programs (SICP) is a classic. It’s readable online or you can get a printed copy.
“Have you read your SICP today?” still rings in my head, occasionally.
Design patterns from 1994 and Code Complete are pretty solid
Design Patterns is good, another one is The New Turing Omnibus.
This is a good book to start with small usefull projects in python: https://automatetheboringstuff.com/
I really wish this existed for other languages. Python is really Not It for me. Maybe this book will change my mind. I have heard about it a lot. Either way, thanks for the rec!
For fun, read “The Difference Engine.” Alternate history/science fiction that askes what would have happened if Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace had succeeded in creating a workable computer?
https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-difference-engine-william-gibson/1517442?ean=9780440423621&next=t
