Also check out my book review category for more detailed reviews. And check out more book reviews at the WeProgram.NET Book Review page.
Software Development
- Rapid Development - classic Steve McConnell (that is, before he got "heavy process and certification" crazy). It's huge, and only $24.50.
- Designing Web Usability - from the web usability guru Jakob Nielsen. He's a dork, but he makes web pages sooo much better.
- Beyond Chaos - a collection of articles on software development management. Each article (there are 45 total) has several good tips.
- Death March - you've been on one. Now find out how to avoid/deal with it.
- Peopleware - you mean cramming people into cubes like sardines in noisy conditions does not help them program??
- The Mythical Man Month - "How does a project get to be late? One day at a time."
- Agile Software Development with Scrum - the best agile management process out there today.
- Extreme Programming Applied - at least get some book for your money. Not only explains XP, but gives some "in the trenches" reports too.
- The Pragmatic Programmer - read this book and improve the very next day. I promise.
- Software Craftsmanship - a theory on how to change the software industry's titles from engineer to craftsman. Could be important, but I don't see a groundswell of movement toward it.
- The Design of Everyday Things - from Jakob's usability buddy Donald Norman. Laugh as he tries unsuccessfully to use everyday objects.
- Lean Software Development - some principles to trim non-value-adding activities from software development using lean development principles.
- Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture - yeah, go buy this one. Programming classes should teach this book instead of 2 or 3 other classes. See my review.
- Agile Software Development: Principles, Patterns, and Practices - and this one too. Seriously, if you follow this book (and PoEAA), you will be a top-notch developer. See my review.
- Applying UML and Patterns - the best book on Object-Oriented Analysis and Design out there. Period. See my review.
- Agile and Iterative Development - killer management book on agile/iterative development methods. Enough evidence and sample projects to sway even the stodgiest waterfaller! See my review.
- Agile Software Development Ecosystems - interesting book by Jim Highsmith. Reviews some of the principles of various agile methods and attempts to establish a new vocabulary for them as well.
- Balancing Agility and Discipline - attempts to find common ground between agile and plan-driven methodologies. See my review.
Programming / Technology
Funny, I am primarily a C# programmer yet have no C# books... go figure.
Business
- Flawless Consulting - top quality consulting book, pretty much the bible of consulting. See my review.
- The Secrets of Consulting - if you are a consultant, work with one, or might hire one, read this book.
- More Secrets of Consulting: The Consultant's Toolkit - only if you're a consultant read this book. It helps you fight off the "consultant's blues."
- Critical Chain - how do you manage projects properly while avoiding Parkinson's law? Find out in this business novel.
- The Goal - what's the real goal of a business? To make money of course! See my review.
- First, Break All the Rules - don't do what everyone else does, otherwise you'll manage just as poorly as they do.
- The Executive in Action - a compilation of three of Peter Drucker's best works.
- Competitive Strategy - the definitive book on competitive strategy by Michael Porter. Pretty much launched the whole genre of business strategy books.
- Competitive Advantage - ok, you've analyzed the strategy. Now position yourself for advantage using the methods in this successor to Competitive Strategy.
- Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion - don't get conned by the marketer's tricks of the trade. Protect yourself by reading this book now. See my review.
- Crossing the Chasm - the one and only text on marketing technical innovations.
- How Would You Move Mount Fuji - a how-to guide to hiring the best and brightest business and programming minds. See my review.
- Information Rules - learn why software companies in general have the highest multiple (P/E) of any business model, even better than consulting.
- Getting To Yes - subtitled "Without Giving In." See my review.
- Jack: Straight from the Gut - excellent read on one of the best CEO's ever. And he didn't lie, cheat, or steal to do it (in business anyway, he had an affair though)!
- The Innovator's Dilemma - Microsoft considers this book very important. Considering their track record, I do too.
Investing
- Against the Gods: The Remarkable Story of Risk - the history of the market's risk management techniques, some of which are applicable to software development projects. It's not mapped out by the author, so if you aren't waist-deep in risk management already, just enjoy the history lesson.
- A Random Walk Down Wall Street - shows you why to put as much money as possible in no-load low-management-fee mutual funds like Vanguard. I will be set for retirement by 55 even without saving another penny!
- The Warren Buffet Way - if you want to learn how to pick stocks with the big dogs. Nobody, except maybe Peter Lynch, is as good as Warren Buffet.
- The Intelligent Investor - Graham and Dodd's classic piece on value investing. Could be back in importance after the dot-bomb.
- How to Lie with Statistics - read this book, it's short and a very quick read. And from then on you'll never be fooled by a fancy chart, graph, or statistic again!
- Extraordinary Popular Delusions & the Madness of Crowds - all it needs is a new chapter on the little "new" economy that couldn't.
- Reminiscences of a Stock Operator - a first person biography of a famous day trader in the roaring 20's (1920's that is). Shows you why you will lose your pants if you try day trading.
Personal Interest
- Fitness - I love working out. I went from 140-pounds weakling to 188-pounds stack diesel! It did take a few years though (like 6), which isn't bad since I'm not professional.
- The New Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding - the book (there are 5 books inside this one printed book) showing 149 exercises is worth the purchase price of this book.
- Power Eating - after you know how to work out, learn how to feed your muscles. I gained 10 pounds of muscle by following the guidelines in this book.
- Galloway's Book on Running - for the beginning and serious runner (not marathons). I picked up quite a few things that I hadn't learned from running cross country in high school (now that was a long time ago!).
- Pleasure reading - my pleasure reading is usually work-related, but here are some non-software books that I love.
