Suggest some books for me.
September 17, 2012 1:50 PM Subscribe
College senior looking for books to read before I enter the workforce and become a "real person."
Details:
Will graduate May 2013 with a B.S. in mathematics and one in computer science.
Have accepted a position as a software engineer beginning in August 2013.
I'm fairly well-read. I'm taking a very light year. I could have graduated after three years (this is my fourth), but my scholarship will pay for this year, so in order to see another year of basketball games I'm taking classes this year before receiving a degree in the spring.
I'm especially looking for books useful to a junior software engineer. The catch is I want them to be prose-dominated books, readable from front to back. I'd like to read them on my Kindle, if that's possible.
Other books about the world in general are appreciated as well. I love anything by Malcolm Gladwell, for instance. This question is intentionally kind of vague.
Details:
Will graduate May 2013 with a B.S. in mathematics and one in computer science.
Have accepted a position as a software engineer beginning in August 2013.
I'm fairly well-read. I'm taking a very light year. I could have graduated after three years (this is my fourth), but my scholarship will pay for this year, so in order to see another year of basketball games I'm taking classes this year before receiving a degree in the spring.
I'm especially looking for books useful to a junior software engineer. The catch is I want them to be prose-dominated books, readable from front to back. I'd like to read them on my Kindle, if that's possible.
Other books about the world in general are appreciated as well. I love anything by Malcolm Gladwell, for instance. This question is intentionally kind of vague.
The Mythical Man-Month
The Pragmatic Programmer
Code Complete
posted by Foci for Analysis at 2:00 PM on September 17, 2012
The Pragmatic Programmer
Code Complete
posted by Foci for Analysis at 2:00 PM on September 17, 2012
My university president taught a course that I took, and it was sort of "how to go from college to the real world". He recommended we all read Dale Carnegie's How To Win Friends and Influence People and The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.
My family likes How To Solve It. You'd also do well to read Edward Tufte's The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, though these will not be as prosey as I think you'd like, or any of his others.
posted by knile at 2:08 PM on September 17, 2012
My family likes How To Solve It. You'd also do well to read Edward Tufte's The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, though these will not be as prosey as I think you'd like, or any of his others.
posted by knile at 2:08 PM on September 17, 2012
Gödel, Escher, Bach
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
posted by 256 at 2:09 PM on September 17, 2012 [3 favorites]
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
posted by 256 at 2:09 PM on September 17, 2012 [3 favorites]
I don't like all of Seth Godin's books, but Linchpin is one that I turn to when I need a quick read and am need some encouragement to keep going the extra mile when I'm surrounded by people who sometimes couldn't care less.
posted by effigy at 2:11 PM on September 17, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by effigy at 2:11 PM on September 17, 2012 [2 favorites]
Oh, and I wanted to say that I wish I had read it when right before graduating.
posted by effigy at 2:11 PM on September 17, 2012
posted by effigy at 2:11 PM on September 17, 2012
I very highly recommend Advice to Rocket Scientists: A Career Survival Guide for Scientists and Engineers. It's short, to the point, and illuminates very well some of the big shifts from school -> work mode. Library if you want, but definitely pick it up and go through the first chapters. It additionally does a good job of preparing you for the perspective of your boss who may or may not be technical and how to work with that and how to help yourself in ways that are not necessarily clear or intuitive to a student. And, it covers how to handle politics getting in the way of your awesome new X or idea Y. Try not to be turned off by the rocket scientist in the title, it is widely applicable.
I recieved it as a gift around graduation time. I wish I had it sooner because he also has some resume guidance that is tailored more for technical types.
posted by Feantari at 2:19 PM on September 17, 2012
I recieved it as a gift around graduation time. I wish I had it sooner because he also has some resume guidance that is tailored more for technical types.
posted by Feantari at 2:19 PM on September 17, 2012
The first and best thing you can do is throw away the concept of "the real world." You are currently in it. College is not "unreal." That phrase is propaganda from people who want you to think sitting in a cubicle until you're almost dead is the one and only valid choice of how to live your life. It's not. Billions of people do different things every day, and they're all "real." Going to school is real. Whatever you do is real.
That said, "Wind, Sand and Stars" is a book that meant a ton to me as far as "What is life all about?"
posted by drjimmy11 at 2:25 PM on September 17, 2012 [6 favorites]
That said, "Wind, Sand and Stars" is a book that meant a ton to me as far as "What is life all about?"
posted by drjimmy11 at 2:25 PM on September 17, 2012 [6 favorites]
Joel on Software
More Joel on Software
The Best Software Writing (by Joel)
posted by Houstonian at 2:26 PM on September 17, 2012
More Joel on Software
The Best Software Writing (by Joel)
posted by Houstonian at 2:26 PM on September 17, 2012
If you're into smart people talking about themselves, Coders At Work collects Peter Siebel's interviews with everyone from Knuth to jwz.
If you're into Lisp, Practical Common Lisp does what it says on the tin and On Lisp starts from very basic macros and goes a long way from there.
If you're into Scheme, the Lambda Papers show some neat history to the development of the language that isn't available from, e.g., SICP. Available online here: http://library.readscheme.org/page1.html
If you're into strongly/statically/manifestly typed languages (e.g., ML, Haskell), Types and Programming Languages is the standard text.
If you're into bit twiddling, Hacker's Delight collects all sorts of bit twiddling tricks and so does this website: http://graphics.stanford.edu/~seander/bithacks.html
If you have some time to play around, Seven Languages in Seven Weeks gives a lot of perspective on how different languages encourage different approaches.
If you're into the object-oriented paradigm, I hear a lot of people recommending Design Patterns and a lot of people criticizing it, which probably means it's worth a day of your time.
posted by d. z. wang at 2:32 PM on September 17, 2012
If you're into Lisp, Practical Common Lisp does what it says on the tin and On Lisp starts from very basic macros and goes a long way from there.
If you're into Scheme, the Lambda Papers show some neat history to the development of the language that isn't available from, e.g., SICP. Available online here: http://library.readscheme.org/page1.html
If you're into strongly/statically/manifestly typed languages (e.g., ML, Haskell), Types and Programming Languages is the standard text.
If you're into bit twiddling, Hacker's Delight collects all sorts of bit twiddling tricks and so does this website: http://graphics.stanford.edu/~seander/bithacks.html
If you have some time to play around, Seven Languages in Seven Weeks gives a lot of perspective on how different languages encourage different approaches.
If you're into the object-oriented paradigm, I hear a lot of people recommending Design Patterns and a lot of people criticizing it, which probably means it's worth a day of your time.
posted by d. z. wang at 2:32 PM on September 17, 2012
Thinking Fast And Slow
The Design of Everyday Things and Predictably Irrational if you're going to be working in anything resembling a design role.
And if you anticipate going into the corporate world at all, Robert Greene's 48 Laws of Power will make you feel like a bad person for reading it, then you'll see the swirl of corporate politics and be glad I warned you rather than learning through painful experience, as I had to. It's like a handbook to how The Suits think.
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 2:35 PM on September 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
The Design of Everyday Things and Predictably Irrational if you're going to be working in anything resembling a design role.
And if you anticipate going into the corporate world at all, Robert Greene's 48 Laws of Power will make you feel like a bad person for reading it, then you'll see the swirl of corporate politics and be glad I warned you rather than learning through painful experience, as I had to. It's like a handbook to how The Suits think.
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 2:35 PM on September 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
Silver Profits In The 80's by Jerome Smith. Amazon carries this books, Read this practical investment book and you will not have to work your entire life.
posted by Mckoan1 at 2:38 PM on September 17, 2012
posted by Mckoan1 at 2:38 PM on September 17, 2012
Better (and other books) by Atul Gawande. He's a surgeon constantly striving to improve medicine. He also writes for magazines sometimes.
Presentation of Self in Everyday Life by Erving Goffman
Off the Books by Sudhir Venkatesh (and/or the more general audience Gang Leader for a Day)
I'd suggest just developing and maintaining the desire to read for pleasure. I prefer nonfiction myself, but anything you read will be better than exclusive exposure to tv or video games. When you move to the new job, join Your Local Library and wander the stacks, picking up books whose spines interest you. Read a page or two and check them out if they hold your mind.
posted by bilabial at 3:03 PM on September 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
Presentation of Self in Everyday Life by Erving Goffman
Off the Books by Sudhir Venkatesh (and/or the more general audience Gang Leader for a Day)
I'd suggest just developing and maintaining the desire to read for pleasure. I prefer nonfiction myself, but anything you read will be better than exclusive exposure to tv or video games. When you move to the new job, join Your Local Library and wander the stacks, picking up books whose spines interest you. Read a page or two and check them out if they hold your mind.
posted by bilabial at 3:03 PM on September 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
How to Win Friends and Influence People, Carnegie.
Writing That Works, Roman/Raphaelson.
I recommend these, rather than technical books, because nearly every smart, ambitious technical person realizes that they need to develop strong technical skills, but a lot of those people never understand the importance of effective communication.
posted by grudgebgon at 3:07 PM on September 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
Writing That Works, Roman/Raphaelson.
I recommend these, rather than technical books, because nearly every smart, ambitious technical person realizes that they need to develop strong technical skills, but a lot of those people never understand the importance of effective communication.
posted by grudgebgon at 3:07 PM on September 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
Managing Humans and Being Geek by Michael Lopp.
posted by Silvertree at 3:09 PM on September 17, 2012
posted by Silvertree at 3:09 PM on September 17, 2012
Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug. Understand usability from the word go.
posted by graymouser at 3:11 PM on September 17, 2012
posted by graymouser at 3:11 PM on September 17, 2012
Scott Berkun's The Art of Project Management.
posted by infinitewindow at 3:26 PM on September 17, 2012
posted by infinitewindow at 3:26 PM on September 17, 2012
The Answer to How is Yes: Peter Block: Easy to read, and talks about how to have the career and life you want, aligning values with action, feeling in control no matter the circumstances etc.
posted by MT at 3:52 PM on September 17, 2012
posted by MT at 3:52 PM on September 17, 2012
Meeting Excellence: 33 Tools to Lead Meetings That Get Results - Glenn M. Parker.
posted by Captain Chesapeake at 4:37 PM on September 17, 2012
posted by Captain Chesapeake at 4:37 PM on September 17, 2012
The Assertiveness Workbook: How to Express Your Ideas and Stand Up for Yourself at Work and in Relationships - Randy J. Paterson
posted by Captain Chesapeake at 4:41 PM on September 17, 2012
posted by Captain Chesapeake at 4:41 PM on September 17, 2012
Studs Terkel's Working will give you an idea of how people talk about their jobs -- and a sense of what Americans were doing for work 35 years ago. Perspective, for sure. In a similar vein, The Nudist on the Late Shift will be another slice of life, from a more recent time & may resonate more with your career goals.
I'd encourage you to go even more out from the work-related mindset. Have you read Sophie's World? Have you thought about teaching yourself some foreign (natural) language?
Also, it's prose but not a book: The New Yorker. It'll keep you up to date on current events and provide you lots of food for thought and fodder for interviews.
posted by knile at 11:42 PM on September 17, 2012
I'd encourage you to go even more out from the work-related mindset. Have you read Sophie's World? Have you thought about teaching yourself some foreign (natural) language?
Also, it's prose but not a book: The New Yorker. It'll keep you up to date on current events and provide you lots of food for thought and fodder for interviews.
posted by knile at 11:42 PM on September 17, 2012
My manager had work read Atlas Shrugged just at the stage you're at now and it had a pretty big impact on him. I'm reading it now (in my early 30s) and I can see why. Could be worth a look.
posted by StephenF at 2:24 AM on September 18, 2012
posted by StephenF at 2:24 AM on September 18, 2012
Okay, my final contribution (I think):
Guns, Germs, and Steel and Freakonomics, if you haven't already read both.
posted by knile at 5:10 AM on September 18, 2012
Guns, Germs, and Steel and Freakonomics, if you haven't already read both.
posted by knile at 5:10 AM on September 18, 2012
The New Yorker idea reminded me: a friend who was trying to do the same kind of thing you're doing got up and read the New York Times every morning on paper. The Times was delivered to his door but you could pick the Wall Street Journal or something else. You can read the papers online of course; I do think there is something cool about getting a printed paper and working through it.
I find myself really jealous of you for having this year and embarking on this project. Have you thought about doing something you can only do at the university, like attending lectures by a famous philosopher?
posted by BibiRose at 8:09 AM on September 18, 2012
I find myself really jealous of you for having this year and embarking on this project. Have you thought about doing something you can only do at the university, like attending lectures by a famous philosopher?
posted by BibiRose at 8:09 AM on September 18, 2012
The title may sound a little alarmist, but you have to know the system you'll be working in: Jeff Schmidt's Disciplined Minds: A Critical Look at Salaried Professionals and the Soul-Battering System that Shapes Their Lives. This is an important book, and perhaps even more relevant now than when it was published back at the height of the tech boom. Think of it as a self-defence course for the mind as you pursue your chosen career.
posted by Sonny Jim at 8:18 AM on September 18, 2012
posted by Sonny Jim at 8:18 AM on September 18, 2012
Influence: the Psychology of Persuasion
Getting Things Done
The Gift of Fear (I think this one's important for everyone, not junior software engineers in particular)
posted by Zed at 11:33 AM on September 18, 2012
Getting Things Done
The Gift of Fear (I think this one's important for everyone, not junior software engineers in particular)
posted by Zed at 11:33 AM on September 18, 2012
How To Be Useful is a must-read.
Congratulations on finding a job so far ahead of time. That was never easy and it's even harder nowadays.
posted by gentian at 8:12 PM on September 18, 2012
Congratulations on finding a job so far ahead of time. That was never easy and it's even harder nowadays.
posted by gentian at 8:12 PM on September 18, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by BibiRose at 1:56 PM on September 17, 2012