This book brilliantly illuminates the deepest issues at the core of software development. It is a well-written, gentle read. I have been programming for close

This book brilliantly illuminates the deepest issues at the core of software development. It is a well-written, gentle read. I have been programming for close to 50 years now, and this is probably the best and most insightful book I have ever read on software development. Its deceptive simplicity is such that a first-year programmer would benefit from it. Read it once per decade! You will get more out of it each time as you mature as a developer.