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Ask HN: What are some no fluff books on engineering, career, and general wisdom?
The title is really vague so let me suggest an example. I really enjoyed reading Getting Real by Basecamp.
I am not creating a startup (not yet at least), but the lessons there seem applicable to life in general, not just a new web based application.
- silexia 2y agoSa Walton's autobiography is the best business book I have ever read out of hundreds. Closely followed by Henry Ford's.
- caprock 2y agoI'll suggest some, all very different. 1. The Software Developer's Career Handbook: A Guide to Navigating the Unpredictable by Michael Lopp This is about all the things around being a programmer at work. 2. The Soul of a New Machine by Tracy Kidder This is a well regarded book about an engineering team building a Data General computer in the late 70s. So the lessons are indirect, but it's a pleasant and technical read. It reads almost like a novel. Separately, I think it's worth reading at least a couple things that are more cynical. It's helpful for balance. On that front I'd say... 1. The Gervais Principle by Venkatesh Rao This is a lengthy blog series (or ebook). It uses a metaphor about The Office, but it's still plenty relatable if you didn't watch that show. The abstraction this lays over modern knowledge work is quite interesting. It's a weird combination of demoralizing and liberating. 2. The Peter Principle by Peter and Hull I remember reading this book and having trouble understanding if it was real or some form of satire. If I read it again now, many years later, I'd probably understand it better.
- horrible-hilde 2y agoBullshit jobs (Graeber): Im not sure if you are just starting out in the industry this book may not be for you. I had to stop reading it due to the horror of it all.
- scarface_74 2y agoThe Geek Leader's Handbook: Essential Leadership Insight for People with Technical Backgrounds
- wolftickets 2y ago1. The Pragmatic Programmer. 2. Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer. 3. Diffusion of Innovations. 4. The Little Book of Common Sense Investing. 5. Implementing Lean Software Development: From Concept to Cash. 6. Writing to Learn. 7. On Writing Well. 8. Pragmatic Thinking and Learning: Refactor Your Wetware. 9. Thinking In Systems: A Primer. 10. The Startup Owner's Manual: The Step-By-Step Guide for Building a Great Company.