A web geeks, top 5 books of the year… 2009
Thursday, December 10th, 2009
As is the tradition at the end of a year, we tend to look back at the lessons and achievements from the past. A lot of these lessons I learn come from the books I read, because of this I thought I’d share some of the gems from my reading this year.
So without further a do here are the top 5 books I have read this year:
boo hoo – Ernst Malmsten
“$135 million, 18 months…a dot.com story from concept to catastrophe” – Boo hoo is an enthralling read outlining one of the most tragic stories from the early 2000′s dot com crash.
I couldn’t recommend it enough, if you’re interested in the business of the web you should really pick this one up.
Planet Google – Randall Stross
Planet google, similar to boo hoo, with a totally different outcome is the story of googles rise to success and what effect this is having on our lives.
It’s a fascinating insight into the biggest companies in the world.
The Pragmatic Programmer – Andrew Hunt, David Thomas
Over the past couple of years as a professional web developer I have come to terms with some hard lessons, fresh out of uni I wasn’t the know it all that I thought I was.
This was one of the books that helped me really focus my mindset and mature my opinions. I would recommend this book to any new programmer / developer hoping to find their feet in the industry.
We Think – Charles Leadbeater
We think centers around the ideology that mass innovation can lead to great things. Written from the perspective of a journalist delving into the world, this book does a great job of presenting each argument for adopting this way. In an attempt to convince the reader that encouraging your audience in shared thought can provide better products and ideas.
Couldn’t recommend this one more for anybody interested in starting up their own company.
Inside Steve’s Brain – Leander Kahney
Inside Steve’s brain is an in depth analysis of one of the worlds most influential people. This book looks at the attributes that make Steve Jobs a great business leader.
Anyone interested in how to achieve consistently great products needs to take a look at this one.
I’d be interested to hear what were your favourite web geek reads of 2009. Answers on a postcard below 