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Code Complete
by Steve McConnell
ISBN 1556154844
Date Read 2003

My Rating

This book will make you a better programmer, and give you guidance (tips & advice) for continual improvement. As simple as that. This book is also recommended by almost anyone who's read it (it's a favorite for Martin Fowler -- great IT guru, writer). If you are serious about programming, and about getting better, you cannot skip this book. An update to this classic is coming up soon (June 2004), so you should probably wait for the 2nd edition (I know I'll read the second edition also).

People refer to this book as the encyclopedia of good programming practice, and it definitely is.

All in all, this is my favorite book on programming: if I had to pick one book out of all the books I've read (and the list is growing) I would pick this one.

This book convinced me to become part of the software community. I joined the professional societies for computer professionals, IEEE Computer Society and the ACM, subscribed to IEEE Software (best magazine on software there is) and I see that I'm growing. :-) What's more, in retrospect, I should've done it long time ago, since this book was published in 1993. :-( Read this book and see yourself grow.... A must read.