Ask HN: What are the best textbooks in your field of expertise? - lainon
======
allenleein
In functional programming:

[0] The Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs

[1] The_Little_Schemer

[2] Programming in Haskell - Graham Hutton

[3] Types and Programming Languages-Benjamin C. Pierce

\--- PDFS

[0]([https://github.com/allenleein/brains/blob/master/Zen-of-
Func...](https://github.com/allenleein/brains/blob/master/Zen-of-Functional-
Programming/\(883\)The%20Structure%20and%20Interpretation%20of%20Computer%20Programs.pdf))

[1]([https://github.com/allenleein/brains/blob/master/Zen-of-
Func...](https://github.com/allenleein/brains/blob/master/Zen-of-Functional-
Programming/The_Little_Schemer_4th.pdf))

[2]([https://github.com/allenleein/brains/blob/master/Zen-of-
Func...](https://github.com/allenleein/brains/blob/master/Zen-of-Functional-
Programming/Programming%20in%20Haskell%20-%20Graham%20Hutton.epub))

[3]([https://github.com/allenleein/brains/blob/master/Zen-of-
Func...](https://github.com/allenleein/brains/blob/master/Zen-of-Functional-
Programming/Types%20and%20Programming%20Languages-Benjamin%20C.%20Pierce.pdf))

~~~
spatulon
I just finished re-reading SICP. If you're going to read it on a screen, I
recommend this version:
[http://sarabander.github.io/sicp/](http://sarabander.github.io/sicp/)

I'm 1/3 of the way through The Little Schemer. So far, it's not taught me
anything I didn't already grok from SICP. I hope it picks up!

~~~
rbonvall
I cruised through most of it. But the last three chapters really twisted my
brain (continuations, the Y combinator, and the metacircular interpreter). I
was familiar with the concepts, but figuring out the programs by myself was a
tough exercise (I haven't read SICP though).

------
sethhochberg
Putting my mostly-retired audio engineer hat back on for a minute...

The Yamaha Sound Reinforcement Handbook

[https://www.amazon.com/Sound-Reinforcement-Handbook-Gary-
Dav...](https://www.amazon.com/Sound-Reinforcement-Handbook-Gary-
Davis/dp/0881889008)

This is basically the soundman's bible. Sold for an aspiring live sound
engineer, has much more than just advice for live sound guys - covering
everything from microphones to acoustics to basic electronics to handy rules
of thumb to MIDI, all written to be relentlessly pragmatic. It even has a
handy appendix covering logarithms.

This isn't the book to give you the final "20%" of knowledge on anything it
covers - but it will help you on your way to the first 80% a lot more quickly
than most other writing on anything related to semi/pro audio, and pretty much
every expert in the field is at least familiar with it, if they don't own a
copy.

There seem to be plenty of people interested in music and audio around here,
so hopefully someone finds the unusual reference useful.

~~~
dvlsg
Does it touch on mixing / mastering at all? I have a suspicion that some of my
friends will be looking to me to put together some demos in the near future,
so I'd be very interested in some beginner/intermediate knowledge around that.

~~~
sideshowb
I read an enormous amount on mixing/mastering and was still rubbish. It's hard
to write about perception of sound.

I would recommend instead finding a well reputed mixing/mastering engineer who
offers lessons and pay for some. Bring them your best mix (in the DAW on your
laptop) ask them where it is wrong and how to improve it. Shouldn't take more
than a couple of hours. In my case this cost around £100
([http://oood.net/mastering/about-stooodio-
mastering](http://oood.net/mastering/about-stooodio-mastering)) and helped
enormously. My friends now think I'm great at "mastering" by which they mean
mixing, I have nothing even approaching mastering engineer ears & I suspect
Colin still wouldn't think much of my mixes either but that's why I'll happily
pay him to master them if I ever have time for music again :)

I know there are online practical courses these days, in theory these could be
better than a book as they would have audio/interactive examples. No idea if
they actually are any good though.

~~~
sideshowb
Basically forget learning to master though. For your friend's demo, learn to
do a reasonable mix then slap a limiter on the main output and boost the
loudness as much as you can without losing quality.

------
e19293001
If you want to know about how to build a simple computer, computer
architecture, assembly language, assemblers, linkers, compilers, java, c, c++,
how compilers are built, how compilers generate assembly language, how machine
code are executed by the processor, how to implement a grep with regular
expressions and much more. If you want to learn them fast, look for the books
of this author[0]. I'm not affiliated with him. I learned many stuffs from his
text books so I just like to share and recommend.

[0] -
[http://www.cs.newpaltz.edu/~dosreist/](http://www.cs.newpaltz.edu/~dosreist/)

~~~
3rdAccount
Which one of his books covers how to build a computer, and is nand2tetris
better?

~~~
e19293001
Assembly Language and Computer Architecture Using C++ and Java , Course
Technology, 2004

I can't say which is better. Nand2tetris has different approach.

~~~
3rdAccount
Thanks. I might have to check it out after I finally finish Petzold's CODE.

------
commieneko
Not exhaustive, or in any particular order:

_Animator's Survival Kit_, by Richard Williams.

_Illusion of Life_, by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston.

_Animation from Script to Screen_, by Shamus Culhane.

_Natural Way to Draw_, by Kimon Nicolaïdes.

_Creative Illustration_, by Andrew Loomis.

_Timing for Animation_, by Harold Whitaker and John Halas.

_Drawn to Life_, vols. 1 & 2, by Walt Stanchfield.

_Character Animation Crash Course!_, by Eric Goldberg.

_Simplified Drawing for Planning Animation, by Wayne Gilbert.

_The Noble Approach: Maurice Noble and the Zen of Animation Design_, by Tod
Polson.

_Elemental Magic: The Art of Effects Animation_, vols. 1 & 2, by Joseph
Gilland.

_Story Boarding Essentials_, byDavid Harland Rousseau.

_Directing the Story_, by Francis Glebas.

_Animated Storytelling_, by Liz Blazer.

------
jonathanpoulter
Options, Futures and Other Derivatives is basically a Bible.
[https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/013447208X/ref=dp_ob_neva_mob...](https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/013447208X/ref=dp_ob_neva_mobile)

~~~
peller
Related, Trading and Exchanges: Market Microstructure for Practitioners by
Larry Harris is also excellent.

[https://www.amazon.com/Trading-Exchanges-Market-
Microstructu...](https://www.amazon.com/Trading-Exchanges-Market-
Microstructure-Practitioners/dp/0195144708)

These aren't really textbooks, but regardless, the Market Wizards series by
Jack Schwagger is highly recommended:

[https://www.amazon.com/Market-Wizards-Updated-Interviews-
Tra...](https://www.amazon.com/Market-Wizards-Updated-Interviews-
Traders/dp/1118273052/ref=dp_ob_title_bk)

[https://www.amazon.com/New-Market-Wizards-Conversations-
Amer...](https://www.amazon.com/New-Market-Wizards-Conversations-
Americas/dp/1592803377/ref=pd_sim_14_30)

[https://www.amazon.com/Hedge-Fund-Market-Wizards-
Winning/dp/...](https://www.amazon.com/Hedge-Fund-Market-Wizards-
Winning/dp/1118273044/ref=pd_sim_14_3)

~~~
skatestuff
I second Trading and Exchanges, a phenomenal overview for folks who want to
learn how brokerages and market making work.

------
sterlind
Algorithm Design Manual by Steven Skeina. CLRS has all the nitty-gritty but I
didn't jive with it at all. Skeina won't tell you line-for-line how to balance
a red-black tree, but it gets the idea across with clarity.

Also, the war stories are both interesting and useful. Not the book for
everyone; most important is to pick one you _enjoy reading._

~~~
gjm11
I think Skiena + CLRS is a particularly fine combination. CLRS is dry and
intimidating for all but the most theoretically inclined. Skiena is sloppy and
handwavy. Put 'em together and you have something really excellent.

~~~
Vindicis
I found CLRS to be far too verbose for my liking. Skiena was as you said. My
favourite is Sedgewick. More terse than CLRS; doesn't drone on and on and on.

------
maroonblazer
Kotler's "Marketing Management" remains the most definitive text on the
practice of marketing.

Many people - including some on HN - mistakenly equate marketing with only
advertising or, more broadly, marketing communications. In truth that's only a
small portion of the discipline.

[https://www.amazon.com/Marketing-Management-14th-Philip-
Kotl...](https://www.amazon.com/Marketing-Management-14th-Philip-
Kotler/dp/0132102927)

~~~
vincentmarle
I’m curious to know why you think it’s so good. I’ve studied marketing in the
early 2000’s and Kotler’s Marketing Management was pretty much the only book
we’ve read, but after college I didn’t feel I could apply much of its lessons
to the companies I’ve built myself or the companies I’ve worked for. Most of
Kotler’s material is based on how big traditional brands have done marketing,
but that wasn’t helpful to me when I was working on early-stage tech startups.

Granted, I wasn’t the most dedicated student at the time, so maybe I just
should read it again, but it would be helpful to know what you got out of it.

~~~
maroonblazer
His framework for how to think about bringing a product to market is what I
found most valuable.

What's the competitive environment? Who is the customer (in the most specific
sense)? How will the product compete against other offerings? How is it priced
relative to the competition? How do you talk about the product - i.e.
communicate its value? How does one think about growing the market for the
product?

These are questions any product or brand need to answer, regardless of size.

~~~
dvfjsdhgfv
I'd argue that these fundamental questions are elaborated upon in most
contemporary textbooks. In practice, however, young entrepreneurs creating
business models around apps need to deal with a whole range of both general
and specific issues that need to be addressed and Kotler is of limited use
here.

~~~
davidivadavid
That would also be my criticism of Kotler and Keller. It's good to learn about
the marketing lingo, but it doesn't teach you how to do something concrete at
a professional level (create a marketing strategy, write persuasive copy,
etc.).

~~~
libertine
Well it gives you the tools and frameworks to build your own strategy, that's
why it's so great.

If you went to university to study marketing, like some of us did, strategy
would be put to practice in classes dedicated to it, and all at to be
supported - either by theory (like Kotler's) or by research.

Copyrighting is one tool of one of the marketing mix "P"'s - Promotion.

If you want to learn about copyrighting read Ogilvy - he was very good with
communication and copy.

------
sbuk
For you budding industrial designers;

The Design of Everyday Things - Don Norman

Ways of Seeing - Jon Berger

Principles of Form and Design - Wucius Wong

Design Thinking: Understanding How Designers Think and Work - Nigel Cross

~~~
btschaegg
I'm currently reading Don Norman's book and I'd like to add that to me it
seems to be a very worthwhile read for everyone who designs things that are
used by humans. And by that, I explicitly also mean GUIs, APIs, IDEs,
programming languages & DSLs...

The book is very focused on _what makes good design good_ , and only provides
examples as illustrations. It's really more about applied psychology than
design per se (in fact, Norman states in the preface that the original title
was "The psychology of everyday things").

Edit: As an example in Software Engineering: His formalization of how humans
interact with things (form a plan to reach a goal -> interact with the thing
to advance toward said goal -> evaluate the outcome, rinse repeat) and the
potential error sources on the way (distractions, unclear consequences,
unclear affordances...) make it obvious why in many functional languages, the
REPL is such a great tool.

~~~
henryoz
I couldn't agree more re: Norman's book. I wish it had been recommended to me
as a linguistics undergrad. He provides such a clear explanation as to how
design is a way of solving communication problems over making things look
good.

I also run into "Norman doors" at least once a week and always smile when I
remember the term.

~~~
sbuk
It's one of the principles that has stuck with me throughout my professional
life; design is solving problems, not solving aesthetics.

~~~
bordercases
Get you a man who can do both. Architects in particular seem rather high-
falutin' until you read the understanding of their work. Aesthetics often
means making something so beautiful that it harmonizes with the rest of how
you live. Ugly things stand out and cause greater disunion in our lives.

------
tedsanders
Here is one compiled list of answers:

[https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/xg3hXCYQPJkwHyik2/the-
best-t...](https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/xg3hXCYQPJkwHyik2/the-best-
textbooks-on-every-subject)

One nice thing about this list is that every recommendation must be
accompanied by a few books _not_ recommended. I think this request helps
prevent well-meaning non-experts pollute the list with books from smaller
reading pools.

~~~
ChristianGeek
To be more specific, each recommendation must be accompanied by at least two
other books on the subject the contributor has read and reasons why they are
recommending one over the others.

------
meanmrmustard92
In econometrics / empirical social science:

\- Mostly Harmless Econometrics by Joshua Angrist and Jorn Steffan Piscke

\- Causal Inference for Statistics, Social, and Biomedical Sciences by Guido
Imbens and Donald Rubin

\- Data Analysis using Regression and Multilevel Models by Andrew Gelman and
Jennifer Hill

~~~
shurtler
You will benefit from reading Pearl/Glymour/Jewell: Causal Inference in
Statistics. A Primer

(The contrast to Imbens and Rubin is crazy)

~~~
meanmrmustard92
Thanks; been meaning to. I've not seen a good exposition of what benefit the
DAG way of doing Causal Inference has over the Potential Outcomes Framework.
Morgan and Winship (another good textbook) tries, but I didn't really buy it.
I guess I have to hear it from the horse's mouth.

------
cloakedarbiter
Designing Data-Intensive Applications by Martin Kleppmann [0]

[0]
[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1449373321/](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1449373321/)

~~~
nickdotnet
I'm about halfway through this book right now and learning a lot. Do you have
any recommendations for follow up books or simply ways to put the lessons of
the book in to practice?

------
Yadi
In machine learning, hands down these are some of the best related textbooks:

\- [0] Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning (Information Science and
Statistics)

and also:

\- [1] The Elements of Statistical Learning

\- [2] Reinforcement Learning: An Introduction by Barto and Sutton

\- [3] The Deep Learning by Aaron Courville, Ian Goodfellow, and Yoshua Bengio

\- [4] Neural Network Methods for Natural Language Processing (Synthesis
Lectures on Human Language Technologies) by Yoav Goldberg

Then some math tid-bits:

[5] Introduction to Linear Algebra by Strang

\----------- links:

\- [0]
[PDF]([http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~wurmd/Livros/school/Bishop%20-%...](http://users.isr.ist.utl.pt/~wurmd/Livros/school/Bishop%20-%20Pattern%20Recognition%20And%20Machine%20Learning%20-%20Springer%20%202006.pdf))

\- [0][AMZ]([https://www.amazon.com/Pattern-Recognition-Learning-
Informat...](https://www.amazon.com/Pattern-Recognition-Learning-Information-
Statistics/dp/0387310738))

\- [2] [amz]([https://www.amazon.com/Reinforcement-Learning-
Introduction-A...](https://www.amazon.com/Reinforcement-Learning-Introduction-
Adaptive-Computation/dp/0262193981/))

\- [2]
[site]([https://www.deeplearningbook.org/](https://www.deeplearningbook.org/))

\- [3] [amz]([https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Learning-Adaptive-Computation-
Ma...](https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Learning-Adaptive-Computation-
Machine/dp/0262035618/))

\- [3]
[pdf]([http://incompleteideas.net/book/bookdraft2017nov5.pdf](http://incompleteideas.net/book/bookdraft2017nov5.pdf))

\- [4] [amz]([https://www.amazon.com/Language-Processing-Synthesis-
Lecture...](https://www.amazon.com/Language-Processing-Synthesis-Lectures-
Technologies-ebook/dp/B071FGKZMH))

\- [5] [amz]([https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Linear-Algebra-
Gilbert-S...](https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Linear-Algebra-Gilbert-
Strang/dp/0980232775/))

~~~
larrydag
For regression I really like Frank Harrell's Regression Modeling Strategies.
[http://biostat.mc.vanderbilt.edu/wiki/Main/RmS](http://biostat.mc.vanderbilt.edu/wiki/Main/RmS)

~~~
jrumbut
Frank Harrell writes a lot of great stuff and his answers on the Cross
Validated Stack Exchange site are worth just reading even if you didn't think
you wanted to ask the question they reply to.

His blog, [http://www.fharrell.com](http://www.fharrell.com), also contains
interesting posts.

------
deepaksurti
Computer Graphics:

[1a, 1b, 1c] Computer Graphics, Principles and Practice Series [2] Physically
Based Rendering [3] Real Time Rendering

\---

[1a] [https://www.amazon.com/Computer-Graphics-Principles-James-
Fo...](https://www.amazon.com/Computer-Graphics-Principles-James-
Foley/dp/0201121107) [1b] [https://www.amazon.com/Computer-Graphics-
Principles-Practice...](https://www.amazon.com/Computer-Graphics-Principles-
Practice-2nd/dp/0201848406) [1c] [https://www.amazon.com/Computer-Graphics-
Principles-Practice...](https://www.amazon.com/Computer-Graphics-Principles-
Practice-3rd/dp/0321399528/) [2] [https://www.amazon.com/Physically-Based-
Rendering-Theory-Imp...](https://www.amazon.com/Physically-Based-Rendering-
Theory-Implementation/dp/0128006455) [3] [https://www.amazon.com/Real-Time-
Rendering-Third-Tomas-Akeni...](https://www.amazon.com/Real-Time-Rendering-
Third-Tomas-Akenine-Moller/dp/1568814240)

~~~
kendallpark
Any resources you'd recommend for learning about 3D volumetric rendering via
voxels (not polygons)?

~~~
GaryNumanVevo
NVIDIA has some good papers on Sparse Voxel Oct-trees (GPU backed of course).
Typically voxel rendering is done via raytracing.

~~~
kendallpark
Thanks!

Do you have any opinion of voxel cone tracing vs raytracing?

------
vinayms
(The title of the post must be changed to something more neutral because by
answering the poster self declares that they are an expert, which not only
seems unlikely of most people, but also makes ones such as yours truly
withhold from answering due to the connotations, and requires prefaces of this
kind to address their apprehensions.)

 __Software Engineering __

About C++: _The Design and Evolution of C++_ and _The C++ Programming
Language_ , both by Bjarne Stroustrup, the creator of C++. The first one is a
snapshot of his philosophy during early years of C++ and is useful to
understand the motivations etc. It provides insight. The second one, after the
necessary introduction to the language, shows how he uses C++, or expects to
be used, which is interesting in its own way.

About algorithms: _Algorithm Design_ by Kleinberg and Tardos. This gives the
much needed insight instead of maths equations, data structure implementations
or a catalog of what to apply where, which are all good, but are useless
without insight.

 __Mechanical Engineering __(ME is a large field, and I will limit to these
two books.)

Stephen Timoshenko's two volume _Strength of Materials_ is a seminal work, and
still relevant, on a topic that is at the core of mechanical and civil
engineering.

Shigley's _Mechanical Engineering Design_ deals with designing machine parts,
which is in a sense an applied strength of materials topic, and the book
addresses that part quite effectively, though not as comprehensively as
Timoshenko's. More importantly, the book gives enough motivation and insight
for the design process, without which engineers would just be "design monkeys"
that use latest CAE packages.

~~~
kamaal
>>Algorithm Design by Kleinberg and Tardos.

Which other Algorithms book would you recommend?

~~~
gjm11
I recommend getting _two_.

 _Introduction to algorithms_ , Cormen/Leiserson/Rivest/Stein. Rigorous,
detailed, thorough. Dry, technical, intimidating.

 _The algorithm design manual_ , Skiena. Friendly, informal, heuristic,
insightful. Sloppy, handwavy, gappily incomplete.

They fill one another's gaps very nicely.

[EDITED to add:] I haven't read Kleinberg & Tardos, recommended above; it
sounds like it may fill much the same niche as Skiena.

~~~
vinayms
> The algorithm design manual, Friendly, informal, heuristic, insightful.
> Sloppy, handwavy, gappily incomplete.

Kleinberg and Tardos is also friendly, informal, insightful, and even
heuristic to an extent, but opposite of the others, so IMO its much better and
very different than Skiena's, though it isn't a quick read before an exam or
an interview sort of a book, which is what Skiena's can be described as.
Browse K&T to see what I mean.

------
randcraw
Image Processing: "Digital Image Processing", Gonzalez and Woods.
Comprehensive coverage of principles, well written, practical w/ useful
examples yet well grounded in signal processing and engineering principles.
Complemented nicely by a version of the book rich in examples solved in MATLAB
(co-author Steve Eddins).

~~~
copperx
By chance, do you know a good book for audio signal processing?

~~~
halirutan
For signals (as opposed to images), you should have a look at "Understanding
Digital Signal Processing" by Richard G. Lyons (ISBN-13: 978-0131089891). I
enjoyed this very much and if you grasped the contents from it, you should be
able to understand audio-specific books easily.

~~~
randcraw
I second Lyons. In addition, "Digital Signal Processing: A Practical Guide" by
Steven Smith is also quite approachable -- immersion in calculus not required.

"A Digital Signal Processing Primer" by Ken Steiglitz is a nice but rigorous
intro to the subject. Written by an EE academic, it's more mathematically
rigorous than Smith or Lyons.

Allen Downey's "Think DSP" is also worth a look, though its focus is more
conceptual than practical, IMO.

------
stfwn
In cultural anthropology: Small Places, Large Issues by Thomas Eriksen. It’s
impressive how comprehensive, to the point and organized it is.

CA is a tough discipline to understand in my experience; the endless nuance
and relativism is hard to hold in your mind and not get lost in ‘vagueness’.
This is a great read to understand the field a lot better. It’s used in
introductory classes at least all over Europe.

~~~
NoB4Mouth
Marveled to stumble upon a fellow cultural anthropologist over here :) HN is
an amazing platform... Just wondering how an anthropologist end up in the AI
field...?

~~~
stfwn
Send me a message on Keybase for a chat!

------
kulu2002
If you want to learn basics of Integrated electronics devices and circuits - I
personally recommend 'Electronic Devices and circuits / Integrated Electronics
by J. Millman and C. Halkias (This is actually a textbook)

In case you want to learn Engineering Electromagnetics, great textbook by
William Hayt and John Buck

Haven't yet read any other awesome basic textbook on 'Computer Networks' like
the one by Andrew S. Tanenbaum

'Digital Signal Processing' by Oppenheim and Schafer

Although these are not textbooks but among other good reads are 'Crossing the
Chasm' by Geoffrey Moore, 'The Innovators Dilema' by C. M. Christensen, give
amazing insights.

~~~
paramahans
I disagree about Millman and Halkias. The content in that book is from 1970s.
Better books to learn about Semiconductor devices are 1\. Device Electronics
for integrated circuits by Muller and Kamins 2\. Solid State Devices by Ben. G
Streetman and Sanjay Banerjee

Millman Halkias is a staple in Indian universities but its high time it is
replaced.

~~~
kulu2002
Agree with 'Solid State Devices' by Ben. G Streetman and Sanjay Banerjee

------
sleavey
The Art of Electronics. My field is experimental physics so this introductory
textbook is often the starting point for our designs for photodetectors, power
supplies, amplifiers and the like. I'm excitedly waiting for the X Chapters
follow-up to the third edition.

~~~
jeffreyrogers
I am also waiting for the X Chapters. I emailed Horowitz a couple months ago
and he said the x chapters were coming "soon". But they also said the third
edition was coming soon for 20 years before it was published so who knows.

------
torvald
As an sysadmin I can highly recommend Google's «Site Reliability Engineering»,
available for free online
<[https://landing.google.com/sre/book.html>](https://landing.google.com/sre/book.html>).

~~~
charlysl
404, try instead
[https://landing.google.com/sre/book.html](https://landing.google.com/sre/book.html)

------
fao_
There's a reasonably large list here:
[https://g.sicp.me/books/listing.html](https://g.sicp.me/books/listing.html)

~~~
nickpeterson
Reasonably large indeed. Nice link.

------
HaoZeke
As a chemical engineer (many of these go beyond the undergraduate level):

1) The principles of chemical equilibrium, by Kenneth George Denbigh 2) Mass
Transfer by Sherwood 3) Process Dynamics, Modeling, and Control by Babatunde
Ogunnaike and W. Harmon Ray 4) Chemical Process Industries by Shreeves 5) An
Introduction to Numerical Methods and Analysis by James F. Epperson 6)
Optimization: Theory and Practice by Gordon S.G. Beveridge and Robert S.
Schechter 7) Unit Operations by Maccabe and Smith 8) Advanced transport
phenomena by John Charles Slattery

Admittedly these are not the best known of books (eg. Sherwoods Mass Transfer
is almost out of print, in favor of Treybal) but I these are my favorites.

~~~
naedish
I thought Perry's[0] was considered the Bible by all Chemical Engineers :)

[0]
([https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perry's_Chemical_Engineers'_...](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perry's_Chemical_Engineers'_Handbook))

~~~
HaoZeke
Perry's is a good reference book, but certainly not appropriate for research
work or conceptual understanding. It is invaluable for people int the chemical
industry though, and it serves as a great introduction to the many subjects
which chemical engineers deal with. I used to browse it in my UG days..

------
DanBC
Not really a textbook, but the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and
Homicide by MH Patients releases an annual report which is very good:
[https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/ncish/](https://sites.manchester.ac.uk/ncish/)

And the Office for National Statistics releases detailed data on suicide in
the UK:
[https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsde...](https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/suicidesintheunitedkingdom/2017registrations)

------
stef25
Synthesis and effects of psychoactive drugs: PiHKAL, TiHKAL

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PiHKAL](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PiHKAL)
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TiHKAL](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TiHKAL)

~~~
Traut
I would also add "The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide: Safe, Therapeutic, and
Sacred Journeys" by James Fadiman as an excellent guide for sitters, and a
list of protocols for work with psychedelics.

[https://amazon.com/Psychedelic-Explorers-Guide-
Therapeutic-J...](https://amazon.com/Psychedelic-Explorers-Guide-Therapeutic-
Journeys-ebook/dp/B0051OHLVG/)

------
egypturnash
Preston Blair, "Cartoon Animation" [https://www.amazon.com/Cartoon-Animation-
Collectors-Preston-...](https://www.amazon.com/Cartoon-Animation-Collectors-
Preston-Blair/dp/1560100842)

------
CodyCrow
Jean Tirole's "The Theory of Industrial Organization" (1988) was the first
cohesive text on game theory, modern industrial organization, and applied
microeconomics, and I believe it remains the best advanced-undergraduate-
level/early graduate text that I'm aware of in microeconomic theory.

~~~
jihadjihad
Along those lines, I'd nominate "The Structure of American Industry" by James
Brock (now in its 13th edition) for a seminal text on industrial dynamics that
focuses on case studies and analysis.

------
nanomonkey
On Food and Cooking, The Science and Lore of the Kitchen by Harold McGee

~~~
formalsystem
Very curious to see a book on food show up here. What did you like about the
book and did it change the way you think about food or life?

~~~
Vindicis
I'd also recommend The science of good cooking by Guy Crosby. I found it to be
a more enjoyable read than McGee's. Not as technical which was a boon for me
since as a home cook there's a lot more information that can be readily
skipped.

For learning to cook: The Professional Chef by the Culinary Institute of
America is a great book to learn from. All the recipes will need to be scaled
down for home usage which is a bit of a nuisance though. For the home cook,
Essentials Of Cooking, The Elements Of Cooking, or How To Cook Everything: The
Basics, are all excellent too. I couldn't decide which was the best, so I
listed them all!

For Flavours: The Flavor Bible gives an easy way to look up an ingredient, and
see what else would go well with it. Great for creating your own dishes!

The Flavor Thesaurus gives in-depth information about combinations of
ingredients, why they work, and how best to use them. Also recommend the Field
guide to herbs and spices which gives more general information about each
spice/herb than the Thesaurus. They pair well together.

The Magic Of Spice Blends is a great recipe book of various spice blends, and
information about them, along with showing you how to formulate your own
concoctions.

Pastries and baking: The Professional Pastry Chef: Fundamentals of Baking and
Pastry by Bo Friesberg or Baking And Pastry: Mastering The Art And Craft from
The Culinary Institute of America. Either or.

Confections: Chocolates and Confections by Peter Greweling.

Bread: Either Jeffrey Hamelman Bread: A Baker's book of techniques and recipes
or Peter Reinhart The Bread Baker's Apprentice.

Reference: Dictionary Of Flavors. Literally a Dictionary of anything culinary
related. Useful on those rare occasions.

~~~
trippypig
Chocolate: Frederic Bau's Cooking with Chocolate: Essential Recipes and
Techniques

[https://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Chocolate-Essential-
Recipes-T...](https://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Chocolate-Essential-Recipes-
Techniques/dp/208020081X)

------
hef19898
Intriguing question, you never really think about it after you've read the
books, do you?

So here you go:

 _The Innovators Dilema_ , C. M. Christensen. Just because , not really domain
relevant for me but tons of interessting stuff and insights

 _Introduction to Materials Management_ , Arnold, Chapman, Clive. Covering the
basics of Supply Chain Management. And I have yet to encounter a situation
where the basics don't matter.

 _Designing and Managing the Supply Chain_ , Simchi-Levi, D., Simchi-Levi E.,
Kaminsky P.. Not just the basics of supply chain management, in essence what
Amazon is doing in that regard. I have an older edition from 2005 that was
just as relevant druing my Masters in 2018 as was back then, but maybe a newer
edition doesn't hurt.

 _Logistics Engineering and Management_ , Blanchard. The book adding a systems
engineering perspective to the above mentioned ones. A little bit weak on the
actual logistics and supply chain part, which makes it even more powerfull in
combination with the ones mentioned earlier. I can only recommend it for
everyone working with complex long-life systems, e.g. ships, planes,
industrial equipments,...

------
eindiran
For speech recognition, a few very foundational textbooks are:

* Foundations of Statistical Natural Language Processing by Manning and Schuetze [0]

* Statistical Methods for Speech Recognition by Jelinek [1]

* Spoken Language Processing: A Guide to Theory, Algorithm, and System Development by Huang, Acero and Hon [2]

In particular, Statistical Methods for Speech Recognition is a book you could
expect to see on the shelves of most people in the field.

[0] [https://www.amazon.com/Foundations-Statistical-Natural-
Langu...](https://www.amazon.com/Foundations-Statistical-Natural-Language-
Processing-ebook/dp/B007L7LUKO)

[1] [https://www.amazon.com/Statistical-Methods-Recognition-
Langu...](https://www.amazon.com/Statistical-Methods-Recognition-Language-
Communication/dp/0262100665)

[2] [https://www.amazon.com/Spoken-Language-Processing-
Algorithm-...](https://www.amazon.com/Spoken-Language-Processing-Algorithm-
Development/dp/0130226165)

------
ajankovic
Can anyone recommend a book that you would use as the guide for building a new
software project from scratch? Like something that would provide good overall
structural approach and best practices. The goal would be to end with as least
amount of tech debt and codebase flexible enough to stand the test of time?

~~~
crististm
After probably more than 10 years postponing to find what HTDP (how to design
programs) is all about I'm now convinced that everyone should go through that
book (or an online course) and apply the newly found knowledge in real life.

See the edx links in one of the threads above. Take the course; Actually DO
what Gregor repeatedly says in videos and you'll find what you missed.

~~~
Serow225
THank you!

------
atroyn
In Robotics / Computer Vision:

\- Thrun et. al, Probabilistic Robotics

\- Multiple View Geometry, Hartley / Zisserman

\- An Invitation to 3D Vision, Ma

\- Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning, Bishop

-Convex Optimization, Boyd

~~~
snovv_crash
We've recently replaced Hartley/Zisserman (which was getting a bit long in the
tooth) with:

Photogrammetric Computer Vision: Statistics, Geometry, Orientation and
Reconstruction by Wrobel and Förstner.

~~~
atroyn
Thanks for the recommendation, ordered. Hartley is very valuable to know how
we got to where we are, from hand tuned features and RANSAC to more modern
full photometric optimization and ML. It answers a lot of "why don't we
just... " type questions while still providing the foundations.

~~~
snovv_crash
Wrobel and Förstner is definitely a different style, to some degrees the two
books complement each other. But it focuses much more on the stats side and
gaining an intuitive understanding, which to me is really important, and if I
wanted RANSAC the algorithms in Hartley are out of date anyways.

------
rwilson4
Link to recent discussion on HN:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17617825](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17617825)

------
dplarson
For numerical optimization, a couple good textbooks are:

\- "Practical Optimization" by P. E. Gill, W. Murray and M. H. Wright: a
little old (1982), but provides a solid foundation

\- "Convex Optimization" by S. Boyd and L. Vandenberghe: the standard for
learning convex optimization (also available as a free PDF from the author's
website)

\- "Convex Analysis and Monotone Operator Theory in Hilbert Spaces" by H. H.
Bauschke and P. L. Combettes: covers a more specialized area of numerical
optimization, but the notation is beautiful (IMO) and it acts as a useful
reference for recent research on, e.g., operator splitting methods

~~~
laichzeit0
What would you recommend for multi-objective non-convex optimization?

~~~
wenc
Nonconvex optimization doesn't have the same depth of theoretical
underpinnings or canonical body of knowledge as convex optimization so I don't
imagine there's a textbook on it that would be authoritative. In the universe
of optimization, convex optimization is a special case (linear optimization in
turn is a special case of convex); non-convex optimization is everything else!

It's kind of like convex optimization is English, and nonconvex optimization
is non-English. I'm not sure it's possible to write a text on non-English.

That doesn't non-convex optimization problems are unsolvable, merely that
there are many different attacks that aren't necessarily coherently linked. A
few common ones include:

a) convex reformulation, where possible.

b) partitioning into convex regions (used in global optimization)

c) heuristic/evolutionary approaches

d) specialized approaches for particular problem structures like integer
programs, complementarity problems etc. (there are good textbooks for these)

There are a few good surveys of the landscape however. Most are journal pubs.
This text [1] seems to be a good one.

[1] [https://www.amazon.com/Nonlinear-Mixed-Integer-
Optimization-...](https://www.amazon.com/Nonlinear-Mixed-Integer-Optimization-
Fundamentals-Applications/dp/0195100565)

------
hexane360
Crystallography: Structure of Materials: An Introduction to Crystallography,
Diffraction and Symmetry by Marc DeGraef

Metallurgy: Physical Metallurgy Principles by Robert Reed-Hill

~~~
kleopullin
The DeGraef is a great text.

------
lou1306
Formal verification:

Principles of model checking (Baier, Katoen)

It covers the basics of modeling and verifying concurrent systems against
linear-time and branching-time properties. It also mentions timed automata,
but those more interested in verifying real-time systems should probably check
out another good introductory textbook:

Reactive Systems (Aceto, Ingólfsdóttir, Larsen, Srba)

------
kleopullin
In Electron Microscopy, for beginners:

Bozzola and Russell, Electron Microscopy, 2nd Edition, published in 1998.

Although 20 years old in a field undergoing a revolution, the authors' method
of connecting the theoretical to the (once physical, now touch screen) knobs
on the instrument make it probably the best technical manual I've ever read.
It's for biological EM, but the introductory chapters on the instruments are
for everyone.

Transmission Electron Microscopy, materials, including high resolution, for
more advanced users:

Williams and Carter, their 4 volume set, Transmission Electron Microscopy.

Photography?

Christopher James, The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes.

------
AkshayD08
Systems Performance by Brendan Gregg. It is an amazing book for every
performance engineer.

------
bugmen0t
In Web Security: \- The Tangled Web
([http://lcamtuf.coredump.cx/tangled/](http://lcamtuf.coredump.cx/tangled/))

You can look at the Web Application Hacker's Handbook or the Browser Hacker's
Handbook, if you want. But TTW tops them all.

~~~
brox
Would like to hear general information security recommendations as well.

~~~
indigochill
A couple I've learned from (I've left out heavily topic-specific books like
Cryptography Engineering since I assume you're asking for books about general
information security):

Hacking, 2nd Edition - Introduces the foundations of memory and network
exploitation

[Security
Engineering]([https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/book.html](https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/book.html))
- An overview of a huge array of info sec topics, from "E-policy" to nuclear
command security.

Advanced Penetration Testing - Focuses on simulating APT attacks, using the
author's penetration testing experiences to illustrate each point.

~~~
brox
Thanks for the suggestions, folks!

------
pmiller2
Graph Theory:

 __Introduction to Graph Theory __by Douglas West. If you 're taking a first
course in graph theory, this is where you should start. There is more than
enough material here for 3 semesters, and, should you finish it all, you will
certainly know more than the average grad student. The only disadvantage of
this book is that it's getting old. I've asked Doug when there was a new
edition coming out and not gotten much of a response, so don't hold your
breath. This is a solid intro to the entire field.

Topological graph theory:

 __Graphs, Groups, and Surfaces __by Arthur T. White. Dr. White is one of the
leading experts in this subfield. His previous book, __Graphs of Groups on
Surfaces __is also recommended, if a bit pricey. Obscure and OOP mathematical
monographs tend to run that way though, so, I suspect if you 're interested in
this book, that's not much of a problem to you.

This book is the standard textbook in topological graph theory. As I recall,
the topology prerequisites are fairly minimal. For algebra, you want some
basic familiarity with groups, but I don't recall anything to heavy hitting
being used here. One of the main results is an outline of the proof of the
Haywood map coloring theorem, which establishes the chromatic number of all
orientable and non-orientable surfaces except the sphere/plane.

~~~
thefringthing
No love for Bondy & Murty?

------
dragontamer
* Donald Knuth's "Art of Computer Programming"

* Jon Kleinberg, Eva Tardos's "Algorithm Design".

* Paul Horowitz's "The Art of Electronics"

* Agner Fog's "Microarchitecture of Intel, AMD, and VIA CPUs": [https://www.agner.org/optimize/microarchitecture.pdf](https://www.agner.org/optimize/microarchitecture.pdf)

Not a big list, and I've got a lot of textbooks. Knuth's writing style is
difficult, its the hardest read I've ever had. But Knuth hits you with the
hardest examples as soon as possible, making it very "efficient" reading.

Algorithm Design is clear, concise, and practical.

Art of Electronics is one of the few books that realizes that actual chips and
actual specifications are important to electronics designs. It has the
unfortunate effect of going obsolete as new chips come out, but its one of the
few books that digs into specification sheets and tells you what's important
and how to read them.

Agner Fog's microarchitecture was more specific, up-to-date, and
understandable if you read it from beginning to end. Agner Fog has a little
trick: he starts with the Intel Pentium, and then describes how features were
added every generation. (Branch Predicction, Pipelines, out of order, etc.
etc)

------
cosmic_quanta
In ultrafast electron microscopy and material science:

\- Transmission Electron Microscopy and Diffractometry of materials by Fultz
and Howe

Great reference textbook on how electron microscopes are constructed, as well
as general diffraction.

\- Advanced Computing in Electron Microscopy by Kirkland

A comprehensive explanation of how to simulate electron diffraction patterns
and electron microscopy images. Very clear explanation of the Multislice
algorithm, which is actually more general than is presented in this book.

------
tdsamardzhiev
Game Engine Architecture by Jason Gregory

It's like a collection of all the game programming stuff they didn't teach me
at school, nor at my non-game jobs. Whether you're writing an engine or just
using one, I consider this book absolutely vital.

~~~
shijie
It looks like there are several versions of this book. Would you recommend the
3rd edition of this book, or could I get away with an older one and buy it
used?

~~~
tdsamardzhiev
The new content is very good, but if the price is too high for you, there's
nothing wrong with getting the older editions.

------
Serow225
Best intro control systems: "Modern Control Engineering", by Katsuhiko Ogata.
Also available free, "Feedback Systems" by Karl Johan Åström and Richard
Murray at
[http://www.cds.caltech.edu/~murray/books/AM08/pdf/am08-compl...](http://www.cds.caltech.edu/~murray/books/AM08/pdf/am08-complete_30Aug11.pdf)

------
kachnuv_ocasek
Software Foundations [1]. Hands down one of the top programming textbooks to
date.

[1]
[https://softwarefoundations.cis.upenn.edu/](https://softwarefoundations.cis.upenn.edu/)

~~~
cvoss
A word of caution: This textbook can get pretty bogged down sometimes because
it serves double-duty as a Coq tutorial. (It has to, because the book is
literally a Coq script, using formal theorems w/ proofs as examples and formal
theorems w/o proofs as exercises.) In my opinion, the material doesn't really
take off until vol 2.

However, I don't want to disparage the tutorial nature too much, because
learning to "think in Coq" has dramatically changed the way I reason about
even traditional pencil and paper proofs, for the better.

~~~
amelius
> However, I don't want to disparage the tutorial nature too much, because
> learning to "think in Coq" has dramatically changed the way I reason about
> even traditional pencil and paper proofs, for the better.

That sounds intriguing, but I wonder if being more rigorous also means being
much slower in completing proofs and if practicality is lost (?)

------
evanb
Feynman, Leighton, and Sands - The Feynman Lectures: I always look here for a
good intuitive explanation.

A. Zee - Quantum Field Theory in a Nutshell: this is so approachable and in
the path integral formulation of QFT. Anyone who points you towards Peskin and
Schroeder wants you to suffer.

Gattringer and Lang - Quantum Chromodynamics on the Lattice: essential reading
for anyone learning lattice QCD.

------
exploringBabel
For advanced Set Theory:

\- The Higher Infinite by Kanamori

It's probably more of a monograph than a text book, but it's among the best
written monographs I've come across.

For Complex Analysis:

\- Visual Complex Analysis by Needham.

It brings a lot of (needed) geometric intuition to a field that is often very
easily misunderstood.

------
RandomSort
In Continuous Delivery and DevOps:

Lean software Development - Mary & Tom Poppendieck

The DevOps Handbook - Gene Kim, Jez Humble, Patrick Debois

Accelerate - Nicole Forsgren, Jez Humble, Gene Kim

Continuous Integration - Paul M. Duvall, Andrew Glover, Steve Matyas

Continuous Delivery - Jez Humble, David Farley

~~~
rhizome31
Do you think the DevOps Handbook would be useful for a working programmer in a
small startup without any sysadmin? By reading the descriptions I was under
the impression that it's very high level and more geared towards big
organizations.

------
superasn
Perl cookbook by Nathan Torkington and Tom Christiansen. It taught me
everything from Unix tricks to CGI to making my first website.

No fluff, just lots and lots of code useful practical code samples.

~~~
Tepix
When looking for _the best_ Perl book, I liked "Programming Perl" by Larry
Wall, Tom Christiansen and Jon Orwant better. Just a fantastic book that is
both fun to read and authorative yet still suitable for learning Perl from
scratch (for certain readers).

------
aidenn0
Debugging, by Agans.

It's one of those books that if you read it after 10 years of industry
experience it will probably be dull and obvious, but it gives novices a
toolbox for solving problems.

------
mycoborea
Molecular Biology of the Cell by Bruce Alberts, Dennis Bray, James Watson, and
Julian Lewis

------
dig1
1\. SICP
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structure_and_Interpretation_o...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structure_and_Interpretation_of_Computer_Programs))

2\. Generative Programming ([https://www.amazon.com/Generative-Programming-
Methods-Tools-...](https://www.amazon.com/Generative-Programming-Methods-
Tools-Applications/dp/0201309777))

3\. PAIP ([https://www.amazon.com/Paradigms-Artificial-Intelligence-
Pro...](https://www.amazon.com/Paradigms-Artificial-Intelligence-Programming-
Studies/dp/1558601910))

4\. Lisp In Small Pieces ([https://www.amazon.com/Lisp-Small-Pieces-Christian-
Queinnec/...](https://www.amazon.com/Lisp-Small-Pieces-Christian-
Queinnec/dp/0521545668))

5\. The C Programming Language ([https://www.amazon.com/Programming-Language-
Dennis-M-Ritchie...](https://www.amazon.com/Programming-Language-Dennis-M-
Ritchie/dp/0876925964))

------
a_e_k
Physically Based Rendering: From Theory to Implementation

[https://www.pbrt.org/](https://www.pbrt.org/)

~~~
pixelpoet
Might as well also link the 1.0 version bible, Veach's thesis:
[http://graphics.stanford.edu/papers/veach_thesis/](http://graphics.stanford.edu/papers/veach_thesis/)

------
a_c
I am looking for a practical guide to actuarial science. how to apply data
science to insurance. Would love to learn for recommendations

------
paramahans
Some books on Semiconductor Devices. Not in any particular order 1\. Physics
of semiconductor devices by S. M Sze, Kwok K Ng 2\. Modern VLSI Devices by
Taur and Ning 3\. Device electronics for integrated circuits by Muller and
Kamins 4\. Solid state Devices by Ben. Streetman 5\. Advanced Semiconductor
Fundamentals by Robert F Pierret

------
kendallpark
Robbins & Cotran pathology books. There are three versions of the same text
textbook ranging from a massive, detailed tome to pocket reference book. We
refer to them as "big-," "medium-," and "little-Robbins." I have all three,
but "medium Robbins" is my favorite.

------
neom
Not sure if these count as textbooks by most peoples measures, but they have
been textbooks for me.

[1]Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team

[2]The Wal-Mart Triumph: Inside the World’s #1 Company

[3]Guerilla Marketing

[4]The Lords of Strategy

[5]Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

[6] The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive

[7]The Deming Management Method

[8]Creativity Inc.

[9]The Wisdom of Teams

[10]On Communication

[11]On Managing Yourself

[12]The Art of Facilitation

[13]Death by Meeting

[14]Good Business: Leadership, Flow, and the Making of Meaning

[15]Makers and Takers: The Rise of Finance and the Fall of American Business

1\. [https://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Five-Dysfunctions-Team-
Fac...](https://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Five-Dysfunctions-Team-
Facilitators/dp/0787976377) 2\. [https://www.amazon.ca/Wal-Mart-Triumph-
Inside-Worlds-Company...](https://www.amazon.ca/Wal-Mart-Triumph-Inside-
Worlds-Company/dp/1591840430) 3\. [https://www.amazon.com/Guerilla-Marketing-
Inexpensive-Strate...](https://www.amazon.com/Guerilla-Marketing-Inexpensive-
Strategies-Business/dp/0618785914) 4\.
[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1591397820?ref_=cm_sw_r_awd...](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1591397820?ref_=cm_sw_r_awd_GlQNvb6SNC30B)
5\. [http://www.amazon.com/Influence-Psychology-Persuasion-
Revise...](http://www.amazon.com/Influence-Psychology-Persuasion-Revised-
Edition/dp/006124189X) 6\.
[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000079XXQ](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000079XXQ)
7\. [http://www.amazon.com/Deming-Management-Method-Mary-
Walton/d...](http://www.amazon.com/Deming-Management-Method-Mary-
Walton/dp/0399550003) 8\. [https://www.amazon.com/Creativity-Inc-Overcoming-
Unseen-Insp...](https://www.amazon.com/Creativity-Inc-Overcoming-Unseen-
Inspiration/dp/0812993012) 9\. [https://www.amazon.com/The-Wisdom-Teams-High-
Performance-Org...](https://www.amazon.com/The-Wisdom-Teams-High-Performance-
Organization/dp/0060522003) 10\. [https://www.amazon.com/Communication-
featured-Necessary-Pers...](https://www.amazon.com/Communication-featured-
Necessary-Persuasion-Conger/dp/1422189864) 11\.
[https://www.amazon.com/Managing-Yourself-Measure-Clayton-
Chr...](https://www.amazon.com/Managing-Yourself-Measure-Clayton-
Christensen/dp/1422157997/) 12\. [https://www.amazon.com/Art-Facilitation-
Essentials-Meetings-...](https://www.amazon.com/Art-Facilitation-Essentials-
Meetings-Creating/dp/0470467924/) 13\. [https://www.amazon.com/Death-Meeting-
Leadership-Solving-Busi...](https://www.amazon.com/Death-Meeting-Leadership-
Solving-Business/dp/0787968056) 14\. [https://www.amazon.com/Good-Business-
Leadership-Making-Meani...](https://www.amazon.com/Good-Business-Leadership-
Making-Meaning/dp/014200409X) 15\. [https://www.amazon.com/Makers-Takers-
Finance-American-Busine...](https://www.amazon.com/Makers-Takers-Finance-
American-Business/dp/0553447238)

~~~
minhazm423
How have these books changed your life?

How did you even begin to make this list? Out of how many books have you
listed these 15? How have you applied the knowledge from these books?

Some of these are not particularly information dense, or technical guides, so
why do you consider them bibles for you?

------
unixhero
Economic Geography:

Global Shift by Peter Dicken. ...Mind expanding....

Widely adopted throughout the world, this definitive text comprehensively
examines how the global economy works and its effects on people and places.
Peter Dicken provides a balanced yet critical analysis of globalization
processes and debates.

------
nailer
Linux: Unix and Linux System Aministrator's handbook ('the green book' or 'the
purple book')

Networking: 'TCPIP Illustrated' or it's unofficial follow up 'The Illustrated
Network'

TLS: 'Bulletproof SSL' ('the Ristic book')

~~~
someguy101010
I have the handbook on my desk rn, awesome read, and easy to digest

------
Ice_cream_suit
[https://www.amazon.com/Harrisons-Principles-Internal-
Medicin...](https://www.amazon.com/Harrisons-Principles-Internal-Medicine-
Twentieth/dp/1259644030/r)

[https://www.elsevier.com/books/book-series/handbook-of-
clini...](https://www.elsevier.com/books/book-series/handbook-of-clinical-
neurology) ( There are 161 volumes )

[https://www.amazon.com/Rhotons-Cranial-Anatomy-Surgical-
Appr...](https://www.amazon.com/Rhotons-Cranial-Anatomy-Surgical-
Approaches/dp/0781793416)

------
_emacsomancer_
Partee, Barbara B.H., ter Meulen, A.G., Wall, R. - Mathematical Methods in
Linguistics

------
legedemon
Could someone suggest a good book on Geometry beyond what is taught in high
school? I find co-ordinate geometry to be more algebraic than geometric and
miss knowing the interesting properties of curves and shapes and bodies.

~~~
bordercases
'A Vector Space Approach to Geometry'
[https://www.amazon.com/dp/0486404528/?coliid=I1QSA8WHK9SQJN](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0486404528/?coliid=I1QSA8WHK9SQJN)

'Geometry: An Introduction'
[https://www.amazon.com/dp/4871877183/?coliid=I56AS7R6YZMW](https://www.amazon.com/dp/4871877183/?coliid=I56AS7R6YZMW)

The first one if you want a bridge to modern geometry from common university
math. The second if you want to start from abstract foundations at the early-
undergraduate level.

------
car
Human Molecular Genetics by Strachan and Read

~~~
bonniemuffin
+1, this is a good one. It was the textbook for one of my grad school classes
and I frequently referenced it during my postdoc.

I usually suggest getting older editions of textbooks to save money, but this
is one textbook where I bet you want the latest edition, because the field has
been changing fast enough that there's probably some incorrect/missing
information in a copy that was published even five or ten years ago. [ Edit to
note: actually it looks like the latest edition was published in 2010, so it's
probably quite out of date by now. :( ]

------
scns
A curated list to learn CS aimed at self-taught programmers:

[https://teachyourselfcs.com/](https://teachyourselfcs.com/)

gives recommendations for more challenging or more approachable courses.

------
fisherjeff
[http://szeliski.org/Book/drafts/SzeliskiBook_20100903_draft....](http://szeliski.org/Book/drafts/SzeliskiBook_20100903_draft.pdf)

------
maxkwallace
For undergraduate mathematics (semi-opinionated, not exhaustive):

Calculus: Apostol and Spivak, take your pick

Linear Algebra: Valenza

Abstract Algebra: Artin

Multivariate Calculus:

    
    
      - Vector Calculus, Linear Algebra, and Differential Forms by the Hubbards
    
      - Calculus on Manifolds by Spivak
    

For other fields and classes I am not recommending a book because either (1) I
don't think there is a clear winner, e.g. as in the case of Real Analysis, or
(2) I'm not familiar enough with the books in that field.

If you have other recommendations, please add them! These books changed my
life in the best of ways.

------
dvno42
For Networking in the ISP space, for me the most helpful have been:

\- Interdomain Multicast Routing: Practical Juniper Networks and Cisco Systems
Solutions

\- Inside Cisco IOS Software Architecture

\- MPLS-Enabled Applications: Emerging Developments and New Technologies

This one's not a textbook but proved invaluable to me in learning optical
networking: \- New and Updated - Everything You Always Wanted to Know About
Optical Networking -
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__wn9zXFiy8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__wn9zXFiy8)

------
v01dv01d
Does anyone have books about visual management or data visualisation ?

~~~
colinwilyb
Can you define your question further? Are you looking for information on
communicating via visual means, or the data to visualization toolchain?

~~~
v01dv01d
The former, I am looking for a read about why we go on visual management, the
good practices, the does and don'ts, etc. So it is more a HR approach than a
data one.

------
kyberias
Can you recommend _one_ good book that covers Primate biology?

~~~
jacobwilliamroy
My favorite books contain vividly detailed descriptions of primate biology but
unfortunately, none of them are safe for work.

I would also like to know if there is a good book that covers primate biology.
I had no idea it was possible to write a _good_ book about an entire order of
creatures.

~~~
kyberias
Well, let me downgrade a bit... how about a book about great apes, another one
about old-world monkeys etc?

------
Thriptic
Braunwald's Heart Disease. It is the cardiology Bible.

~~~
Lordarminius
Harrison's Principles of Medicine as well

------
asafira
For intermediate E&M, Griffiths Electrodynamics.

~~~
psalminen
Agreed. His "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics" is also great.

------
gulabjamun
Can anyone make recommendations for Astrophysics ?

~~~
rasmi
_An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics_ by Carroll & Ostlie is the Bible, but
it is quite large physically and in scope and better serves as a reference for
most people.

For various topics, I would look at:

 _Introduction to Cosmology_ by Ryden for cosmology at the undergraduate
level.

 _Cosmology_ by Weinberg.

 _The Exoplanet Handbook_ by Perryman.

 _An Introduction to Modern Stellar Astrophysics_ by Carroll & Ostlie.

 _Particle Astrophysics_ by Perkins.

 _Modern Statistical Methods for Astronomy_ by Feigelson.

 _Statistics, Data Mining, and Machine Learning in Astronomy_ by Ivezic.

I can post more in other topics if anyone is interested.

------
Traut
Threat (cyber or not) intelligence analysis: "Intelligence Analysis: A Target-
Centric Approach" by Robert M. Clark - [https://www.amazon.com/Intelligence-
Analysis-Target-Centric-...](https://www.amazon.com/Intelligence-Analysis-
Target-Centric-Robert-Clark/dp/1506316816)

------
jcla1
Introduction to Functional Analysis, R. Meise and D. Vogt.

Despite the name, that's nowhere near just an introduction, especially Part
III.

Classical and Multilinear Harmonic Analysis, C. Muscalu and W. Schlag.

After reading the two volumes you will have a huge base of knowledge. The
books can get quite advanced as well, containing previously unpublished
results when being first printed.

------
enthdegree
Elements of Information Theory - Cover, Thomas

Network Information Theory - El Gamal, Kim

Adaptive Wireless Communications - Bliss, Govindasamy

Wireless Communications - Goldsmith

------
Balgair
In neuroscience:

Principles of Neural Science, Fifth Edition (Principles of Neural Science
(Kandel)) 5th Edition

[https://www.amazon.com/Principles-Neural-Science-Fifth-
Kande...](https://www.amazon.com/Principles-Neural-Science-Fifth-
Kandel/dp/0071390111)

------
m4lvin
Blackburn, de Rijke, Venema: Modal Logic
[https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/modal-
logic/F7CDB0A2650...](https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/modal-
logic/F7CDB0A265026BF05EAD1091A47FCF5B)

------
terragon
Does anyone have any good recommendations for industrial electronics design?
Like a PLC digital/analog input/output module, protecting industrial inputs,
etc? I've searched quite a bit, but I've never found enough good advice in one
blog or book.

~~~
I_complete_me
Not my field but I bought and liked "Mechatronics" \-- Mechatronics:
Electronic Control Systems in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering (6th
Edition)

------
m_ransing
For more lists you can refer to this thread
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17625795](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17625795).

------
tsuyoshi
For political science, these are not exactly textbooks, but they are by far
the most useful I've ever read:

The Art of Political Manipulation by William H. Riker

Get Out the Vote by Donald P. Green and Alan S. Gerber

------
settings11
For programming, "Data structures & programming techniques" \-- pdf as lecture
notes. But very comprehensive one.

For Linux / Unix things, APUE is standard one, and pretty nice.

Am not an expert though.

------
senderista
For general graduate-level mathematics, from a category-theoretic point of
view: _Mathematical Physics_ by Robert Geroch. Tons of hand drawings and
informal motivation.

------
dejv
For anyone interested in building analytical instruments for chemistry:

Chemical instrumentation: A systematic Approach by Strobel. It is quite old
(1989), but it is still best in class.

------
sguav
Microwave Engineering by David M. Pozar - surely not for beginners, but worth
the effort for those interested in high fequency transmissions and EM
propagation

------
ApostleMatthew
Statistical mechanics/Biophysics:

Introduction to Modern Statistical Mechanics - David Chandler

Physical Biology of the Cell - Phillips, Kondev, Theriot, & Garcia

------
quixoticelixer-
Not exactly a text book: Vegetation of New Zealand

------
nanomonkey
Fundamentals of Photonics by Saleh and Teich

Not really my area of expertise anymore, but it's a great textbook on
Photonics (Physics of Light).

------
saboot
For the field of nuclear engineering applied to detecting sources of
radiation..

Radiation Detection and Measurement by Knoll is our bible.

------
kccqzy
Basic algorithms: Algorithms by Sedgewick.

------
fifteenforty
Clinical Examination by Talley and O’Connor

Nevermind pathophysiology, this textbook teaches the art of interacting with
patients.

------
apengwin
piano: Bach's Well Tempered Clavier the sonatas of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven

~~~
ratsimihah
Is that your favorite book due to its educational value? What would you
recommend it for?

~~~
gtycomb
Not just piano, when I was learning finger-style/classical guitar, and
teachers I know in Jazz, we look to J.S Bach's Well Tempered Clavier just to
learn about music. Some of it can be demanding in technique as you work
through, but even the simpler lines are delightful, they teach you some lovely
and memorable things about patterns, relationships, and harmonic structures in
any kind of music we hear today.

------
wtvanhest
Im really interested to see if any chefs have a culinary text they recommend

~~~
isatty
Looks like:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18109800](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18109800)

------
xenihn
iOS Development:

objc.io's books

Matt Neuburg's yearly "Programming iOS <x>" book

And of course Apple's own "The Swift Programming Language".

Also I guess they aren't textbooks, but the Hacking With Swift books are good.

------
wholemoley
Mark's Handbook for Mechanical Engineers, and AREMA.

------
swastik907
Can anyone suggest me best books for Social sciences?

------
giorgioz
can anyone make a suggestion for economics and investment in assets?
understanding stock/bonds/ETF?

------
nanomonkey
Professional Goldsmithing by Alan Revere

------
tptacek
The Art Of Software Security Assessment.

------
na17
any data engineering books?

------
olooney
Some of the best textbooks in statistics and machine learning:

Applied \-------

Hosmer et al., Applied Logistic Regression. An exhaustive guide to the perils
and pitfalls of logistic regression. Logistic regression is _the_ power tool
of interpretable statistical models, but if you don't understand it, it will
take your foot off (concretely, your inferences will be wrong and your peers
will laugh at you.) This book is essential. Graduate level, or perhaps
advanced undergraduate, intended for STEM and social science grad students.

[https://www.amazon.com/Applied-Logistic-Regression-
Probabili...](https://www.amazon.com/Applied-Logistic-Regression-Probability-
Statistics/dp/0471356328)

Peter Christen's Data Matching. Record Linkage is a relatively niche concept,
so Christen's book has no right to be as good as it is. But it covers every
relevant topic in a clear, even-handed way. If you are working on a record
linkage system, then there's nothing in this book you can afford not to know.
Undergraduate level, but intended for industry practitioners.

[https://www.amazon.com/Data-Matching-Techniques-Data-
Centric...](https://www.amazon.com/Data-Matching-Techniques-Data-Centric-
Applications/dp/3642311636/)

Max Kuhn's Applied Predictive Modeling. Even if you don't use R, this is an
incredibly good introduction to how predictive modeling is done in practice.
Early undergraduate level.

[http://appliedpredictivemodeling.com/](http://appliedpredictivemodeling.com/)

Theoretical \-----------

The Elements of Statistical Learning. Probably the single most respected book
in machine learning. Exhaustive and essential. Advanced undergraduate level.

[https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Statistical-Learning-
Predict...](https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Statistical-Learning-Prediction-
Statistics/dp/0387848576)

Kevin Murphy's Machine Learning: A Probabilistic Perspective. Covers lots of
the same ground as Elements but is a little easier. Undergraduate level.

[https://www.amazon.com/Machine-Learning-Probabilistic-
Perspe...](https://www.amazon.com/Machine-Learning-Probabilistic-Perspective-
Computation/dp/0262018020)

Taboga's Lectures on Probability Theory and Mathematical Statistics. Has the
distinction of being available for free in web-friendly format at
[https://www.statlect.com/](https://www.statlect.com/) . Undergraduate level
for math majors.

[https://www.amazon.com/Lectures-Probability-Theory-
Mathemati...](https://www.amazon.com/Lectures-Probability-Theory-Mathematical-
Statistics/dp/1480215236)

------
alecdragon
early childhood education

------
alecdragon
education

------
sureaboutthis
Advanced Programming in the Unix Environment - Stevens, Rago [0]

Unix Network Programming - Stevens [1]

[0] [https://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Programming-UNIX-
Environment...](https://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Programming-UNIX-
Environment-3rd/dp/0321637739)

[1] [https://www.amazon.com/Unix-Network-Programming-Sockets-
Netw...](https://www.amazon.com/Unix-Network-Programming-Sockets-
Networking/dp/0131411551/)

------
icantdrive55
Watch repair:

The watch repair manual, by Fried

Practical watch repairing, by De Carle

The Swiss Watch repairer's manual, by Jendritzki (This book is great, but
don't pay more than $75. After Fried's book it pulls in all the information
nicely.)

Bulova Repair Training Manual

Chicago school of watchmaking (There's no copyright on this course. A guy on
EBay has been scaring people for years. He does not own the copyright.)

Bestfit encyclopedia of Watch Parts 1 & 2

The clock and watch makers guide to gear making

George Daniels Watchmaking

I'll be writing my own book in the future. It will be a modern take on the
repair of mechanical watches. It will have a lot of pictures. It will be
direct, and to the point.

If you are interested in watch repair; I would do it as a hobby. I couldn't
imagine making a good living repairing watches.

The bigger watch brands do not want to sell spare parts. That just might
change in the future? Right now, it looks dim. Rolex, and the Swatch Group
basically want to dictate whom, and where you can elect to get your watch
repaired. Most times it the factory, at factory prices.

If you get into watch repair throughly, your appreciation of watches might
change. When there's no mystery, there's no magic, I guess?

~~~
fao_
Hey, it looks like you've been shadowbanned since around september 2016. A
skim through shows one or two comments that have been vouched for (as I did
with this one), and a lot of 'reasonable' comments that haven't.

I'm not sure what to say, because a fair amount of your comments didn't really
seem worthy of a shadowban, so I assume that you cleaned up your behaviour,
but alas too late. You might wish to email an appeal to the moderators to sort
it out.

------
volkisch
The occult technology of power serves as a nice heads up. Don't let the
"occult" part put you off.

Cheers.

------
jahan
On deep learning and neural networks space: [http://www.aioptify.com/top-deep-
learning-and-neural-network...](http://www.aioptify.com/top-deep-learning-and-
neural-networks-books.php)

On Machine Learning area:
[http://www.aioptify.com/topmldmbooks.php](http://www.aioptify.com/topmldmbooks.php)

On modern software engineering and development: [http://www.aioptify.com/top-
software-books.php](http://www.aioptify.com/top-software-books.php)

On Python programming topic: [http://www.aioptify.com/top-python-programming-
books.php](http://www.aioptify.com/top-python-programming-books.php)

