The Pragmatic Programmer: From Journeyman to Master

Write better, cleaner, more maintainable code. Learn how to manage your projects and focus on shipping your product. With insight that covers the gamut of software development from low level to management
this one is a must have for anyone involved in this industry.

The Passionate Programmer: Creating a Remarkable Career in Software Development

Highly recommended! Read my full review.

Code Complete: A Practical Handbook of Software Construction

Another classic "software construction" book. Sharpen your saw with timeless information that can be applied to any project in any language. Less bugs, more productivity, more programmer happiness.

Coders at Work

This one is different. Written as a set of interview transcripts with 15 legendary industry giants, this book is a fantastic insight into how some of the great minds think. It's inspiring to hear it from the source, must have!

Programming Clojure

A developer should learn at least one new language a year. This year that language should be Clojure. Clojure is a dynamic, general purpose, language targeting the Java virtual machine and designed for multi-threaded use. It's growing popularity, ability to leverage the Java standard library, and its multi-threaded nature make this a must have.

The Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering

Another classic. Primarily discusses project management from the perspective of Fred Brooks and his experiences at IBM. Brooks' Law states that "adding manpower to a late software project makes it later".

Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability

Web developers should always keep in mind the user of the product their creating. Usability becomes increasingly important as applications move to the web. The design and usability of your app can make or break its success. This classic is a must read.

Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software

This classic known most commonly as the "gang of four" book is the definitive reference on design patterns. Covering all of the most common cases and time and time again serving as an invaluable source of information.

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Chad Fowler co-authored the book Programming Ruby 1.9: The Pragmatic Programmers' Guide (Facets of Ruby) and is a huge advocate of Rails. The book is a practical guide to growing as a professional software developer and is broken down into many 2-5 page sections focusing on a specific concept related to accomplishing this goal.

Some general themes permeate the entire 200 page text. One in particular is to embrace the opportunities that exist in a world where many software development roles are being outsourced overseas. He outlines a number of ways to take advantage of this situation to position yourself in a way where you are more attractive to potential employers, even the ones doing the outsourcing.

He encourages a constant, methodical, evaluation of your skillset in order to target your research and development towards the technologies that will become desirable next. Stay ahead of the wave instead of being tossed around by it.

Each section ends with an "Act On It!" portion which provides actionable tasks that reinforce the concept you've just read. Many of these are good suggestions and are easily incorporated into your day to day activities.

Another concept is the idea that your career in software development, essentially yourself, should be treated as a product. A product which requires constant attention in both R&D and marketing. Staying stagnant too long and not expanding the tools in your chest is a recipe for opportunity passing you by. Marketing suggestions include blogging and contributing to open source projects.

If you've lost the passion for software development. This book may provide just enough insight and food for thought to encourage you to get back on the right track and return to the days where you typed away into the wee hours of the night, not because you were getting paid, but because you loved it.

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