Recommended Books
A curated collection of books I've found valuable and referenced throughout my articles.
Browse by Topic
#NoEstimates
by Vasco Duarte
Explores alternatives to traditional estimation in software development, focusing on delivering value continuously without detailed upfront estimates.
60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Phoenix
by Charles Liu
A comprehensive guide to the best day hikes around Phoenix, including many trails in the Payson area.
75 Hard: A Tactical Guide to Winning the War with Yourself
2xA mental toughness program that builds confidence through keeping promises to yourself, no matter how you feel.
A More Beautiful Question
How the power of inquiry can spark breakthrough ideas in business, education, and innovation.
A Philosophy of Software Design
2xA collection of design principles for creating deeper, more modular, and more maintainable software systems.
A Walk in the Woods
by Bill Bryson
A humorous and insightful account of hiking the Appalachian Trail that highlights the importance of preserving natural spaces and parks.
AI for Learning
by Neil Selwyn
An exploration of how artificial intelligence is reshaping educational practices and what it means for teaching and learning.
AI in Education
by Wayne Holmes, Maya Bialik & Charles Fadel
How artificial intelligence transforms teaching and learning across educational contexts.
Accelerate
5xby Nicole Forsgren, Jez Humble, Gene Kim
Data-driven research on high-performing technology teams and the cultural factors that enable transformation.
Actionable Agile Metrics for Predictability
2xAn introduction to flow-based metrics that help teams better understand and improve their software delivery process.
Agile Estimating and Planning
3xby Mike Cohn
A comprehensive guide to planning and estimating in an agile environment with practical techniques for software professionals.
Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great
5xby Esther Derby & Diana Larsen
The definitive guide to effective retrospectives, offering practical activities and approaches for continuous team improvement.
Agile Testing
by Lisa Crispin & Janet Gregory
A practical guide for testers and agile teams to deliver quality software through effective testing practices.
Agile Web Development with Rails
by Sam Ruby, Dave Thomas, & David Heinemeier Hansson
The definitive guide to Ruby on Rails development that helped drive its initial popularity and adoption.
Altruism
The power of compassion to change yourself and the world, with scientific research on how caring for others creates personal well-being.
Antifragile
18xTaleb explains why disciplined people become harder to break and harder to control. Systems that try to weaken them only make them stronger.
Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder
13xTaleb's framework explains why systems (including humans) need stressors to grow stronger. The absence of challenge doesn't create stability; it creates fragility.
Apology
by Plato
Socrates' defense speech, demonstrating the elenchus method and his commitment to examined living.
Apprenticeship Patterns
2xby Dave Hoover & Adewale Oshineye
Guidance for the aspiring software craftsman on how to excel in the workplace and become a better programmer.
Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics
by Aristotle
The foundational text on arete (excellence) and eudaimonia (flourishing), exploring how virtue leads to the highest human potential.
Arizona Highways Hiking Guide
A guide to 52 of Arizona's best hikes, featuring detailed trail information and stunning photography of natural attractions.
Art as Experience
by John Dewey
A foundational text on the importance of the arts as an essential component of human experience and community life.
Atomic Habits
40xby James Clear
Clear's insight that identity-based habits outperform goal-based habits aligns perfectly with ancient wisdom. The smoker who says 'I'm not a smoker' succeeds where the one who says 'I'm trying to quit' fails.
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
by James Clear
Clear's framework for habit formation through environment design and identity-based behavior change. Essential reading on making focus the default, not the exception.
Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
One of the most influential autobiographies ever written, providing insights into Franklin's early life and rise to prominence.
Becoming
2xA memoir by the former First Lady that chronicles her journey from Chicago's South Side to the White House.
Belonging
How shared rituals and practices create tribal connection in performance teams and communities around the world.
Better Tech Presentations
A guide for creating and delivering engaging technical presentations, perfect for code camp speakers and attendees.
Big Magic
How to face down fears, embrace curiosity, and live a more creative life by examining the mysterious nature of inspiration.
Bird by Bird
by Anne Lamott
A writer's guide to embracing imperfection in craft, showing how 'shitty first drafts' lead to brilliant final work through iteration and courage.
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
by Anne Lamott
Lamott's insights on the creative process, including the critical separation between drafting (creator mode) and revision (critic mode).
Blitzscaling
2xThe lightning-fast path to building massively valuable companies through prioritizing speed over efficiency in an uncertain environment.
Blockchain Revolution
by Don Tapscott and Alex Tapscott
How the technology behind Bitcoin is changing money, business, and the world by enabling new forms of trust between strangers.
Born Standing Up
by Steve Martin
A memoir of Steve Martin's stand-up comedy career, exploring how humor served as both shield and sword.
Born a Crime
by Trevor Noah
Stories from a South African childhood that reveal how Noah's mixed-race birth put him at odds with the apartheid system.
Born to Run
5xA hidden tribe, superathletes, and the greatest race the world has never seen.
Bowling Alone
2xThe collapse and revival of American community, examining trends in civic engagement and social capital.
Braving the Wilderness
by Brené Brown
The quest for true belonging and the courage to stand alone, exploring how shared rituals foster authentic connections.
Building Evolutionary Architectures
2xby Neal Ford, Rebecca Parsons & Patrick Kua
How to build evolutionary architectures that support constant change, with a new way to think about architecture and time.
Building Intelligent Systems
2xby Geoff Hulten
A guide to creating machine learning systems that work in the real world.
Building Powerful Community Organizations
A practical manual for building organizations and communities that focuses on the everyday actions that create lasting change.
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle
by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski
A science-based approach to understanding and completing the stress cycle to prevent burnout and manage overwhelming emotions.
Can't Hurt Me
8xGoggins embodies the philosophy of voluntary suffering as character formation. His 'callousing the mind' concept provides the practical framework for building resilience through deliberate difficulty.
Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds
Goggins embodies the article's thesis in extreme form. His journey from 300 pounds to Navy SEAL to ultramarathon runner demonstrates what happens when you refuse to accept belief-imposed limits. Raw proof that the ceiling is painted on.
Choke: What the Secrets of the Brain Reveal About Getting It Right When You Have To
by Sian Beilock
Scientific insights into why people fail under pressure and how to overcome performance anxiety.
Clean Architecture
A craftsman's guide to software structure and design, applying universal rules of software architecture for sustainable code.
Clean Code
6xEssential principles for writing maintainable, readable code and tests.
Clean Ruby
by Jim Gay
Writing maintainable, clear Ruby code by applying SOLID principles and design patterns.
Clear Thinking
Parrish's masterwork on recognizing moments that transform your trajectory and navigating the critical space between stimulus and response under pressure.
Clutch: Why Some People Excel Under Pressure and Others Don't
An exploration of what enables some individuals to perform exceptional feats under extreme pressure.
Coaching Agile Teams
2xby Lyssa Adkins
A companion for ScrumMasters, Agile coaches, and project managers transitioning to Agile methodologies.
Code Complete
A practical handbook of software construction that provides specific advice on improving the art of programming.
Coders at Work
by Peter Seibel
Reflections on the craft of programming through interviews with fifteen accomplished programmers, illustrating the value of community knowledge sharing.
Cognitive Surplus
by Clay Shirky
The book that introduced Shirky's sharing model, exploring how technology enables people to collaborate and create shared value in ways previously impossible.