“Think before you speak. Read before you think.”
— Fran Lebowitz
Some recommended reading for those who want to learn more about software, agile or startups in general.
I am currently writing two books - one for absolute beginners and one for those wanting to build a successful career in software. Both are labours of love and may never get finished, but feel free to browse and send me your feedback.
So you really want to learn to code? — Will Britton
Absolute beginner's guide to taking the first steps in software development.
Undeveloping Software — Will Britton
All the stuff they don't teach you about being a professional software developer in the read world.
The Lean Startup — Eric Reis
Seminal guide to launching a startup company. A must read.
Getting Between the Balance Sheets — David Frodsham & Heinrich Liechtenstein
An entrepreneur's guide to startup finance.
Lean Software Development - an Agile Toolkit — Mary & Tom Poppendiek
A truly excellent general purpose treatment of agile software development.
Agile Software Development with Scrum — Ken Schwaber & Mike Beedle
Probably the closest thing the Scrum methodology has to an official user manual. Worth reading.
The Scrum Primer — Pete Deemer, Gabrielle Benefield et al
If you don't have time to read Schwaber & Beedle, give this one a try!
Extreme Programming Explained — Kent Beck
Less a process than a set of agile tools. Highly recommended reading.
Scrum and XP from the Trenches — Henrik Kniberg
A refreshingly straightforward and balanced assessment of agile in practice.
Commitment — Olav Maassen, Chris Matts, Chris Geary
A graphic novel about agile project from a risk management perspective.
Agile Coaching — Rachel Davies, Liz Sedley
An easy read, focussing on the often underplayed people aspect of agile software.
Agile Principles, Patterns, and Practices — Robert C. Martin, Micah Martin
A must read guide to sound programming patterns.
Brownfield Application Development — Kyle Baley, Donald Belcham
An excellent treatment of strategies for working with legacy codebases.
The Mythical Man Month — Fred Brooks
A time honoured set of short lessons about software development.
Peopleware — Tom DeMarco & Timothy Lister
The all-important human side of the software development equation.
Slack — Tom DeMarco
Fascinating and powerful book about the importance of having spare resources for innovation.