Reading
Books and articles that changed how I think. Not a comprehensive list, just the ones that stuck with me years later.
Books
Hackers and Painters
Paul Graham
This book gave me permission to think of programming as a creative act. I was a young developer in Bangalore when I first read it and it changed my trajectory completely.
The Design of Everyday Things
Don Norman
Made me pay attention to how things are built, not just that they work. I now notice bad door handles everywhere.
Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!
Richard P. Feynman
The joy of finding things out. Feynman had this quality of being curious about everything without being pretentious about it.
The Mythical Man-Month
Frederick P. Brooks Jr.
Written in 1975 and still painfully accurate. Every project manager should be required to read the chapter on conceptual integrity.
Thinking, Fast and Slow
Daniel Kahneman
I keep a running list of my own cognitive biases after reading this. The list is long.
Articles and Essays
Aaron Swartz
Aaron linked to my blog once. I will always be grateful for the web he helped build.
Paul Graham
Introduced me to the idea that your choice of programming language is a competitive advantage.