The Pragmatic Programmer
At the end of the day, you're still deploying software with a group of people for people who work in a company full of people. This book teaches you how to do well in that world, and that hasn't changed at all.
Readings
Notes, highlights, and insights from the articles, essays, and books that stay with me.
How to win Friends & Influence People
At the end of the day, you will still be in meetings, Slack threads, code reviews, and one-on-ones with real people, no matter how good your tools are. People who want to feel heard. People who shut down when they feel criticized. People who respond better when you make them feel valued.
The 5am Club
You already know mornings matter; this book makes you actually do something about it. Sharma's idea is simple: the first hour of your day, before the world gets its hands on you, is the most powerful hour you have.
Code Complete
This is the book that separates developers who write code from developers who craft software. McConnell covers everything, naming, design, debugging, and testing and somehow makes 900 pages feel essential. Dog-ear it, reread it, keep it next to your keyboard.
Javascript The Good Parts
Javascript is a mess, but hidden inside it is something beautiful. Crockford cuts through all the noise and shows you exactly which parts of the language are worth your time. It's 170 pages, a weekend read, and it will change how you write JavaScript forever.