Programming Pearls
Jon Bentley
35 people recommended it in 22 threads, 2008–2025.
What people on Hacker News said
This book presents programming problems and solutions that enhance problem-solving skills and algorithmic thinking.
A humbling book. I read it and think "that's really clever, I would not have thought of that."
It hasn't a lot of algorithms per se, but it has a lot of examples of how a different view on a problem can lead to an easier/more performant solution.
Programming Pearls is awesome too... there are solutions to many of the problems (but not all).
Or, books that are written in problem-hint-solution style, such as The Little Book of Semaphores and To Mock a Mockingbird. These are so fun and easy to read.
Among many other things, some clever / advanced uses of awk.
--Coding excercises, advice, and annecdotes about problem solving. Get up on grandpa's knee and listen to a bunch of stories about UNIX.
Where it comes up
- Ask HN: What language-agnostic programming books should I read? 2017 · 9 recommendations
- Ask HN: Best books under 200 pages for developers? 2020 · 2 recommendations
- Ask HN: Computer Science/History Books? 2020 · 2 recommendations
- Ask HN: What's the best computer science book you've read recently? 2017 · 2 recommendations
- What is the single most influential book every programmer should read? 2011 · 2 recommendations
- What is the single most influential book every programmer should read? 2011 · 2 recommendations
- Ask HN: What's the best book you've read regarding software development? 2025 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: What are the most eye-opening textbooks you have ever read? 2023 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: Which books do you consider real gems in your field of work/study? 2022 · 1 recommendation
- Books that changed my career as a software engineer 2021 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: Books you plan to read in 2020? 2019 · 1 recommendation
- Alan Kay's answer to ‘what are some forgotten books programmers should read?’ 2019 · 1 recommendation
- Reddit's favorite programming books, from 3.5B comments 2017 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: Books you read in 2016? 2016 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift? 2016 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: I have $2k for books, training and confs. What should I spend it on? 2015 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: What's the best programming book you've read recently? 2014 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: Best books you read in 2012 2012 · 1 recommendation
- The Book That Every Programmer Should Read 2011 · 1 recommendation
- Best algorithms book I ever read 2011 · 1 recommendation