Highly Regarded Computer Science Books | Generated by AI
Here’s a curated list of 30 highly regarded computer science books spanning systems, programming, algorithms, networking, theory, and more, all comparable in depth and quality to Computer Systems: A Programmer’s Perspective:
Systems & Architecture
- Computer Systems: A Programmer’s Perspective by Bryant & O’Hallaron (the inspiration for this list)
- Operating Systems: Three Easy Pieces by Remzi Arpaci-Dusseau
- Computer Organization and Design (RISC-V Edition) by Patterson & Hennessy
- Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach by Hennessy & Patterson
- The Linux Programming Interface by Michael Kerrisk
Programming & Software Engineering
- Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs (SICP) by Abelson, Sussman, & Sussman
- The C Programming Language by Kernighan & Ritchie
- Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship by Robert C. Martin
- Code Complete by Steve McConnell
- Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software by Gamma et al.
- The Pragmatic Programmer by Andrew Hunt & David Thomas
- Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code by Martin Fowler
- Programming Pearls by Jon Bentley
Algorithms & Theory
- Introduction to Algorithms (CLRS) by Cormen, Leiserson, Rivest, & Stein
- Algorithms (4th Edition) by Robert Sedgewick & Kevin Wayne
- The Art of Computer Programming by Donald Knuth (multi-volume classic)
- Introduction to the Theory of Computation by Michael Sipser
- Types and Programming Languages by Benjamin C. Pierce
Networking & Distributed Systems
- Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach by Kurose & Ross
- Computer Networks by Andrew Tanenbaum & David Wetherall
- Designing Data-Intensive Applications by Martin Kleppmann
Compilers & Languages
- Compilers: Principles, Techniques, and Tools (Dragon Book) by Aho et al.
- Crafting Interpreters by Robert Nystrom (free online/print)
- Advanced Programming in the UNIX Environment by W. Richard Stevens
Security
- Security Engineering by Ross Anderson
- Hacking: The Art of Exploitation by Jon Erickson
Databases
- Database System Concepts by Silberschatz, Korth, & Sudarshan
Concurrency & Parallelism
- Java Concurrency in Practice by Brian Goetz et al.
Specialized Topics
- Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach by Stuart Russell & Peter Norvig
- Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas Hofstadter (CS/math philosophy)
Bonus Classics
- The Mythical Man-Month by Frederick Brooks (software project management)
- Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software by Charles Petzold
- Cracking the Coding Interview by Gayle Laakmann McDowell (practical prep)
These books cover foundational concepts and modern practices, making them timeless resources for students, engineers, and enthusiasts. Let me know if you’d like deeper dives into specific topics!