Favorite Books

I absolutely love reading! I became a voracious reader around the age of twelve discovering their power of unlocking the world. I probably buy more books than I will ever have time to finish, but I love learning from other people, discovering new perspectives, and exploring unfamiliar ideas.

Below are some of my favorite books—ones that have shaped how I think, work, and build.

I also have a slightly unusual habit: whenever I see someone’s bookshelf, I can spend ten or twenty minutes studying what they have chosen to read. Sometimes I even take a picture so I can look up the titles later.

Systems, Architecture & Design

Designing Data-Intensive Applications

Martin Kleppmann

I started reading this book when I wanted to dive deeper into the world of big data several years ago. Kleppmann does a fantastic job explaining complex data systems in a practical and understandable way. It helped me see how databases, distributed systems, pipelines, and system architecture fit together. I especially appreciated how the book compares different design choices and explains the tradeoffs behind them not simply describing them.

Understanding Architecture

Leland M. Roth & Amanda C. Roth Clark

Psychology, Decision-Making & Self-Development

Thinking, Fast and Slow

Daniel Kahneman

I enjoyed this book because it helped me better understand how people make decisions and how easily our thinking can be influenced by biases. I found the contrast between fast, intuitive thinking and slow, deliberate thinking especially useful. The book made me reflect more carefully on my own judgments and decision-making habits.

The Daily Stoic

Ryan Holiday & Stephen Hanselman

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance

Angela Duckworth

The Brain That Changes Itself

Norman Doidge

Technology & Software Engineering

The Pragmatic Programmer

David Thomas & Andrew Hunt

This one is a classic! I picked this up about 1-2 years into my career and found it to be a great resource for developing into a better software engineer.