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A book that keeps you thinking after you finish it. Is there life outside our planet? Have they been in contact with us? Have they included any markers that would lead us to them? Are we alone?

Tags: science fiction

Perhaps the most famous cat in the world, Garfield delivers in this book. This is a collection of past Garfield comic strips with the cartoonist Jim Davis explaining some of his decision making process. Davis has a different idea about commercialization than Watterson (of Calvin and Hobbes) and he makes a compelling argument.

Garfield, as usual, torments his owner and everyone who comes in his path. There is lovable Odie. There is the gluttony and mad rushes at lasagna. There is Garfield's laziness which results in the audacity of the mice in the house. And finally Garfield's terrible singing on the fence in the wee hours of the night.

Tags: comics humor

The author debunks many of the investment theories and practices that Wall Street analysts and stock traders use. He explains how no method can predict the stock market with any level of consistency because of the inherent lack of knowledge of the future. The author also provides financial guidance for people based on their life situation and their inclination towards risk. Read this book before you play the stock market.

Tags: economics finance

The author takes us on an amazing journey of the discoveries made by scientists in various fields such as astrophysics, nuclear physics, chemistry, biology, archeology and geology. It is an excellent introduction to many key concepts and facts in science. Bill Bryson is not a scientist and approaches issues from a layman's angle, making the book all the more entertaining.

Tags: history science

One of the greatest love stories ever. The story surrounding the POWs in Malaysia is gut-wrenching. The ending is very satisfying. The book is a testament to the human spirit and undying love.

Tags: romance

A history of the United States with a difference. The author covers the economic events that occurred in the period from the first European settlers on the American soil to the start of the 21st century. He explains the evolution of the American economic and financial system, and how the United States has managed to become the predominant economic power through its unique economic system.

Tags: economics history

Simon Singh provides a great narrative about the history of discoveries in astrophysics and how ideas about the origin of the universe have evolved. It is similar to Stephen Hawking's book, but much larger and more detailed. It is very easy to read with good illustrations and historical information.

Tags: science physics

The author explains the power of first impressions and also their negative aspect. The examples and research cited are very powerful in illustrating his points.

Tags: marketing psychology

The classic anti-war story. The phrase "Catch-22" has become part of the language. You will never forget the black humor and characters in this book.

Tags: humor satire

Code Complete 2 is the book that every software developer must read. In fact, they should probably read this before they do their first real development project. It is one of the best books about the practices involved in software programming. McConnell talks about almost every aspect of software construction I can think of, including personal integrity. A large book, it does take time to read, but the effort is worth the investment.

Tags: software programming

This is one of the most readable technical textbooks I have encountered. It explains networks and telecommunications in a very fascinating way, with a lot of humor thrown into the mix. Tanenbaum is, of course, the creator of Minix, which Linus Torvalds tinkered with before creating Linux.

Tags: software

I cannot think of a book more relevant to managers in particular and all people in general. We all have had to deal with difficult people and somehow we get sucked into the impossible situations that they create. The author does a great job of identifying the various types of difficult behavior and provide advice on how to cope with them. He righly does not attempt to correct the people who display those behaviors and instead provides very practical ways to manage them.

Tags: business management psychology

This is one of the economics books that is a joy to read. The book is about the term "Creative Capitalism", a term introduced by Bill Gates to describe a new system that is meant to generate profits while helping to alleviate the suffering of the poor and the helpless in the world. Different economists air their views on the subject.

One of the main threads of discussion was whether the term "creative capitalism" is meaningful. Isn't capitalism already creative? Some economists object to this term because it implies that the present capitalism is insufficient in addressing poverty and other development problems. The discussion also centers around the social responsibilities of a corporation. Should a corporation be concerned only with profits for shareholders and leaving matters of charity, equality and development to individuals and the democratic systems? Does it have other obligations to society? What are the stakeholders for a corporation other than its shareholders?

The book covers a lot of ground not through one particular person's point of view, but through many different perspectives from all parts of the economic spectrum. As the world moves towards addressing the important challenges of this century (poverty, disease, and climate change), you will continue to hear and read more about this topic.

Tags: economics

It is easy to talk and behave appropriately when things are going fine. But how does one talk under pressure and when things are under stake? How does one have productive conversations with people who are antagonistic? This book does an excellent job of exploring such issues and gives great advice to cope with difficult circumstances.

Tags: negotiation psychology

Starts off with intense nostalgia. This is the last hunt for Hercule Poirot and Captain Hastings as they try to find the person who commits the perfect murder. The plot is set in the same house as the "The Mysterious Affair at Styles". It was written by Agatha Christie and locked up for 40 years before it was finally published. Not the greatest mystery, but still it is the fittest ending to the career of the one of the greatest fictional detectives ever.

Tags: mystery

I heard this book on audio CD read by the author himself and it was probably the best way to listen to this excellently written narrative of Obama's family from his grandparents to the present day. The author takes us across the world from Kansas to Hawaii to Indonesia to Kenya. The book is also a wonderful perspective into racial relations and how a minority tends to analyze every action, glance or word from the majority - an aspect which can be frustrating and self-defeating. Obama also shows how following one's dreams can change a person with regard to his roots, culture, community and friends, regardless of which continent you are on. This is not a political book - it is deeply moral and thought-provoking. For me, who has spent every third of my life in different countries, it feels intensely personal.

Tags: biography politics

It is very rare to get a book that is at once both useful to beginners as well as experts, but Essential ASP.NET manages to do exactly that. It starts with explaining the essential concepts, starts with a simple example and easily navigates its way into complexity without confusing the reader. Code samples and screenshots are used very effectively. Highly recommended.

Tags: software programming

The book bases its findings on the Gallup poll conducted across a wide range of organizations. The book presents a questionnaire that will help organizations understand employee motivation.

Tags: business management

Excellent book of interviews with founders of different software and hardware companies. The author interviewed many industry icons such as Steve Wozniak and Dan Bricklin, Web 2.0 application creators such as David Hansson and Mena Trott, as well as popular software entrepreneurs and writers like Paul Graham and Joel Spolsky. The founders talk about their dreams and fears, and what they think success is about and how it can be achieved. The book also contains their experiences in many unglamorous aspects of their work such as raising venture capital, dealing with legal issues, etc. A great resource for budding entrepreneurs.

Tags: biography technology

The story of the final days of the British Raj and the horrors of Partition amidst the joy of independence, this book is a breath-taking work. It cover many of the prominent individuals who would have a part to play in the historic events in 1947 and early 1948. Gandhi's assassination is also covered in significant detail.

Tags: history biography

Extremely well-researched and a great read. It attempts to answer the question: If you are not already a great company, where do you start? How do companies that are just getting along make the transition to great companies and outpace their competitors? The author and his team have used statistics from thousands of public companies to identify a handful of Good-to-Great companies. Using a set of comparison companies, the book outlines the necessary conditions for an organization to truly make the cut.

Tags: leadership business management

The authors describe evidence-based management in this book. They explore various situations in business environments, such as financial incentives and change management, in the light of evidence from research. They emphasize how business leaders and managers must avoid decisions that are based on unproven assumptions and instead look closely at real facts.

Tags: business management

Funny and engrossing, it should be your first guide to learning design patterns. The information is presented using vivid examples, elaborate diagrams and essential source code. Many questions from the reader are anticipated and answered along the way. The one beef I have with the book is its lack of a good appendix that can act as a reference. Of course, if you buy the book or make notes, you can overcome that problem.

Tags: software design

The techniques in this book are immortal. Dale Carnegie's book is very compelling 70 years later. The most important aspect of the book is that first and foremost, it is a book about sincerity and deep human values. Winning friends and influencing people comes first from genuine respect and caring for others. The book's techniques provide additional guidance in identifying blind spots in one's behavior that turn off people and create unnecessary friction.

Tags: leadership business ethics

The classic book on Transactional Analysis, it covers the concepts of Parent, Adult and Child. It is a very helpful book in helping people deal with one another. I feel that the emphasis on the actual transaction instead of the individual helps tremendously in making this strategy effective.

Tags: psychology