Here's a summary of the books that were suggested. Looks like Cryptonomicon is the most voted for. This is also available at: http://traxel.com/doc/geek-books.txt if you want a convenient way to print it. The Adolescence of P1 It is Science-Fiction about the "ultimate" virus and was written BPC (Before PC). Shockwave Rider Secrets & Lies by Bruce Schneier a good read, but not a novel. I believe James Brunner is the author of Shockwave Rider. Actually, it's John Brunner. Stand on Zanzibar The Jagged Orbit The Sheep Look Up Other books by John Brunner that are worth reading The last one is quite depressing, however. Java How to Program from Dietel & Dietel is a really good book. The Truth Machine it was pretty interesting. It's more quasi-IT than IT, but pretty good. I don't remember the author's name. The author is James L. Halperin. Good sci-fi, IMHO.=20 Soul of a New Machine by Tracy Kidder The New New Thing by Michael Lewis TechTV|Screensavers|Geek Library for more recommendations. http://www.techtv.com/screensavers/supergeek/story/0,24330,3319484,00.html Hackers: Heros of the Computer Revolution Steven Levy. Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid Douglas Hofstadter. I would call this book computer related, but not IT related though. Snowcrash Cryptonomicon pretty interesting reads. I enjoyed reading anything by Neal Stephenson, although he is a *little* long winded. The main character in Cryptonomicon uses an OS called "Finux". Heh Cryptonomicon Open Sources The Cathedral and The Bazaar Being Digital Under the Radar Takedown Just For Fun pretty good as well The Dream Machine M Mitchell Walthrop another good one not so much *IT* related as it is to the history and pioneers of the computing revolution. Circa the early 1900's. Cryptonomicon Neal Stephenson beware -it's nearly 1000 pages! The Deadline Tom DeMarco. a great fictional book about project management. one of the best books I have read. In the beginning there was the command line non-fiction book by Stephenson is [ed - this was used by Stephenson as a marketing device for Cryptonomicon, and is available online at: http://www.cryptonomicon.com/beginning.html ] Where wizards stay up late non-fiction book about the creation of the internet Hackers Stephen Levy a good book True Names Vernor Vinge rereleased and has a bunch of articles in it along with the story. Fiction Otherland series Tad Williams should be good. I am about 200 pages into the first book. The Road Ahead Bill Gates. Seriously. Really, I'm not trying to be funny The Cyber Thief and the Samurai factual, but fun reading.