JRuby might just be the answer to your web devlopment problems. This book shows you how to get up and running with JRuby on Rails, how to deploy it, and what to avoid. Documentation for JRuby is a little sparse at the moment so this is a great reference to get started.

A collection of amazing articles on how code is supposed to be written.

YAJSB (Yet Another Joel Spolsky Book). This book "borrows" a lot from Joel's previ ous publications, but it's still a good read. Full of great tips on how to hire the best technical talent around.

The story of the man who brought us Emacs, the Free Software Foundation and the GPL. An interesting read about a very interesting and passionate man.

An excellent reference on the minefield that is CSS.

Agile is a pretty hot topic these days. This book covers some of the more practical day-to-day techniques that help make a developer more "agile". Many of the practices covered are just plain common sense. But many will make you think and realise that there is a better way of doing things.

Are you a Java developer? Do you want to learn Rails? Then this book is for you (although you probably guessed that from the title). This book compares Rails to the standard Java web stack making learning Rails much easier for a Java developer. While it doesn't cover everything to the nth degree, it does give an excellent overview of the concepts and core-technology behind Rails. It explains the fundamentals of the core Ruby language too.

A collection of interviews with some of the greatest founders in the software business. An ispiring read.

The definitive Ruby on Rails book. Probably the only Rails book you'll ever need. Also available as a PDF.

Known as "The Pickaxe", this is the ultimate guide to Ruby.

Written by the Rob Harrop (one of the core Spring developers), this is an excellent reference for Spring. A little dated now with the release of Spring 2.0, but still a great reference.

Like it or not, Struts is still one of the biggest web frameworks around. This book provides a decent overview of the framework, and some good sample code.

Essential reading for every Java developer.

Think you know Java pretty well? Then think again. This book makes your brain hurt. Not only is it a great collection of puzzles (and potential interview questions) but it might just save you hours of pulling your hair out trying to find that bug.

Bruce Tate's attempt to rid of the world of EJBs.

This is basically a print out of Joel's blog with a few extra bits and pieces. Sure, you can can read it online for free, but the book is handy for reading on the train and for throwing at managers who just don't understand.

Another book from our good friend Joel Spolsky. This book contains a collection of Joel's favourite articles about software, much of which is available online for free. But it's nice to have it all together in one place with Joel's witty introductions.

A fantastic book by Paul Graham. Read it twice.

A must read for all those developers who aren't interested in "graduating" into a management position. Yes there is an alternative career path that allows you to continue to write code for living, and this book tells you how to do it.

Eric Sink is one of the founders of SourceGear and regularly blogs about all things software releated. This book contains his advice on running a successful software company. A great read for anyone interested in starting their own business.

A good introduction to AJAX and the technology behind it.

Another excellent book on AJAX. This book covers the low-level details of AJAX and the best practices that should be followed when using it. While it doesn't cover any specific AJAX frameworks (which is a good thing because it would have been out of date before it went to print) it does a great job of explaining the nuts and bolts that make AJAX work.

Every software developer should read this book. A collection of years of experience that will enlighten even a seasoned developer.

Another classic that every developer should read. These guys know what they're talking about. Read it and take note. This was the book that started it all for The Pragmatic Programmers. Since then they've written a whole raft of great books that you really should read.

One of Martin Fowler's classics. Pretty heavy going, but a must-read.

A pragmatic look at UML from Martin Fowler. This book contains some great advice on how to use UML effectively. Many projects end up with a pile of UML diagrams that nobody ever looks at. This book gives some advice on how to use UML in a way that might actually benefit your project.

Yet another great book from the master.

The definitive guide to UML. Not something you want to sit down and read cover-to-cover, but a handy reference book to have around when you need it.

Another must have for every developer's bookshelf. Sure it's a little dated and all the example code is in C++, but this book is worth it's weight in gold. Even if you don't read it, you should buy this book and put it on your bookshelf in the office so people think you're smart.

An interesting story of the life of Linus Torvalds and how he ended up being the most famous geek in the world.

Ever wondered why open source products are often so much better than those sold by big corporates? This book has the answers.

The only book you'll ever need to make VI do what you want it to.

Everything you ever wanted to know about operating systems all in the one book. Not a book you're likely to need to refer to every day (unless you're writing an operating system), but essential reading if you like to know what goes on under the covers of your OS.

An excellent (and brief) overview of XP.

"Why do I want to read a book that some old guy wrote 20 years ago?" I hear you ask. Why? I'll tell you why. Because nothing has changed. Software development is as much of a mystery today as it was back then. Read this book and see for yourself.

A great book about the softer side of software development - the people.

Want to start you're own software company? Not sure where to start? Then read this book. It contains some great practical advice on how to get up and running. Everything from how to register a domian name to how to charge your customer's credit cards.

A rather long book about writing code from Steve McConnell. Long but good.

The bible of C programming. But you don't write C. That's ok. Just put this one on your shelf next to Design Patterns and people will think you're smart. If you do write C, then this is the only book you'll ever need!

Is your project is doomed? You're not alone. Read this.

The story of how silicon valley was born.

Remember Windows NT? This is the story of how it came to be, and the struggles they faced along the way.

Not enough hours in the day? Then this book can help. While it can't change the number of hours in a day, it can help you use them more effectively. Lots of great tips and tricks to help you get things done.

Not just another self-help book. This one actually works. Follow David Allen's system for getting things done and you'll do just that.