Selected Papers on Computer Science is written by Donald Knuth (of The Art of Computer Programming & TeX fame) and is (IMHO rightly) considered by some as being the greatest living Computer Scientist. Here is the list of papers in the book:
- 0. Algorithms, Programs, and CS
- 1. CS and its Relation to Math
- 2. Math and CS: Coping with Finiteness
- 3. Algorithms
- 4. Algorithms in Modern Math and CS
- 5. Algorithms Themes
- 6.-9. Theory and Practice I..IV
- 10. Are Toy Problems Useful?
- 11. Ancient Babylonian Algorithms
- 12. Von Neumann’s First Computer Program (sorting)
- 13. The IBM 650: An Appreciation from the Field
- 14. George Forsythe and the Development of Computer Science
- 15. Artistic Programming
Now, I don’t want to sound too melodramatic but I have to tell you all that this book is unique! All of the papers are very interesting to read and full of insights and small details to make you think. Some of them require a good level of maths but we are supposed to be Computer Scientists, isn’t it?
The second book is Hackers and Painters by Paul Graham (who is currently one of my top 5 sources of inspiration…). This book basically contains (slightly modified) essays that Paul wrote and published on his website. The essays are diverse:
- 1. Why Nerds Are Unpopular
- 2. Hackers and Painters
- 3. What You Can’t Say
- 4. Good Bad Attitude
- 5. The Other Road Ahead
- 6. How to Make Wealth
- 7. Mind the Gap
- 8. A Plan for Spam
- 9. Taste for Makers
- 10. Programming Languages Explained
- 11. The Hundred-Year Language
- 12. Beating the Averages
- 13. Revenge of the Nerds
- 14. The Dream Language
- 15. Design and Research
The essays talk of taste, of “how to make wealth” (and not money!), of LISP as a programming language and everything in between… This is really an inspiring book. Read it and your life will be changed ;-)
In fact, Donald Knuth even acknowledges that Robert Floyd (passed away in 2001) remains the greatest of them all. That’s why he’s dedicating the fourth volume of the Art of programming to the late chap who became full professor at Stanford without a PhD! A true genius.
Robert Floyd worked closely with Donald Knuth, in particular as the major reviewer for Knuth’s seminal book The Art of Computer Programming, and is the person most cited in that work. [I quote]
I have to admit I never heard of Robert Floyd before. Thanks for your input Burrito :-)