Resources

The human brain is the best computer there is (excluding the SNES of course) so you want it working FOR you unlike the majority of the human race. That also puts you in an advantageous position when it comes to learning to code and then finding your way into the industry.

The title may sound silly, or a bit fluffy on the buzzwords but I found this an interesting read and definitely believe it has helped me to understand and harness my brain power.

Have you read it? I would love to know your thoughts.

A strong work ethic and a productive life can be built by eradicating unhealthy habits and manifesting healthy ones. This book is a great example and guide for how to do just that – also, for us nerds, it goes into some of the science and psychology of it all.

There is a reason it is a bestseller.

This book arrived in my life exactly when I needed it. Recommended to me by a fellow coder – you definitely need the right mindset to learn programming. If you give up easily when things get tough, or you feel you’re not good enough, or can’t improve – read this darn book.

The gist is, life is not black or white (or grey, for that matter – insert nerdy joke about grey matter here). You can improve, you’re not limited in this world, you just need the right “mindset”.

Work and study more efficiently? How? Read this book which delves into many real world examples of how the right environment and practices can set you up to be super-effective in what you’re learning and producing.

The modern world is chaos and full of distractions (many of which are thanks to our fellow coders). If you can circumnavigate the things that may hinder your progress then you can accelerate the journey of getting to where you want to be – capeesh?

I also recommend So Good They Can’t Ignore You by Cal Newport which is a deep dive into what it takes to be an expert at your craft – it has many similar themes to Deep Work. However, I think Deep Work is the most appropriate for what we’re trying to achieve.

For better or worse, Rob Moore says it like it is. But, who would disagree with that title statement? If we agree, then why don’t we live by that mantra?

There are obvious reasons (for example, fear of making a prat of yourself – see Mindset, by Carol S Dweck) and there are less obvious reasons.

I’ve read a few of Rob Moore’s books but this is the one that applies to our situation. The main takeaway from the majority of his content is that it pays to be a producer rather than a consumer.

Do you spend your spare time producing results, producing content, making progress? Or, do you spend your time consuming junk food, Netflix or TikTok?There is a reason it is a bestseller.

I couldn’t believe how well Charles explained the origins and evolution of the computer. It does get pretty complex as you progress but, the complexity is explained in such a way that I came away feeling very smart – and also inspired and assured that working with computers was something I definitely wanted to do!

The thing I like about this series of books is that it is very visual which helps with learning when you’re starting out. It has a clean layout and as always, the risk is that it becomes outdated as with all print books but there will always be enough to learn the fundamentals here regardless. Treat it as a stepping stone.

As above, this is a great, visual resource that does a great job of explaining things to beginners. I’ll be honest, by the time I read this book I was already quite far on my journey into coding but I still found it useful. These Jon Duckett books are quite hefty, so, not very portable but they can be wildly waved around in a threatening manor at anyone who tells you you can’t be a developer.

This one goes out to all the budding video game designers at Outfox Code. I found this read insightful and informative. You quickly realise just how much there is to consider with video game design and builds. I have a newfound respect for video games and their creators.

Any programming book that is still relevant 20 years later is worth reading. This will help inform or remind you of approaches and principles to your code. Buy the book, follow the advice and your colleagues will thank you for it in the future!

I probably wouldn’t recommend this to those starting out as the examples may scare you off but much like the pragmatic programmer, the principles contained within this book will put you in good stead for working on projects with a team. Full of examples of ways to code in a smart way, and in an efficient way.