Alonso Robles

I have read several books in my career. Some helped me and some wasted my time. Some academic others practical. A few struck a chord with me and those I consider timeless gems. This page serves as a breathing list of those gems. In it you will find those books I recommend and consider required reading (or reference material). I urge you to check it from time to time infrequently as some books I will add titles from time to time and perhaps remove a few.

Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams – I found several recommendation for this book in blog posts from some industry folks I respect, but I never got around to picking it up since it was a technology book. It’s a people book. People within in the context of a technical organization. More specifically – knowledge workers. I ended up finally reading this book while participating in a book club at work and I finally understood why I folks recommended it so much.

The authors, Tom DeMarco and Tim Lister, tackle the activities, behaviors, and traits which break down the spirits of knowledge workers, kill teams, and spell disaster for projects. Examples of good and bad from their experience as consultants are generously shared. The advice and cautions found in this book are enlightening and relatable. Working professionals at all levels of any size organization can benefit greatly from this book.