Technology is influencing our world more and more. Give the tech-obsessed individuals in your life the gift of knowledge by educating them about the brands and personalities that are sweeping the industry, the news cycle, and, more and more, our lives. If you want to know more, don’t miss these must-read technology books.
These are some of the greatest tech books to give as gifts, ranging from meticulously studied biographies and histories detailing the rise and collapse of contemporary company empires to in-depth analyses of the invention of significant devices.
We wanted to honor the must-read books on technology that have endured throughout time if obsolescence is what defines the current world. Language is one of the most powerful and ancient technologies we have.
Tech-Books You Shouldn’t Miss
1. Close To The Machine By Ellen Ullman
Ullman not only describes what it was like to be an engineer during the dot-com boom in one of the must-read technology books, but she does it in language that many other authors would find intimidating. The programmers in her environment are alienated and want to transcend human limitations via their code; at the start of the novel, Ullman and two other programmers have not left their workplace in three days.
These programmers have little regard for the end users, who are just too human; Ullman’s endeavor to create software that would unite these two groups troubles her more and more. Because the program is intended to assist AIDS patients, who live far from the machine and the cold, antiseptic comforts of logic.
Though, for better or worse, since Ullman’s original writing, we’ve all become more used to the computer, and this memoir stands as maybe the most influential work on technology ever produced.
Buy From: Amazon, Bookswagon.
Price:
- Kindle edition: $11.99.
- Hardcover: $84.16.
- Paperback: $9.46
2. The Age of A.I. By Henry Kissinger, Eric Schmidt, and Daniel Huttenlocher
Together, three of the most brilliant and perceptive minds on the planet discuss artificial intelligence (AI), how it is changing human civilization, and what this technology means for all of us. AI is becoming available in a wide range of industries, including education, healthcare, streaming, and searching, and it is changing how people see the world.
This book will be helpful to IT executives who are searching for an AI roadmap for the now and the future. This is one of the first books that discusses the ramifications of ignoring how artificial intelligence has already impacted our lives and will continue to do so, said one five-star reviewer.
Huge concepts and a call to embrace our historical sovereignty and acknowledge that history will be formed by a “partnership” with AI rather than by human free choice. I hope that rather than being seen as competition, this will be perceived as cooperation.
Buy From: Amazon, Porchlight Book Company.
Price:
- Audio Book: Free with Audible Premium.
- Kindle edition: $12.99.
- Hardcover: $12.89.
- Paperback: $9.61.
3. Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology By Neil Postman
In this one of the must-read books on technology, Postman makes the argument that Big Tech rules America in a “totalitarian technopoly,” stifling humankind. Because it is difficult to decide which information to reject, systems of meaning have completely lost their power, making it impossible to reliably organize information into meaningful categories.
People no longer trust social institutions, and as a result, they constantly seek approval from their electronic toys, such as physicians who will treat blood tests but not symptoms, since they have lost faith in themselves. Postman makes the darkly humorous claim that we have become obedient to our technology.
Buy From: Amazon, AbeBooks.
Price:
- Audio Book: Free with Audible Premium.
- Kindle edition: $14.99.
- Hardcover: $24.
- Paperback: $13.25.
4. Doing Agile Right: Transformation without Chaos By Darrell K. Rigby, Sarah Elk, and Steve Berez
Work may be transformed by agile, but only if it is used correctly. Business executives have been acutely aware of a significant gap for decades: they want to build agile, adaptable companies. But in fact, they deal with stagnant innovation, slow procedures, and silos daily. The authors dissect agile operations, demonstrate best practices, and emphasize how vital it is to scale agile correctly to achieve its maximum potential.
This article will show CIOs that maintaining high agility within their organizations requires balancing. You will discover the fallacies and misunderstandings that have accompanied the popularity of Agile. When you read this book, you’ll learn how to revolutionize your business and shoot to the top.
Buy From: Amazon, AbeBooks.
Price:
- Audio Book: Free with Audible Premium.
- Kindle edition: $16.
- Hardcover: $16.84.
- Audio CD: $34.99.
5. Uncanny Valley By Anna Weiner
Among the autobiographies from Silicon Valley, this one of the must-read technology books sticks out since it doesn’t exactly have a happy ending. Now that we think about it, neither the beginning nor the middle is very joyful. What we get instead is a very intimate account of what it’s like to work at tech firms where women who aren’t developers are idolized by males who are skilled engineers and programmers.
It’s also a tale of change: the kind that occurs when someone relocates across the nation, takes a job with new colleagues, or gradually realizes that the unwavering optimism that the tech industry and the rest of the world held about it in the early 2010s may not have been justified.
Buy From: Amazon, Bookswagon.
Price:
- Audio Book: Free with Audible Premium.
- Kindle edition: $9.99.
- Hardcover: $13.44.
- Paperback: $11.39.
6. Technology & Society: Second Edition Edited By Deborah G. Johnson and Jameson M. Wetmore
Writings on the relationships between technology, society, and morals by intellectuals as diverse as Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain and Bruno Latour. Technological development is not a vacuum; choices about which technologies to create, finance, promote, and use include both cost-benefit analyses and ethical judgments.
We must first comprehend the close ties that bind technology and society together if we are to have any positive effect on technological growth. Numerous texts show how gender and ethnicity are entwined with technology.
With views of the future ranging from technological utopias to cautionary tales, IT executives who read this book may analyze how people influence technology and how technology changes people. According to Gary Lee Downey, an alumni distinguished professor of science and technology studies at Virginia Tech, “Our lives are always filled with our values, but technologies also permeate them.”
This well-put-together anthology encourages readers to consider and critically analyze how we relate to technology in our daily lives, acknowledging that it has both social and technical elements. How would you want to interact with technology? Which values? Which technological advancements? Explore this book to learn how you and your devices can travel more effectively together.
Buy From: Amazon, Bookswagon.
Price:
- Kindle edition: $38.99.
- Paperback: $47.95.
7. This Machine Kills Secrets By Andy Greenberg
There are hackers, whistleblowers, idealists, and some very disgusting individuals in this thrilling thriller. The book links the lesser-known players that blew up geopolitics and are still distorting our society now, from Daniel Ellsberg to WikiLeaks. Stories about the “crypto wars” of the 1990s (cryptography, not monkey jpegs) and the cypherpunks mailing list are interwoven with compelling depictions of likable villains and imperfect heroes.
The one thing to be aware of is that Chelsea Manning, who openly changed her name and pronouns the year following publication, is dead-named in every edition of the book that is now available. “I’m not feeling very good about that,” Greenberg emailed me. He clarified that because the book hasn’t been reissued, there hasn’t been a chance to rectify this.
This book is highly recommended for anyone seeking entertainment, as well as for those seeking a deeper understanding of a controversial and rather gritty aspect of computer culture that has dominated Silicon Valley for many years but has received little attention outside of the region.
Buy From: Amazon, AbeBooks.
Price:
- Kindle edition: $10.99.
- Paperback: $16.
8. Women of Color in Tech: A Blueprint for Inspiring and Mentoring the Next Generation of Technology Innovators By Susanne Tedrick
This is one of the must-read books on technology to assist women of color in overcoming the barriers that keep them from seeking and maintaining professions in technology. Contrary to common assumptions, there are many enjoyable and varied computer occupations outside of coding.
This book will demonstrate the very dynamic nature of today’s IT jobs and teach you how to use your soft skills, such as networking, public speaking, and communication, to excel in the field.
To help and assist young women of color in their IT careers, CIOs and IT executives should establish trusting connections and networks with them. This book provides helpful guidance and motivational tales to assist in cultivating the ideal mentality for empowering women of color and advancing their professions.
Buy From: Amazon, Bookswagon.
Price:
- Kindle edition: $15.
- Paperback: $18.15.
9. Hamlet on the Holodeck By Janet Murray
Murray has had a profound impact on how people see the internet and video games. Her work includes the first strands of the arguments about agency, immersion, and emergent narrative that we’re still debating today. It was written in the period of Doom, Myst, and the text-based predecessors to massively multiplayer games (plus, as its title implies, a lot of additional allusions to Star Trek).
However, reading Hamlet on the Holodeck is worthwhile for more reasons than just proving Murray correct or pointing out her errors. It is a dissertation on the possibilities of computer storytelling from a time that is both astonishingly similar to and distinct from our own.
Buy From: Amazon, Abebooks.
Price:
- Kindle edition: $17.99.
- Hardcover: $27.63.
- Paperback: $19.38.
Things To Consider When Choosing Tech Books
When it comes to learning about IT technology, a lot of individuals would rather read must-read technology books than browse the internet or watch YouTube videos. While reading these books may help you become a better IT professional, not every IT tech book is appropriate for everyone. Therefore, consider these while choosing one:
Date of Publication: Given the fast evolution of IT technology, it is essential to verify the currentness of information found in books. On the other hand, certain IT disciplines remain relatively unaffected by time. For example, the fundamental architecture of Internet technology is not changing very quickly.
Therefore, you may not have to worry as much about the publishing date if you want to learn about subjects like “What are IP addresses?” or “What role does a DNS server play?” Nevertheless, IT libraries and frameworks develop rapidly.
Level of the Book: Naturally, novices will find it difficult to read IT tech literature written for a mature audience. To avoid wasting time or money, you must choose books that are appropriate for your reading level. Those that are too simple won’t provide insightful new knowledge, while those that are too hard could be unreadable.
Selecting books that are just a little bit above your present level is what I advise. These are appropriate if you can follow the general ideas of the book but must read closely to comprehend the intricacies.
FAQ
Q: What effects has technology had on books?
A: The accessibility of e-books is one of their biggest benefits. Readers may travel with their complete library thanks to e-readers, tablets, and cell phones. People can now find and read a greater variety of books, from bestsellers to specialist genres, more easily because of this convenience.
Q: Why does technology matter more than literature?
A: The manner in which literature is created and consumed is altered by technology, which results in the birth of new literary genres and dialects. Technology has been accepted as a topic in Irish literature and has impacted Irish literary practices and cultural creation.
Q: Does reading get better with technology?
A: Technology, when applied properly, helps develop readers with high comprehension and analytical abilities. We’ve compiled a list of the top teaching techniques to improve literacy, diversify your lessons, and foster a love of print.
