Foundations of Graphics & Compute - Volume 3: Computing (Hardback)

An enjoyable and informative read, though it could have been shorter.

There is a particular kind of technical book that is dense without being difficult, and this is one of them. The chapters on databases & big data are the strongest — the examples are stripped down but complete, and I could follow along without constant guessing. The author clearly knows the subject deeply and has thought hard about how to teach it. The code samples assume a particular environment, which took a bit of fiddling to get running properly. A good addition to a technical library, as long as you know what you are buying.

This is the one to get if you are serious about databases & big data.

I had been on the fence about this one for a while, and I should have bought it sooner. The progression from chapter to chapter is well thought out; nothing feels out of order. The book rewards careful reading. Skimming it would be a mistake. If you have the prerequisites, this is an easy recommendation. I will be keeping it on my desk rather than the shelf.