OT-Simon Singh writes good maths books- engineering?

[misterroy]

I have read and enjoyed Simon Singh's Maths based books, is there an engineering equivalent?

[FullyDetached]

I'm not an engineer, but I enjoyed these: Structures, or why things don't fall down - J.E. Gordon Structural Engineer's Pocket Book - Fiona Cobb

[Clive George]

The new science of strong materials by the same man is even better.

[Martin Bonner]

+1. I got 2/3rds of the way through a Metallurgy degree from Cambridge pretty much on the back of those two - and they are very easy reading.

(Unfortunately they weren't enough to get me *all* the way through - so I basically didn't do very well in the end, and had to become a programmer instead.)

[Theo Markettos]

Not quite as chatty as Simon Singh's books, but one to look at is The Art of Electronics - it's chattier than most and fairly easy to read, if comprehensive (ie large). It's a bit more practical, since it's assumed you'll be using what it teaches you, rather than a general interest/popular science book.

3rd edition recently came out, 25 years after the last. I haven't seen it yet, so I think my Christmas reading is sorted :)

Theo

[Bob Eager]

I have owned both of the previous editions....think I shall get this!

[John Rumm]

The second is a very good source of data, but its hardly a readable book with a narrative of the kind Singh writes.

[John Rumm]

Andrew S. Tanenbaum book on networks.

Richard W Stevens on TCP/IP (first two volumes especially)

Any of the Steve McConnel books on software engineering (Rapid Development, Code Complete)

[Jethro_uk]

My bible 1984-1988 ... worth every penny, and still on my shelf

Kernighan & Ritchie ?

[Bob Eager]

The three volumes on TCP/IP by Douglas Comer.

And of course the Kunth trilogy-and-a-bit.

[John Rumm]

I was keeping it a bit more general engineering principles rather than pure software... While K&R's blue book was seminal, its not the best on the subject IMHO.

[alan_m]

Although I've found the second edition useful I think it was rather padded out with 'old technology', especially on the digital side, even

10+ years ago.

In some respects the era of these types of books is waning with the growth of information on the Net.

[RJH]

Free download as well

[Theo Markettos]

It was written in 1989, so not so surprising. I think the second edition will still be useful for the times you really need understand the deep analogue things - it sounds like the third edition is rather more systems-y, which is probably more relevant today.

Yes and no. The advantage of a whole treatment is that it tells you about the things you don't know that you don't know. Once you know that something exists and what it's good for, you can just go and search for the details.

Theo

[John Rumm]

Singh's "Big Bang" is quite good as well.

One of the best science "story" books I have ever read is:

It pulls in so much related stuff, and friendships with so many leading lights in the discovery of modern physics that makes is a very interesting all round read.