2018 Favorite Books

Books

So, not my most active year for blogging, but I figure I can at least put together a quick post with my favorite books for the year. My reading this year reflects my transition to a dual-role DevOps engineer and manager. I also have a new plan for my blog in 2019, but I will cover that in a separate post.

Note: None of the links below are affiliate links. I get nothing from linking to these books. I try to link to the author or publisher site when possible, and Amazon as the default.

Favorite Books 2018

  • The DevOps Handbook - The definitive guide to implementing DevOps practices. If you are interested in getting into or learning more about DevOps, this book should be high on your list.
  • WTF? What’s the Future and Why It’s Up to Us - An interesting read on how modern technology is shaping the economy. Lots of questions and discussion around using technology to augment human workers instead of using it to replace them.
  • Building Evolutionary Architecture - An interesting study in how to design systems that will live for a long time. It covers architectural concepts and ideas that enable systems to adapt and change over time.
  • Kubernetes: Up and Running - A solid introduction to the world of container development and running them on Kubernetes. It covers setting up and configuring a basic Kubernetes cluster all the way through rolling deployments and scaling.
  • The First 90 Days - This was assigned as required reading by my employer. It is all about leaders in transition, from starting a new job or a promotion. Lots of strategies around getting up to speed quickly so you can be an effective leader.
  • Practical Monitoring - A solid monitoring strategy is a cornerstone of DevOps. This book offers strategies around metrics, logging, dashboards and much more without focusing on specific tools.
  • The Lean Startup - The classic book on agile and lean practices to accelerate innovation in startups and in new ventures in established businesses.
  • Faith Alone: The Doctrine of Justification - I enjoy reading about theology and church history. This is a great walk through the history of justification, and a systemic defense of it from the Reformed point of view.