Code

How does a computer actually work? Not the hand-wavy "ones and zeros" explanation — the real, from-the-ground-up truth. Petzold starts with flashlights and builds all the way to operating systems, and Jim followed every single step. This is the kind of book that makes you feel smarter just for having burrowed through it. The updated second edition is even better. Five worms for the best "how computers work" book ever written.