From: kko@fraser.sfu.ca (Samuel Ko)
Subject: [misc.books.technical]  A Concise Guide to Unix Books
Followup-To: misc.books.technical
Summary: A list of recommended Unix books / documentations ...
Keywords: Unix, books, recommendations 
Supersedes: <1992Sep23.053301.25935@sfu.ca>
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1992 05:56:12 GMT


Archive-name: books/unix
Last-modified: Sept 26 1992
Version 1.5

       [misc.books.technical]   A Concise Guide to Unix Books
      --------------------------------------------------------
** Compiled by: Samuel Ko (kko@sfu.ca)

** This is a good selection of the "best" Unix books / documentations.

** Subject areas covered:
   A. General Unix Texts
   B. Shells
   C. Unix Editors
   D. Networking and Communications
   E. System Administration
   F. Unix Security
   G. Programming
   H. TeX
   I. X Window System
   J. Dictionary
   K. Other Lists

** This guide is intended to be concise, so it is far from exhaustive.

** Thanks to all who have helped in improving this guide. However, to save
   some bandwidth, I do not want to include a long list of acknowledgment.

** If you think there are some other really good Unix books, please let me
   know. Besides any comments, suggestions and flames will be very much
   appreciated.

** I will try to update and post this list once a month. So the next issue
   should be out in late October ...

** Here it goes ...


  A. General Unix Texts
*************************

1. Title: Unix for the Impatient
   Authors: Paul Abrahams and Bruce Larson
   Publisher: Addison Wesley
   Edition: 1992
   ISBN: 0-201-55703-7
   Comment:  **** Highly Recommended ****
             A new, comprehensive, in-depth reference to Unix ...

2. Title: The Unix Operating System 
   Author: Kaare Christian
   Publisher: Wiley
   Edition: 2nd ed. 1988
   ISBN: 0-471-84781-X
   Comment: A classic overview of Unix commands ... very good ...
    
3. Title: A Practical Guide to the Unix System
   Author: Mark Sobell 
   Publisher: Benjamin / Cummings
   Edition: 1990
   ISBN: 0-80-530243-3
   Comment: Similar to Christian's book ... slightly easier to read ...
            There is a new edition for System V Release 4 ...

4. Title: The Waite Group's Unix System V Primer
   Authors:  Mitchell Waite, Donald Martin and Stephen Prata
   Publisher: Hayden
   Edition: 2nd ed. 1992
   ISBN: 0-672-30194-6
   Comment: **** Highly Recommended  ****
            A very very good hand-holding tutorial-type book for Unix/SVR4 ...

5. Title: Mastering SunOs
   Authors: Brent Heslop and David Angell
   Publisher: Sybex
   Edition: 1990
   ISBN: 0-89588-683
   Comment: A good, comprehensive hand-on text to SunOs and OpenWin ...

6. Title: Peter Norton's Guide to Unix 
   Authors: Peter Norton and Harley Hahn
   Publisher: Bantam Computer
   Edition: 1991
   ISBN: 0-553-35260-1
   Comment: One of the many books by Peter Norton ...
            Good coverage ... but some errors ...

7. Title: Unix in a Nutshell
   Authors: Daniel Gilly and O'Reilly staff
   Publisher: O'Reilly
   Edition: 2nd ed. 1992 (for System V and Solaris 2)
   ISBN: 1-56592-001-5
   Comment: **** Highly Recommended ****
            An excellent desktop reference to almost all Unix commands ...
            Probably one of the most inexpensive Unix books around ...
            Also an edition for 4.3. BSD ...

8. Title: Life with Unix - A Guide for Everyone
   Authors: Don Libes and Sandy Ressler
   Publisher: Prentice Hall 
   Edition: 1990
   ISBN: 0-13-536657-7
   Comment: **** Highly Recommended ****
            An everything-you-want-to-know-about-Unix book ...
            It includes info you might not find elsewhere ...

9. Title: Learning Unix 
   Author: James Gardner
   Publisher: Sams
   Edition: 1991
   ISBN: 0-672-30001-X
   Comment: With disks containing MSDOS simulation of Unix (MKS Tools) ...
            A good tutorial / reference book for those without constant
            access to Unix ...

10. Title: Unix Desktop Guide to Tools
    Author: Pete Holsberg
    Publisher: Sams
    Edition: 1992
    ISBN: 0-672-30202-0
    Comment: A new and comprehensive guide to numerous Unix utilities ...


11. Title: The Design of the Unix Operating System
    Author: Maurice Bach
    Publisher: Prentice Hall
    Edition: 1986
    ISBN: 0-13-201799-7
    Comment: An excellent reference on the internals of System V ...
             This book and the next one are indeed highly technical ...

12. Title: The Design and Implementation of the 4.3 BSD Unix Operating System
    Authors: Samuel Leffler et al
    Publisher: Addison-Wesley
    Edition: 1990
    ISBN: 0-201-06196-1
    Comment: An authoritative description of the design of BSD Unix ...


  B. Shells
*************

1. Title: The Unix C Shell Field Guide
   Authors: Gail Anderson and Paul Anderson
   Publisher: Prentice Hall
   Edition: 1986
   ISBN: 0-13-937468-X
   Comment: The C-Shell bible - everything you need to know to use Unix
            effectively ...

2. Title: Unix C Shell - Desk Reference
   Author: Martin Arick
   Publisher: QED Technical
   Edition: 1992
   ISBN: 0-89435-328-4
   Comment: A more recent text on C-Shell ...

3. Title: Unix Shell Programming
   Authors: Stephen Kochan and Patrick Wood
   Publisher: Hayden
   Edition: 1990
   ISBN: 0-672-48448-X
   Comment: A classic on using and programming Bourne Shell ...

4. Title: Unix Desktop Guide to the Korn Shell
   Author: John Valley
   Publisher: Sams
   Edition: 1992
   ISBN: 0-672-48513-3
   Comment: This one is even better and easier to read than the authoritative
            work by Korn and Bolsky ...

    
  C. Unix Editors
*******************

1. Title: GNU EMACS Manual
   Author: Richard Stallman
   Publisher: Free Software Foundation
   Edition: 6th ed. 1988
   Comment: The official manual of GNU Emacs ...

2. Title: Learning GNU Emacs
   Authors: Debra Cameron and Bill Rosenblatt
   Publisher: O'Reilly
   Edition: 1992
   ISBN: 0-937175-84-6
   Comment: **** Highly Recommended ****
            Probably the best documentation on Emacs ...

3. Title: Desktop Guide to Emacs
   Authors: Ralph Roberts and Mark Boyd
   Publisher: Sams
   Edition: 1991
   ISBN: 0-672-30171-7
   Comment: Another good book on emacs ...

4. Title: Learning the vi Editor
   Author: Linda Lamb
   Publisher: O'Reilly
   Edition: 1990
   ISBN: 0-937175-67-6
   Comment: A very good guide to vi and ex commands ...
            With a quick reference card ...

5. Titles: vi Tutor and vi Reference
   Authors: Micheal Pierce and Robert Ware (Tut), Maarten Litmaati (Ref)
   Edition: 1.3 (Tut), 8 (Ref)
   Comment: These and other good vi stuff are obtainable by anonymous ftp
            from cs.uwp.edu (in pub/vi) ...


  D. Networking and Communications
*************************************

1. Title: Unix Networking
   Authors: Edited by Stephen Kochan and Patrick Wood
   Publisher: Hayden
   Edition: 1989
   ISBN: 0-672-48440-4
   Comment: Fairly technical on different issues of networking ...

2. Title: Managing NFS and NIS
   Author: Hal Stern
   Publisher: O'Reilly
   Edition: 1991
   ISBN: 0-937175-75-7
   Comment: A comprehensive, technical guide for system admins on distributed
            computing tools - NFS and NIS (YP) ...

3. Title: Unix Network Programming
   Author: Richard Stevens
   Publisher: Prentice Hall
   Edition: 1990
   ISBN: 0-13-949876-1
   Comment: **** Highly Recommended ****
            An excellent book on programming network softwares ...

4. Title: The Waite Group's Unix Communications
   Authors: Bart Anderson, Barry Costales & Harry Henderson
   Publisher: Sams
   Edition: 2nd ed. 1991
   ISBN: 0-672-22773-8
   Comment: **** Highly Recommended  ****
            A really excellent book on emails, netnews and uucp ...

5. Title: Managing UUCP and Usenet
   Authors: Tim O'Reilly and Grace Todino
   Publisher: O'Reilly
   Edition: 10 ed. 1992
   ISBN: 0-937175-93-5
   Comment: Well written on the setting-up and the maintenance of UUCP
            and Netnews ...

6. Title: Using UUCP and Usenet
   Authors: Grace Todino and Dale Dougherty
   Publisher: O'Reilly 
   Edition: 1991
   ISBN: 0-937175-10-2
   Comment: Well written on how to use uucp and netnews ...

7. Title: Internetworking with TCP/IP  Vols I and II
   Author: Douglas Comer
   Publisher: Prentice-Hall
   Edition: 1991
   ISBN: 0-13-468505-9 (I), 0-13-472242-6 (II)
   Comment: A detailed discussion of the architecture of the Internet
            and its protocols ...
            Vol I is readable by anyone but Vol II is very technical ...

8. Title: The Whole Internet User's Guide Catalog
   Author: Ed Krol
   Publisher: O'Reilly
   Edition: 1992
   ISBN: 1-56592-025-2
   Comment: **** Highly Recommended ****
            Definitely a MUST for any new and not-so-new Internet users ...

9. Title: Zen and the Art of the Internet
   Author: Brendan Kehoe
   Edition: 1st ed. 1992
   Comment: A comprehensive overview of the Internet for beginners ...
            This document (in different formats) can be obtained by
            anonymous ftp from world.std.com (in /obi/Internet/zen-1.0) ...
            The second edition is commerical, published by Prentice Hall ...

  E. System Administration
****************************

1. Title: Unix System Administration Handbook
   Authors: Evi Nemeth, Garth Snyder and Scott Seebass
   Publisher: Prentice-Hall
   Edition: 1989
   ISBN: 0-13-933441-6
   Comment: Classic, also known as the sys-admin bible ...
            Source codes for programs listed (sa-book.tar.Z) can be
            obtained by anonymous ftp from boulder.colorado.edu (in
            /pub/sa-book) or oak.oakland.edu (in /pub/unix-c/sysadmin) ...

2. Title: Unix System V Release V Administration
   Authors: David Fiedler, Bruce Hunter and Ben Smith 
   Publisher: Hayden 
   Edition: 2nd ed. 1991
   ISBN: 0-672-22810-6
   Comment: **** Highly Recommended ****
            A must for any intermediate / advanced users of Unix ...

3. Title: Essential System Administration
   Author: Aeleen Frisch
   Publisher: O'Reilly
   Edition: 1991
   ISBN: 0-937175-80-3
   Comment: **** Highly Recommended ****
            A must for serious users / sys admins of Unix ...

4. Title: Unix System - Advanced Administration and Management Handbook
   Author: Bruce Hunter and Karen Hunter
   Publisher: MacMillan
   Edition: 1991
   ISBN: 0-02-358950-7
   Comment: Another good book on system administration ...

5. Title: System Performance Tuning
   Author: Mike Loukides
   Publisher: O'Reilly
   Edition: 1990
   ISBN: 0-937175-60-9
   Comment: A fine book for sys admins on how to fine tune your Unix
            system(s) to do more work ...


  F. Unix Security
********************

1. Title: Practical Unix Security
   Authors: Simson Garfinkel and Gene Spafford
   Publisher: O'Reilly
   Edition: 1991
   ISBN: 0-937175-72-2
   Comment: **** Highly Recommended ****
            Simply the best book in this field ...

2. Title: Unix System Security - A Guide for Users and System Administrators
   Author: David Curry
   Publisher: Addision Wesley
   Edition: 1992
   ISBN: 0-201-56327-4
   Comment: Comprehensive coverage ... with pointers to further info ...

3. Title: Unix System Security
   Author: Rik Farrow
   Publisher: Addison Wesley
   Edition: 1991
   ISBN: 0-201-57030-0
   Comment: Fine ... slightly not as technical as other books ...

4. Title: Site Security Handbook
   Authors: Edited by P. Holbrook and J. Reynolds
   Edition: 1991
   Comment: This is rfc1244.txt which is available by anonymous ftp from
            nic.ddn.mil (in rfc directory) ...

5. Title: Computer Security Basics
   Authors: Deborah Russell and G T Gangemi Sr.
   Publisher: O'Reilly
   Edition: 1991
   ISBN: 0-937175-71-4
   Comment: A clear overview on many different security issues ...

6. Title: The Cuckoo's Egg
   Author: Cliff Stoll
   Publisher: Pocket Books
   Edition: 1990
   ISBN: 0-671-72688-9
   Comment: A fascinating real story on computer espionage ...
            A good alternative to this is Cyberpunk written by Katie Hafner
            and John Markoff and published by Touchstone Book ...


  G. Programming
******************

1. Title: The Unix Programming Environment
   Authors: Brian Kernighan and Rob Pike
   Publisher: Prentice-Hall
   Edition: 1984 
   ISBN: 0-13-937681-X
   Comment: A true classic on Unix programming ...

2. Title: Advanced Programming in The Unix Environment
   Author: Richard Stevens
   Publisher: Addison-Wesley
   Edition: 1992
   ISBN: 0-201-56317-7
   Comment: **** Highly Recommended ****
            A going-to-be classic on how programs work under Unix ...

3. Title: Advanced Unix Programming
   Author: Marc Rochkind
   Publisher: Prentice Hall
   Edition: 1985
   ISBN: 0-13-011818-4
   Comment: A superb book covering all system calls in detail ...

4. Title: The C Programming Language
   Authors: Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie 
   Publisher: Prentice Hall
   Edition: 2nd ed. 1988
   ISBN: 0-13-110362-8
   Comment: This book is 200% a MUST for any C programmers ...

5. Title: C - A Reference Manual
   Authors: Samuel Harbison and Guy Steel
   Publisher: Prentice Hall
   Edition: 3rd ed. 1991
   ISBN: 0-13-110933-2
   Comment: An authoritative reference to C programming language ...
            A good companion to Kernighan and Ritchie ...

6. Title: The Waite Group's New Primer C Plus
   Authors: Mitchell Waite and Stephen Prata
   Publisher: Sams
   Edition: 1990
   ISBN: 0-672-22687-1
   Comment: A really good introduction to C for beginners ...

7. Title: Practical C Programming
   Author: Steve Oualline
   Publisher: O'Reilly
   Edition: 1991
   ISBN: 0-937175-65-X
   Comment: Yet another book on C ...

8. Title: Using C on the Unix System
   Author: David Curry
   Publisher: O'Reilly
   Edition: 1990
   ISBN: 0-937175-23-4
   Comment: This book is directed to (would-be) system programmers ...

9. Title: C Programming in the Berkeley Unix Environment
   Author: Nigel Horspool
   Publisher: Prentice Hall
   Edition: 1986
   ISBN: 0-13-109760-1
   Comment: An excellent C book for 4.3 BSD ...
            The second edition "The Berkeley Unix Environment" is out ...

10. Title: The Waite Group's C++ Programming
    Author: John Berry
    Publisher: Sams
    Edition: 1992
    ISBN: 0-672-22771-1
    Comment: A fine book on C++ (for Unix and Dos) ...

11. Title: Managing Projects with make
    Authors: Steve Talbott and Andrew Oram
    Publisher: O'Reilly
    Edition: 2nd ed. 1991
    ISBN: 0-937175-90-0
    Comment: An unique text on using make and handling Makefile ...

12. Title: The AWK Programming Language
    Authors: Alfred Aho, Brian Kernighan and Peter Weinberger
    Publisher: Addison-Wesley
    Edition: 1988
    ISBN: 0-201-07981-X
    Comment: A complete description by the authors of awk ...

13. Title: Sed and Awk
    Author: Dale Dougherty
    Publisher: O'Reilly
    Edition: 1991
    ISBN: 0-937175-59-5
    Comment: A very good work on programming / text processing with
             sed and awk ...

14. Title: Programming Perl
    Authors: Larry Wall and Randal Schwartz
    Publisher: O'Reilly
    Edition: 1991
    ISBN: 0-937175--64-1
    Comment: The authoritative guide to Perl - the programming language for
             for serious Unix users ...


  H. TeX
**********

1. Title: The TeXbook
   Author: Donald Knuth
   Publisher: Addison Wesley
   Edition: 1990
   ISBN: 0-201-13448-9
   Comment: The Bible of TeX users ...

2. Title: TeX for the Impatient
   Author: Paul Abrahams
   Publisher: Addison-Wesley
   Edition: 1991
   ISBN: 0-201-51375-7
   Comment: A more user-friendly handbook on TeX ...
  
3. Title: LATeX - A Document Preparation System
   Author: Leslie Lamport
   Publisher: Addison Wesley
   Edition: 1986
   ISBN: 0-201-15790-X
   Comment: The bible for LATeX users ...


  I. X Window System
**********************

1. Title: X Window System Users' Guide 
   Authors: Valerie Quercia and Tim O'Reilly
   Publisher: O'Reilly
   Edition: 1990 (Motif or MIT)
   ISBN: 0-937175-61-7
   Comment: Volume 3 in O'Reilly's excellent X-Window series ...
            A fairly useful tutorial-type book to X11R4 ...

2. Title: The X Window System - A User's Guide
   Author: Niall Manfield
   Publisher: Addison Wesley
   Edition: 1990
   ISBN: 0-201-56344-4
   Comment: Another good tutorial-type book to using X ...

3. Title: X Window System Programming and Applications with Xt
   Author: Doug Young
   Publisher: Prentice Hall
   Edition: 1989 (Motif or Open Look)
   ISBN: 0-13-497074-8
   Comment: An excellent book on X programming ...


  J. Dictionary
*****************

1. Title: The New Hacker's Dictionary
   Author: Eric Raymond 
   Publisher: MIT Press
   Edition: 1991
   ISBN: 0-262-68069-6
   Comment: This book corresponds to version 2.9.6 of the on-line
            jargon file ... The latest (at the time of writing) is
            version 2.9.10 (jargon2910.ascii.Z) which is available
            by ftp from wuarchive.wustl.edu (in mirrors/gnu) ...
            Changes since the publication of this book can be found
            in the file jargon-changes.Z ...


  K. Other Lists
******************

1. Title: Yet Another Book List
   Author: Mitch Wright
   Edition: August 4 1992
   Comment: This is an excellent compilation of almost all Unix and C book
            titles along with info for locating them and short reviews and
            summaries of book contents ...
            You can get it (yabl) by anonymous ftp from ftp.rahul.net (in
            /pub/mitch/YABL) ...

2. Title: X Technical Bibliography
   Author: Ken Lee
   Edition: Sept 11 1992
   Comment  A good collection of publicly available X window system technical
            materials ... The bibliography is posted periodically on
            misc.books.technical and you can also get it by anonymous ftp
            from pit-manager.mit.edu (in /pub/usenet/misc.books.technical) ...

3. Title: Network Reading List: TCP/IP, Unix and Ethernet
   Author: Charles Spurgeon
   Edition: 3.5  Feb 1992
   Comment: This annotated list describes those items that cover the subject
            areas well ... It is obtainable by anonymous ftp from ftp.uu.net
            (in /inet/doc) ...

4. Title: Catalog of O'Reilly Books
   Authors: O'Reilly staff
   Edition: July 24 1992
   Comment: You get can it (book.catalog.Z) by anonymous ftp from
            ftp.ora.com ... where you can also find source codes for examples
            in many books in the Nutshell and X series ...


--
Samuel Ko (kko@sfu.ca) (aka: The Smart One)
Expert in Computer Books and Documentations ...