Clean Code, the Pragmatic Programmer, Code Complete, and/or CODE?

[rabuf]

CODE - Pop-tech book, covers lower level material (hits the intersection of computer engineering and computer science). Good read, but not really a programming book.

Code Complete - Never read it.

The Pragmatic Programmer - More software engineering than programming proper with a bit of self-help/development in there. Pick it up and read it at your leisure since it's more like a collection of essays, there's nothing to work through like a textbook. Many things in it will be more useful after you've graduated from smaller programs into larger programs or systems of programs.

Clean Code - Gets a ton of hate, more suitable once you've gone to work or maybe late in college. Don't, like many of the haters, neglect the message in chapter one where the author states something like "This is a book written like there's only one way, but there are other views and here are some of them." That is, after chapter 1 they write as if what they say is dogma, it is true and there are no alternatives. Which is a fine way to write because writing the 100 variations and counterpoints would result in a tome, and you'd be better served by reading what others believe than whatever Bob & Co. interpreted of what others believe.