SICP: The only computer science book worth reading twice? (2010)

There are some great books, and every book means something different to each person who reads it.

K&R influenced a generation of programmers.

Hennessy and Patterson influence a generation of architects.

etc. etc.

It's not just SICP.

But the greater point: a book can be meaningful, and we can always use more good ones.

I think this was mentioned in a Paul Graham essay from many years ago, but half the battle in tackling a new area of study is finding out what the best books (or papers) are. There aren’t that many, and yet it’s hard to know what they are if you aren’t already well-versed in the field.