"While this book was written back in the first generation of big mainframes for big business, its concepts are just as applicable today, and possibly even more so, as we become more concentrated on widespread networks that use computing devices almost constantly in our daily lives."
"This book is filled with timeless development advice by a master from a previous age. The advice, however, is as valuable now as it was then."
"A fantastic read; the examples are a little dated but the message is exemplary and relevant. Frankly, this might be the most excellent piece of software engineering literature in existence. It is dense, every sentence is necessary and relevant. The allusions, metaphors, and examples all help to paint and SHOW not TELL the author's ideas. A cross between literary masterpiece and dialogue about software engineering, this novel will stand the test of time."
"You don't have to be a programmer to understand it. If you are hiring developers to work for you, this will really help you understand "how projects work" so you can work well with your employees!"
"An old book, but still probably THE BEST ONE EVER on software engineering - THE CLASSIC! Very fairly priced, every techie must have, read and re-read. Everyone else will gain a lot of insight into what it takes to build software and why monumental errors are still common."
"The few parts that are truly irrelevant remain charming, like this comment: 'The Apostle Peter said of new Gentile converts and the Jewish law, 'Why lay a load on their backs which neither our ancestors nor we ourselves were able to carry?' I would say the same about new programmers and the obsolete practice of flow charting.'"
"I was struck recently by the parallels with Kent Beck's Extreme Programming: Brooks had in his way foreseen much of what this recent movement has been urging. Brooks' classic book underlies much systems engineering thinking, and his example along with the frightening story of OS/360, enlivened with Brooks' inimitable anecdotes and illustrations, remains essential reading."