The ultimate books for a programmer?
Ulysses, followed by Finnegan’s Wake.
Well, you are supposed to be clever and well-educated....
Those are both awful. Hated them 40 years ago and my attitude toward them hasn’t changed one bit. Over rated.
To appreciate Finnigan’s Wake properly, you must listen to it read outloud by someone with a proper Irish brogue, while you peruse a boatload full of reference materials. A page done properly is good as a stiff drink.
I don’t know if Finnegan’s Wake has much to do with programmer stuff as much as it does the techie side of my official field (English Lit), but what the hey....it’s a rich piece of encoded stuff that becomes fun to play with. Ulyses, not so much fun. IMHO.
I have read 13 or 14 of the books on the list given, fwiw.
The literary equivalent of spaghetti code.