Book Review: Find the Bug

This is a great book for developers who are looking to push themselves a bit. It’s the perfect book to have when you don’t want to look at a screen, but you do want to do something productive; you want something to make you think.

The book contains code samples, in various different languages. There’s a primer to each language covering the basics, useful in itself, and a set of code samples.

Each sample has something wrong with it: a bug. Your job is to find the bug, without a compiler, without Step-Into and without Watch symbols. Using a computer is cheating. After the code are suggestions, hints and finally, an explanation of what the code is.

Personally, I’m not able to do more than 3 or 4 problems without feeling totally drained. Honestly, I feel like I’ve done 3-4 hours of ‘normal’ coding. Being forced to do all the calculations in your head, to hold onto everything and navigate 2 nested loops is a really good mental workout, and I’m sure it’s very good for my development skills.

This is the perfect book for travelling. It’s a lot lighter than a laptop. Equally, it’s the ideal antidote to X-factor, Masterchef or whatever else happens to be on. Try and solve a problem whilst Champagne is having a shouting match with Denzel (OK, I don’t watch Eastenders) is also very good training if you have to spend your working life in a noisy, open-plan office.

Find The Bug is available from Amazon UK for £22.94