AI's list of books on the history of computing. By a professional for others, including professionals.

Focus on books any professional computer scientist, computer or software engineer, and in general any professional in the field of computing should read to understand the history of the field. Key topics include the grand challenges, the major application domains, the major successes and failures, the major systems, the main theories and concepts, the main (enabling) technologies, the context in which computing evolved, the biographies and histories of major figures and organizations, etc. Textbooks and classroom material on the topics of doing, understanding, managing, and teaching computing are welcome. In engineering, this list prefers books on systems and performance engineering. This list should also include key material on the ethics and politics of science, and warning against and chronicles of important failures.

The mention of grown-ups aims to avoid listing here introductions to or histories of computing aimed at children or young adults. Instead, this list focuses on material aimed at professionals or at people with the degree of understanding and critical thinking expected at university level (and even after it).

This list should not include what is not commonly accepted as computing, from astrology to cryptocurrencies. Last, books of popular science not written by scientists or engineers should be kept to a minimum.