[crabmusket]

Sandi's earlier book, POODR, was also great. While it is focused on Ruby, most of the advice applies more broadly.

Reading these two really helped me understand just how impoverished the concept of OOP has become by C++ and Java, from its Smalltalk roots.

[giraffe_lady]

I was so lucky to have run into poodr when I did. Early enough in my career to still feel like I didn't know anything, but with just enough experience to have encountered the problems she was addressing "in the wild." Absolutely formative for me I have no idea where I'd be without it. The only other book to even approach its impact for me is working effectively with legacy code.

[inopinatus]

Avdi Grimm preaches a similar gospel.