Rating:

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It builds an understanding from bits and bytes to a working processor without omitting many details, which is a great feat.

Even as a software developer already familiar with almost all the concepts introduced, I learned a lot. I was able to add more depth to my understanding of the logic involved in building a processor beyond just the basic building blocks. I was particularly pleased with the historical background given at various stages of the book, as it takes the reader along the journey that eventually led to our current age of computers. I’ve read the second edition, which was also quite up-to-date with the current state of technology.

Except for one or two chapters where the processor details were ironed out, I could follow along. But it is difficult for me to judge how readable this book is for someone without a CS background, so your mileage may vary.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand ‘how a computer works’ and is ready to get into the details of it.