Commonly used phrases such as "social science" and "software engineering" cause me internal disharmony. But a recently published book has helped me overcome my difficulty with the latter. The no-nonsense, readable Facts and Fallacies of Software Engineering (Addison-Wesley, ISBN 0321117425) by Robert L Glass clearly lists and explores dozens of accepted statements, myths, nuggets of conventional wisdom, and misconceptions about software development. The author explains what the fact or the fallacy is; explores its implications; and also cites additional source material from books, academic articles, the trade press, or Glass' own experience in development programs he has worked on. As an additional bonus, he flags certain facts or fallacies as controversial and discusses alternative views and their sources of support—an aspect that I especially appreciated. This $29.99 book won't solve all your software problems, but it looks at so many aspects of software development in an understandable style that it can help you on the management and execution of your programming efforts.

Addison-Wesley, 1-617-848-7500, www.aw.com.