It's summer, and that means beach, which for many means beach reads. Beach reading tends to denote a lot of girl books (remember The Nanny Diaries?) and popular nonsense by authors like Dan Brown, Candace Bushnell, and -- heaven forbid -- Jonathan Franzen. But look, you're intelligent, educated people, right? I recommend spending your beach days with some books that are interesting, engagingly written, and, most important, helpful to your career even if most of the following aren't directly IT-related. Oh, and remember to wait thirty minutes after applying sunblock before heading for the sand. (And if you're in Ipswich, pick up some fried clams. They'll really improve your career prospects because they're magical.)