Effective Java (2nd Edition)
Author: Joshua Bloch
Publisher: Prentice Hall; 2 edition (May 28, 2008)
Most important Java book ever written. A must for every Java developer. Also great for everyone using Scala, Groovy, Clojure, JRuby or any other language on the Java VM.
Java Concurrency in Practice
Authors: Brian Goetz, Tim Peierls, Joshua Bloch, Joseph Bowbeer, David Holmes, Doug Lea
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional; 1 edition (May 19, 2006)
Awesome book. This is how a technical book should be written. Clear, detailed and to the point. A must for everyone writing non trivial code on the Java VM, no matter if you use Java, Groovy, Scala, JRuby, Clojure or other languages.
Der Weg zum Java-Profi: Konzepte und Techniken für die professionelle Java-Entwicklung
Author: Michael Inden
Publisher: dpunkt Verlag; 1. edition (January 31, 2011)
Best German Java book. Must read for anyone who wants to became an expert in Java.
Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship
Author: Robert C. Martin
Publisher: Prentice Hall; 1 edition (August 11, 2008)
This is a must read book on how to write clear and correct code.
The Clean Coder: A Code of Conduct for Professional Programmers
Author: Robert C. Martin
Publisher: Prentice Hall; 1 edition (May 23, 2011)
Some author as book above. About how to be a professional. Must read.
Eloquent Ruby
Author: Russ Olsen
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional; 1 edition (February 21, 2011)
Best Ruby book. Period
Programming in Scala: A Comprehensive Step-by-Step Guide, 2nd Edition
Authors: Martin Odersky, Lex Spoon, Bill Venners
Publisher: Artima Inc; 2 edition (January 4, 2011)
Great description of a wonderful programming language
The Linux Programming Interface: A Linux and UNIX System Programming Handbook
Author: Michael Kerrisk
Publisher: No Starch Press; 1 edition (October 28, 2010)
Huge book. By far the best book on Linux system programming. Very detailed. Easy to follow. Examples are in C but can easily be ported to C++, Perl, Python, Ruby, etc. This book is a must read if you want to understand how Linux works from a programmers point of view.
Non programming books
Sometimes it is good to read something else 
You Are Your Own Gym: The Bible of Bodyweight Exercises
Author: Mark Lauren, Joshua Clark
Publisher: Ballantine Books; Reprint edition (January 4, 2011)
Developers must stay fit. This is a cheap but very effective book full with exercises which you can do at home or wherever you are
The Migration Ecology of Birds
Author: Ian Newton
Publisher: Academic Press; 1 edition (December 19, 2007)
Has absolutely nothing to do with programming but sometimes it’s good to read something completely different. Bird migration is one of the most amazing topics in biology, ecology and evolution. This is the best book about it.
The Biology and Conservation of Wild Felids
Author: David Macdonald, Andrew Loveridge
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (July 22, 2010)
Best book on the ecology and conservation of wild cats
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