# Programming Pearls by Jon Bentley Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/programming-pearls/ 3 people recommended Programming Pearls by Jon Bentley in Hacker News comments and none criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 2 of 12 months, in 3 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule. **Verdict:** A classic book on programming technique, recommended as a standard reference and as companion reading for older readers. No criticism appeared in the quotes. Summary written by Claude from 2 comments. ## Why people recommend it - Seen as a classic programming text (2 comments in the sample): "an equivalend of “Thinking in C++” or “Pearls of programming” of a new field? Sure." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49927558)) "For older readers, see also "Programming Pearls" by Jon Bentley" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50001590)) ## Other programming books people recommend - [Crafting Interpreters by Robert Nystrom](https://hackerapproved.com/p/crafting-interpreters/): 55 recommend, 0 mixed, 4 criticize - [The Pragmatic Programmer by Hunt and Thomas](https://hackerapproved.com/p/pragmatic-programmer/): 25 recommend, 3 mixed, 1 criticize - [How to Design Programs by Felleisen, Findler, Flatt and Krishnamurthi](https://hackerapproved.com/p/how-to-design-programs/): 15 recommend, 1 mixed, 2 criticize - [Working Effectively with Legacy Code by Michael Feathers](https://hackerapproved.com/p/working-effectively-with-legacy-code/): 14 recommend, 1 mixed, 1 criticize ## The badge A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged. ## Cite as Hacker Approved, "Programming Pearls by Jon Bentley", https://hackerapproved.com/p/programming-pearls/ (3 recommend, 0 mixed, 0 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026). Counts updated 2 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.