# Speech and Language Processing by Jurafsky and Martin

7 Hacker News commenters recommended Speech and Language Processing by Jurafsky and Martin and 0 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 3 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Recommended as a broad introduction to speech and language processing that covers modern topics such as LLMs, transformers and embeddings.

## Why people recommend it

- Covers LLMs, transformers and embeddings (2 comments): "with chapters that deal specifically with LLMs and transformers" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48422392)) "which is modern and goes all the way to LLMs, embeddings etc." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45996781))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs by Abelson and Sussman](https://hackerapproved.com/p/structure-and-interpretation-of-computer-programs.md): 55 recommend
- [The Art of Computer Programming by Donald E. Knuth](https://hackerapproved.com/p/art-of-computer-programming.md): 28 recommend
- [Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs by Abelson and Sussman](https://hackerapproved.com/p/sicp.md): 12 recommend
- [Quantum Computation and Quantum Information by Nielsen and Chuang](https://hackerapproved.com/p/quantum-computation-and-quantum-information.md): 12 recommend
- [Digital Design and Computer Architecture by Harris and Harris](https://hackerapproved.com/p/digital-design-and-computer-architecture.md): 8 recommend

## Where to get it

- [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0131873210?tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link)
- [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/130825/9780131873216) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Speech and Language Processing by Jurafsky and Martin", https://hackerapproved.com/p/speech-and-language-processing/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).