How do you choose the best Big Data Analytics book for your level and goals?

Determine your current level of knowledge: Consider your existing knowledge of big data analytics. Are you a beginner or do you already have some experience? If you're new to the field, you may want to start with a beginner's guide that covers the basics of big data analytics. If you're more advanced, you may want to look for a book that covers more advanced topics.

Selecting a big data book primarily involves considering the goals you wish to achieve. I believe it's always beneficial to also check bestseller lists to identify current trends.

To choose the best Big Data Analytics book, align it with your skill level and goals. Beginners should seek foundational texts, while intermediate readers can focus on specific tools and applications. Advanced practitioners benefit from books on complex topics and industry-specific analytics. Opt for recent publications to ensure current information. Reading reviews and seeking recommendations from professionals in the field can guide your choice. Look for books with practical elements like case studies and exercises for hands-on learning.

When I was rejected from my first internship interview. After the interview, I requested the interview panel to inform me of the reasons for my rejection and what I could do to improve if I didn't selected. Fortunately, they scheduled a separate meeting with me to go through my knowledge and provide feedback. The interviewer was very friendly and acted as a mentor, even recommending some good books for me to read. Those books became a turning point for me. Even during my time at university, I found it difficult to read all the books from page to page as there were many theories on one single page. I prefer to learn through simple theoretical concepts with interactive examples or labs. That's how I identified my preferred learning book.

When evaluating a book on big data, statistics, data science, or any related field, consider the book's approach and whether it suits your preferred style: whether more casual or more formal. This will facilitate your learning process.

I believe that when evaluating a book to purchase, it's always insightful to see what other buyers thought of the product. Therefore, look for quality reviews on bookstores such as Amazon, for instance.

A strategy I always use is to access a preview copy of the book, which is quite easy with digital readers like Kindle. If I like the initial chapters, I continue and purchase the full book; otherwise, I simply set it aside.

I believe it's very important to supplement learning with sources beyond books. For example, YouTube is filled with excellent videos in the field. Another source I recommend is LinkedIn, which has great professionals in the field posting articles.

When choosing the best Big Data Analytics book for your level and goals, also consider the book's relevance to current technologies and industry practices. Big Data Analytics is a rapidly evolving field, and books that include the latest tools, frameworks, and case studies can provide more practical knowledge. Additionally, look for authors who are recognized experts in the field of big data, as their insights and experiences can offer valuable real-world perspectives. Consider whether the book offers accompanying resources like online code repositories, data sets for practice, or interactive tutorials, which can enhance your learning experience and provide hands-on practice.

The challenging part is to find out what you like. How do you find what you like ? I always try to be alert situations when I suddenly feel like I want to be that person or I want to be in that role. Thats when I learn about myself. Once you know where you want to go or what you to be in professional field, you can look for books that will be helpful to get you there. To choose those books, I prefer recommendations from well known authors , for example Pragmatic programmer is a well known book that any software engineer would have read. Here you can find reference for other well known books. This is how I get reference instead of googling to find best books