Cem Kaner

A good and approachable overview of testing techniques. The content of the book is solid, but the format (adapted from a series of lectures with PowerPoint slides) doesn't work that well in print. If you have the opportunity to take the course it's based on, I would strongly recommend that over reading the book. If that isn't an option, however, the book is a decent substitute.

Excellent summary of the software testing field. The examples are understandably dated, but remain clear and purposeful. If you are new to testing and unsure of where to begin, this is it.