Though there now exists a seemingly limitless list of great Linux books, those like Brian Ward's How Linux Works: What Every Superuser Should Know are the kind of books that should go into the "Linux Beginner's Canon". Ward's book contains the essentials that new enthusiasts should know as they embark on their journey of Linux discovery. To truly master Linux and avoid obstacles, one needs to understand Linux internals like how the system boots, how networking works and what the kernel actually does. In this completely revised second edition, author Ward makes the concepts behind Linux internals accessible to anyone who wants to understand them. Inside these information-packed pages, readers will find the kind of knowledge that normally comes from years of experience doing things the hard way, including essential topics like Linux booting; how the kernel manages devices, device drivers and processes; how networking, interfaces, firewalls and servers work; and how development tools, shared libraries and shell scripts work. Publisher No Starch Press notes that the book's combination of background, theory, real-world examples and patient explanations will teach readers to understand and customize their systems, solve pesky problems and take control of their OS.
