

Book Overflow
Carter Morgan and Nathan Toups
In a world of short-form content, it's important to engage with long-form ideas. Book Overflow is a podcast created for software engineers, by software engineers to discuss the best technical books in the world. Join co-hosts Carter Morgan and Nathan Toups each week as they discuss a new technical book! New episodes every Monday!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 21, 2025 • 1h 8min
Shifting Left on Security - The DevOps Handbook
Discover the crucial role of integrating security early in the software development lifecycle. Learn how to balance security with innovation in DevOps, fostering a blameless culture that encourages learning from failures. Explore the benefits of adopting Terraform and Cloudflare to enhance infrastructure and user experience. Delve into innovative security practices, including the concept of 'shifting left' to streamline compliance while developing features. Finally, witness the transformation of relationships between security and development teams, leading to collaboration and enhanced efficiency.

Jul 18, 2025 • 57min
Kirill Bobrov Reflects on Grokking Concurrency
Kirill Bobrov, the author of 'Grokking Concurrency' and data engineer at Luminous Men, dives into the intriguing world of concurrency in programming. He shares his journey of writing his first book, emphasizing the need for accessible resources in async programming. The conversation includes insights on AI’s role in coding, the balance between using tools and maintaining developer oversight, and the importance of intrinsic motivation in creative work. Kirill also offers diverse book recommendations, blending technical reads with timeless literature.

Jul 14, 2025 • 1h 16min
Deployment Strategies for Success - The DevOps Handbook
Explore the fascinating world of DevOps strategies! Discover the power of low-risk releases and feature flags to maximize efficiency. Dive into the significance of telemetry and observability for effective monitoring in software development. Learn about optimal on-call rotations and the necessity of structured log management for seamless debugging. Uncover innovative deployment tactics and the role of community engagement in fostering a culture of collaboration. Tune in for a treasure trove of insights for software engineers!

8 snips
Jul 10, 2025 • 1h 3min
Manuel Pais Reflects on Team Topologies
Manuel Pais, the author of 'Team Topologies' and a consultant, shares his insights on organizational dynamics. He reflects on the evolution of team strategies due to remote work and the influence of AI on collaboration. Manuel discusses the importance of intentional interactions and showcases innovative management approaches from various organizations. He also highlights the significance of grassroots initiatives in implementing effective team structures and the role of unit tests in balancing rapid deployment with quality.

Jul 7, 2025 • 55min
Is DevOps a Silver Bullet? - The DevOps Handbook
Dive into the origins and transformative power of DevOps, where the hosts explore if it really is the silver bullet for developers. Discover the importance of teamwork with the Andon cord philosophy, and hear firsthand experiences about the challenges of implementing DevOps in startups versus larger enterprises. They also tackle the complexities of CI/CD in front-end development and stress the need for a strong testing culture. Finally, learn how these insights have shaped their professional practices.

Jun 30, 2025 • 40min
One Year of Book Overflow!
In this special episode of Book Overflow, Carter and Nathan celebrate one year of the podcast! Join them as they reflect on what's suprised them, share some stats, and discuss which of the authors they'd most like to pair program with!----------------Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5kj6DLCEWR5nHShlSYJI5LApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/book-overflow/id1745257325X: https://x.com/bookoverflowpodCarter on X: https://x.com/cartermorganNathan's Functionally Imperative: www.functionallyimperative.com----------------Book Overflow is a podcast for software engineers, by software engineers dedicated to improving our craft by reading the best technical books in the world. Join Carter Morgan and Nathan Toups as they read and discuss a new technical book each week!The full book schedule and links to every major podcast player can be found at https://www.bookoverflow.io

Jun 23, 2025 • 1h 7min
Developing a Mental Model for AI - Thinking Like a Large Language Model by Mukund Sundararajan
The hosts dive into the fascinating world of AI, discussing the art of prompt engineering and how to think like a large language model. They share personal experiences of career transitions, highlighting the shift from big corporations to startups. The impact of biases on expertise evaluation sparks an interesting dialogue, while humor weaves through their exploration of AI's role in tech. The evolving job landscape and the introduction of new specialized roles like 'prompt engineers' are also key points in this engaging conversation.

Jun 16, 2025 • 1h 7min
Chasing Taillights - In The Plex by Steven Levy
In this episode of Book Overflow, Carter and Nathan discuss the final third of In The Plex by Steven Levy! Join them as they discuss Google's decision to withdraw from China, their war with book publishers, and their struggles to compete in social media!-- Books Mentioned in this Episode --Note: As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.----------------------------------------------------------In The Plex by Steven Levyhttps://amzn.to/3T2I6NX (paid link)----------------00:00 Intro05:10 About the Book and Author06:10 Initial Thoughts on the Book11:27 The Real Story Behind Google Leaving China20:44 Google's Moral Dilemmas Part 1 - DoubleClick & Lobbying23:55 Riff: "Corporate Values" and Founder Mode29:22 Google's Moral Dilemmas Part 2 - DoubleClick & Lobbying37:59 Google's Book scanning project42:56 Google vs Amazon's Different Approaches to Book Scanning43:20 Innocent Arrogance - Street View and Privacy46:40 Pirvacy and Surveillance Concerns49:57 Epilogue: Chasing Taillights55:53 Final Thoughts----------------Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5kj6DLCEWR5nHShlSYJI5LApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/book-overflow/id1745257325X: https://x.com/bookoverflowpodCarter on X: https://x.com/cartermorganNathan's Functionally Imperative: www.functionallyimperative.com----------------Book Overflow is a podcast for software engineers, by software engineers dedicated to improving our craft by reading the best technical books in the world. Join Carter Morgan and Nathan Toups as they read and discuss a new technical book each week!The full book schedule and links to every major podcast player can be found at https://www.bookoverflow.io

Jun 9, 2025 • 1h 4min
How Google Created the Cloud - In The Plex by Steven Levy
In this episode of Book Overflow, Carter and Nathan discuss the second third of In The Plex by Steven Levy. Join them as they discuss how Google popularized the concept of cloud computing, the invention of Gmail, and more!-- Books Mentioned in this Episode --Note: As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.----------------------------------------------------------In The Plex by Steven Levyhttps://amzn.to/3T2I6NX (paid link)----------------Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5kj6DLCEWR5nHShlSYJI5LApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/book-overflow/id1745257325X: https://x.com/bookoverflowpodCarter on X: https://x.com/cartermorganNathan's Functionally Imperative: www.functionallyimperative.com----------------Book Overflow is a podcast for software engineers, by software engineers dedicated to improving our craft by reading the best technical books in the world. Join Carter Morgan and Nathan Toups as they read and discuss a new technical book each week!The full book schedule and links to every major podcast player can be found at https://www.bookoverflow.io

Jun 2, 2025 • 1h 2min
The Origins of Google - In The Plex by Steven Levy
The discussion dives into Google's intriguing rise from a Stanford project to a tech giant. Key topics include the innovative PageRank algorithm and the skepticism faced by its founders during the 2000 market crash. The hosts reflect on Google's legacy, ethical data practices, and the influence of the cypherpunk movement. They also highlight the importance of balancing AI's role in personal growth with maintaining creativity and critical thinking. Finally, insights on data-driven decision-making encourage listeners to pursue ambitious goals.