Home Page Usability, by Jakob Nielsen and Marie Tahir: Nielsen is the guru of usability. He may go overboard a bit, but if we all lived by his rules the Web would be a more productive, less crazy-making place. The book presents 113 guidelines for ensuring usability (yes, 113) and dissects 50 home pages.

The Design of Everyday Things, by Donald A. Norman: It's not about the Web at all, but it's full of lessons about how good psychology and sensible design are critical for any machine or system. Norman's analyses of puzzling door handles, counter-intuitive oven dials, and mysterious controls in nuclear power plants will get your mind right for smart Web site design.

The Web Content Style Guide, by Gerry McGovern, Rob Norton, and Catherine O'Dowd: As an attempt to set some rules and standards for writing, editing, and basic design on the Web, this is a useful reference. The bulk of the book is an A-to-Z listing of guidance on points of grammar ("affect" vs. "effect") as well as technical issues (what's a "PDF" and what's the most user-friendly way to use it).

User-Centered Web Design, by John Cato: Cato believes that good design always keeps the user in mind. (We agree.)

Don't Make Me Think, by Steve Krug and Roger Black: That title sums up the critical message of this book. If visitors have to stop and figure out how your site works, you've blown it.

Web Navigation, by Jennifer Fleming: Sensible advice with plenty of practical examples.