There are very few "sit down and read" type books about chemical engineering. That being said, there are two books that I reference every day: the first physi

There are very few "sit down and read" type books about chemical engineering. That being said, there are two books that I reference every day: the first physically, the second philosophically. 1) Perry's Handbook for Chemical Engineers (Perry) 2) Conceptual Design of Chemical Processes (Douglas) Perry's is the end all be all for technical reference. Conceptual Design is incredibly useful for learning how to quickly and accurately design an entire process. If anything, it'll teach you the best methods to go about "back of the hand" calculations for sanity checks.