While there is certainly something to be said for simplicity in a language, I think Go is too extreme in this regard. What it gains in simplicity it looses in expressiveness. This leads to more lines of code per feature, and bugs in software has been shown to be a function of LoCs [1,2,3].

One example of Go's lack of expressiveness is that loops are not abstracted away, e.g. you can't use higher level constructs like map and filter on collections. There are other languages that IMO strikes a better balance between simplicity and expressiveness, like Python and Elixir.

1. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1702967

2. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4471-3003-1_...

3. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0735619670/ (Chapter "Developer Testing")

Hi,

If you want to be a generalist, you may want to learn things which are useful independently of the programming language.

Some books that would qualify in my opinion (as examples):

- Code Complete: A Practical Handbook of Software Construction, Second Edition by Steve McConnell

https://www.amazon.com/Code-Complete-Practical-Handbook-Cons...

- Facts and Fallacies of Software Engineering by Robert L. Glass

https://www.amazon.com/Facts-Fallacies-Software-Engineering-...

Learning the different approches taken by multiple programming languages is certainly useful. It may not be that much relevant which language it is unless you want a job specifically in that language.

I can't speak for Google but I guess it is more relevant how familiar you are with software development practices and general knowledge about architecture, design, testing, algorithms to name a few than a specific language.

Speaking from a software engineering perspective, here are a few that I found really valuable. I've seen them recommended by people I respect on many occasions.

Code Complete by Steve McConnell https://www.amazon.com/Code-Complete-Practical-Handbook-Cons...

The Mythical Man Month by Frederick Brooks https://www.amazon.com/Mythical-Man-Month-Software-Engineeri...

(None of these are affiliate links)

https://www.amazon.com/Domain-Driven-Design-Tackling-Complex...

https://www.amazon.com/Clean-Code-Handbook-Software-Craftsma...

https://www.amazon.com/Clean-Architecture-Craftsmans-Softwar...

https://www.amazon.com/Patterns-Enterprise-Application-Archi...

https://www.amazon.com/Refactoring-Improving-Existing-Addiso...

https://www.amazon.com/Code-Complete-Practical-Handbook-Cons...

https://www.amazon.com/Pragmatic-Programmer-Journeyman-Maste...

https://www.amazon.com/Mythical-Man-Month-Software-Engineeri...

And just because it’s asked at every interview.

https://www.amazon.com/Design-Patterns-Object-Oriented-Addis...

I’m focused on AWS these days, but a lot of these principals are universal.

https://d1.awsstatic.com/whitepapers/architecture/AWS_Well-A...