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I have a co-worker who insists that he will never buy a book unless it is considered "THE" book. So, in this vein, I thought I'd ask what the ultimate Linux book is. I wouldn't quite call myself a complete beginner since I can get around in Linux in general pretty well. But, beyond that, I'm also looking for a book with an eye towards becoming a Sys Admin someday. I saw a Junior Sys Admin position open up recently but with the requisite 2-3 years experience, I may have to wait a little while longer before I'm ready to apply for such a position.
Having said all that, I'll summarize my question: What is the ultimate Linux book for someone who is ok with the basic tasks of getting around in Linux but also wants to aim towards full Sys Admin status someday?

A few examples of the books I'm considering:
Linux-Administration-Beginners-Guide-Fifth
Linux-System-Administration
Linux-System-Administration

EDIT: Before you close this question as a dup, I'd like to say that I'm looking for something that goes deeper than this: Book for linux newbies

I already have "Linux in a nutshell"

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For junior sysadmin, I don't think you're expected to already know all the implementation details. I would look at configuring common services and such WITHOUT reading a guide. Rely on man pages/online documentation alone and compile some of the more difficult to work with packages from source. Actually doing this type of thing will get you a lot more acclimated to linux than reading books and performing scripted exercises. – aking1012 Nov 27 '10 at 16:50
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I can very highly recommend UNIX and Linux System Administration Handbook. I've used previous editions for many years.

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Glad you pointed this one out. Without a recommendation, I may have judged this book by its cover. – Ramy Nov 27 '10 at 17:51
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I liked RHCE by Jang: http://www.amazon.com/Certified-Engineer-Linux-Study-Certification/dp/0072264543

System Administration Recipes: http://books.google.com/books?id=D3pWxqYtNZ8C&pg=PR15&lpg=PR15&dq=linux+sysadmin+recipes&source=bl&ots=0DcugIGUNw&sig=NzBVPdr0X90w_FzvRDF1BvvFzZ0&hl=en&ei=fsDwTIb8IMGqlAeO-M2SDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CBwQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=linux%20sysadmin%20recipes&f=false

and LFS: http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/

First one is targeted to a certification...if you need to know exactly what it covers, check the certification objectives.

The second is a problem/solution type of thing I am more used to seeing from O'Reilly

The last is a free guide on compiling and configuring your own linux distro from scratch.

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Would you recommend I jump into a certification before gaining too much hands on experience? I'm all about getting certified if it isn't a pie in the sky place to start. – Ramy Nov 27 '10 at 23:33
any cert can turn out to be pie in the sky, but rhce is one of the more respected ones(probably because it has a hands on component) – aking1012 Nov 28 '10 at 0:11
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up vote 1 down vote

I don't know if it's THE book but of these three "Linux System Administration" is the only one I would bother with.

Linux Administration: A Beginner's Guide, Fifth Edition
A guide aimed to beginners is bound to be too shallow and full of stuff you can pick op on most Linux tutorials you might find on the web.

Pro Linux System Administration
Well this might be a second choice but I can't stand Apress books. They are waaaay to wordy and will always use a page or two to explain where others would need a paragraph.

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