Freelance Folder just released their ebook The Unlimited Freelancer and Envato's Collis Ta'eed just released How to be a Rockstar WordPress Designer. And since I just finished reading Miles Burke's The Principles of Successful Freelancing, it seemed like a good time to see what else is coming down to a bookstore near you. Here are some of the books I'm looking forward to their release this year.

Programming Ruby 1.9: The Pragmatic Programmers' Guide by Dave Thomas, with Chad Fowler and Andy Hunt Available March 2009 This is the Pickaxe book, named for the tool on the cover. The original PickAxe was the first English-language book on Ruby. Each edition of the book tracks the latest Ruby release, and each is the definitive reference to Ruby. This time we've broken with tradition. This isn't a third edition. It's technically a separate book. That's because it reflects all the new features of Ruby 1.9, and we want both it and the second edition (which covers 1.8) to be available at the same time.

Agile Web Development with Rails, Third Edition by Sam Ruby, Dave Thomas, David Heinemeier Hansson Available March 2009 The Third Edition of the Jolt Award winning book that shows you a new approach to web development, updated for Rails 2. Sam Ruby joins the team to add his world-class knowledge of web application development, making this the most up-to-date and authoritative Rails book out there.

iPhone SDK Development by Bill Dudney, Chris Adamson, and Marcel Molina Available April 2009 Jump into application development for today's most remarkable mobile communications platform, the Pragmatic way, with iPhone SDK Development. This Pragmatic guide takes you through the tools and APIs, the same ones Apple uses for its applications, that you can use to create your own software for the iPhone and iPod touch. Packed with useful examples, this book will give you both the big-picture concepts and the everyday gotcha details that developers need to make the most of the beauty and power of the iPhone OS platform.

Website Owner's Manual by Paul Boag of Boagworld. Available March 2009 Website Owner's Manual helps you form a vision for your site, guides you through the process of selecting a web design agency, and gives you enough background information to make intelligent decisions throughout the development process. This book provides a jargon-free overview of web design, including accessibility, usability, online marketing, and web development techniques. You'll gain a practical understanding of the technologies, processes, and ideas that drive a successful site.

Web Design for Developers: A Programmer's Guide to Design Tools and Techniques by Brian Hogan Available May 2009 Web Design for Developers will show you how to make your web-based application look professionally designed. We'll help you learn how to pick the right colors and fonts, avoid costly interface and accessibility mistakes your application will really come alive. We'll also walk you through some common Photoshop and CSS techniques and work through a web site redesign, taking a new design from concept all the way to implementation.

What's on your to read list? Any suggestions for our readers on upcoming books to read?