The book is divided into six parts. The first part is a collection of 20 configuration hacks. It starts off from basic things like using the right SD card, LEDs, updating the firmware and so on. A large number of the hacks are concerned with how to power the Pi and small hardware mods like adding a reset button.

Part 2 is about hacking Linux - and this is mostly not about the basic Linux commands. The first hack is about building a cross-compiler toolchain so that you can move on to the next hack and build a custom Linux Kernel.. It also covers some easier things like emulating the Pi on QEMM, using Occidentalis and running Android on the Pi.

Part 3 - Pi Around the House - is a bit more standard fair in that it starts off with how to get Samba running and then how to use the Pi as a remote print server. What you make of the rest of the hacks in this part depends on what you already know - a telephone system; a web server, i.e. installing LAMP; a Lego robot using ROS; an illusion using a camera and screen; and finally how to join Seti@home.

Part 4 - Hacking the Outdoors - is a collection of fairly standard hardware projects - temperature measurement, auto-check on plants watering, making the Pi water-resistance. geocaching, radio, aerial photography and a lights display. 

Part 5 - Multimedia Hacks - takes you though playing video files, adding codecs, building a music box, radio, adding a touch screen, classic video game console, controlling a DSLR, media center and mobile video player. 

The final part - Extend You Pi - has projects to allow you to control the GPIO from a web browser, add a small screen, use Arduino shields, control a 3D printer and add a numeric keypad. 

How much you get out of this book depends on what you want to do. The parts that were most valuable to me were on the software - especially creating a custom Linux Kernel which really does open up some additional possibilities. The feel of the book is very much "hack" rather than buying off-the-shelf finished units and this makes it so much the better. 

Highly recommended as long as you are not a complete beginner.

• Harry Fairhead is the author of Raspberry Pi IoT In C and therefore presumably knows something about the Pi and can recognize, as well as write, a good book on the subject.

To keep up with our coverage of books for programmers, follow @bookwatchiprog on Twitter or subscribe to I Programmer's Books RSS feed for each day's new addition to Book Watch and for new reviews.