What books can help me become well versed in UI, UX and usability standards?
Steve Krug's Don't Make Me Think" (http://amzn.to/dOHEfI) and Donald Norman's "The Design of Everyday Things" (http://amzn.to/ertWm7) are the two best books to start with in my opinion. Both have reached 'required reading' status within the usability and UX fields.
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