Primer material for a coming Graduate Class

I'll be starting a M.S. program soon and I'm trying to get a jump start. Below is a description-overview of my pending course. Is there a book on this topic that I could check out? I've checked out the text book that was used in previous class and the book is pricey and I'm not sure if it will be used in the coming course...

A course on computer systems topics, focusing on machine-level programming and architecture and their relevance for application programming. Information representations, assembly language and debuggers, processor architecture, program optimization, memory hierarchy and caching.

So again, I'm just looking for a book (or a website) that would give me a good primer on this material.

Update: Here is where I'm at: The two suggestions below are good answers. But, I'm hoping for something a little more terse -- the class starts on Tuesday (6/16/2009) so I was hoping to read though something today. Both of these books do not seem to be available at my local book store. Is there anything that can be suggested that is more commonly in book stores? Thanks to all.

That's a tough book to start on :P

Robert Greiner 2009-06-12 20:56:38

It's a tough book no matter what. I've still to get through my first reading of vols 1-3

workmad3 2009-06-12 20:59:18

lol... i know. some consider it the holy grail of computing books, though.

Sudhir Jonathan 2009-06-12 21:11:11

It comes in volumes!? Gahh! :-) Thanks.

Frank V 2009-06-12 21:12:00

Here is the problem with this answer (as good as it is). The book comes in volumes and I was hoping for a quick primer... This seems like a great in-dept guide but its probably too heavy for what I'm looking for.

Frank V 2009-06-13 14:38:49

Actually it comes in fascicles, which are grouped into volumes...

emddudley 2009-06-13 15:14:15

Hmmm... If I were you, I'd get volume 1 and scan through it. Even if I didn't read the whole book, I'd still have a massive head start because I'd already have a decent idea of what was going on.

Sudhir Jonathan 2009-06-14 07:10:00

I'm sure this book is good but, multiple volumes disqualifies it from the category of "primer"... Even if I were to start with just the first volume it is probably too technical for what I was looking for at the time. I was looking for more of a quick overview of the subject. My text book has ended up serving that purpose... I do want to thank you though.

Frank V 2009-07-01 16:25:11

Thanks -- that is the course text book. I link to it in the main post. :-)

Frank V 2009-06-12 21:10:11

oh my, I didn't even look... sorry aout that

Robert Greiner 2009-06-12 21:24:24

While this is the class text book, this is more of a primer than the the multiple volume book that Sudhir suggested... I'm sure both are good but this was a better fit to "primer". Thanks!

Frank V 2009-07-01 16:22:58

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Primer material for a coming Graduate Class

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