If you're looking at this from an architectural perspective, consider grabbing a copy of Hennessey & Patterson's "Computer Architecture - a Quantitative Approach". It covers topics like branch prediction, instruction set design, memory/caching, and so on. A classic.
If you want to get really deep into the physics of IC Design, one of my favorites is "CMOS Design, Layout & Simulation (Baker). It covers spice modeling, physical transistor construction, and a variety of digital/analog/memory circuit concepts.
Finally: the link to this article was literally right underneath the link to yours when I opened HN news this morning: https://medium.com/@veedrac/to-reinvent-the-processor-671139...
Edit: Apparently this has replaced Weste and Eshraghian: "CMOS VLSI Design: A Circuits and Systems Perspective (4th Edition)" by Weste and Harris https://www.amazon.com/CMOS-VLSI-Design-Circuits-Perspective...
Weste and Eshraghian was (and may still be) the Bible for a very long time: https://www.amazon.com/Principles-CMOS-VLSI-Design-Perspecti...
It's a lot newer (and nicer) than most other references.
I would avoid Mead and Conway because it's really dated. It's not wrong, but a beginner won't know which parts to skip.
If you're looking for something about VLSI layout design, "The Art of Analog Layout (2nd Edition)" by Hastings would be the choice: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Analog-Layout-2nd/dp/0131464108/r...
The complete beginner should start with Harris & Harris "Digital Design and Computer Architecture" (David Harris is one of "CMOS VLSI Design" authors), it provides a gentle introduction into the underlying physics but focuses more on the logic of the whole endeavor, i.e. how to get from transistors to CPUs.
Looks like there's a 2nd ed (mips based?) and an "arm edition" (more recent?) of the same title by the same authors. Online reviews are sparse, wonder which is better now?
A Quantitative Approach is the more advanced text, iirc. Should probably start with the same authors' Introduction to.
Brilliant, thank you!