If you're an engineering leader
For first-time engineering managers and tech leads. Grove for the foundations, Larson for the modern systems view, Singer for a tactical operating cadence, Orosz for the modern career landscape.
- 01
High Output Management
PickAndrew S. Grove · 1983
Forty-year-old management book that still beats every modern attempt at the same job.
Read if you are about to start managing people, or just did.
framework200–350pintermediate - 02
An Elegant Puzzle
PickWill Larson · 2019
The book most engineering managers will recommend to their successors.
Read if you are a first-time or second-time engineering manager.
framework200–350pintermediate - 03
Shape Up
PickRyan Singer · 2019
Basecamp's homegrown alternative to Agile — short, opinionated, and free to read online.
Read if you lead a small product/engineering team allergic to Scrum ceremonies.
playbook<200pintermediate - 04
The Software Engineer's Guidebook
PickGergely Orosz · 2023
The most up-to-date map of the modern engineering career ladder, written by someone who actually walked it.
Read if you are 3–10 years into engineering and trying to decide what 'good' looks like at the next level.
framework350p+intermediate