Recommended readings on software engineering management
a working list of books I recommend
This is a working index of books I recommend to software engineering managers.
Year 0
These are essential readings before starting your first manager role.
- High Output Management, by Andrew S. Grove.
- The First 90 Days, by Michael D. Watkins.
- The Manager’s Path, by Camille Fournier.
Year 1
These deepen the fundamentals once you have settled into the role.
- Staff Engineer, by Will Larson — critical for working well with staff and principal engineers.
- The Art of Leadership, by Michael Lopp.
- Scrum, by Jeff Sutherland.
- Tidy First?, by Kent Beck.
Year 2
These go deeper and reward a year or two of experience in the role.
- An Elegant Puzzle, by Will Larson — quite abstract, and requires some experience to get the most from it.
set in crimson pro · may 2026