If you’ve been trying to find a curated list of the best books for product managers, well — you’re in the right place. We’ve engaged our community of 30,000+ product managers and product leaders to uncover 30 books that have helped them most in their product management career over the past few years. We hope this curated list enables you to learn new frameworks, better understand certain tough-to-comprehend concepts, and, ultimately, be an even better product manager and product leader.
Why read Product Management books?
As we always say, few of us went to school for product management. Even with a growing interest in academia, the number of actual undergraduate and graduate programs that offer product management as an academic discipline is relatively small. For that reason, product management books are a great and affordable way to learn from some of the top product management minds today. The best authors care deeply about their craft and invest a considerable amount of time and research into their work. Product Managers benefit by getting access to an incredible wealth of knowledge for minimal cost!
Best 30 Books For Product Managers
Over the past several years, we at Product Collective have connected with thousands of product managers throughout our community to understand better the resources that have helped them the most. Even in the Slack channel we offer, we’re always on the lookout for comments about the best books for product managers, along with other helpful resources. Many of these listed are our personal favorites — including authors who have come to speak at INDUSTRY: The Product Conference.
The result is a compilation of 30 excellent product management books — broken out into some useful categories and with a brief overview for you to get a grasp of what you’ll learn. This compilation of best product management books is categorized by:
- The Best New Books for Product Managers and Product Leaders (2020/2021)
- The Classics: time-tested books that help any product person
- Being a Better Product Manager
- Being a Better Product Leader
- Getting Closer to the Customer
The Best Newer Books for Product Managers and Product Leaders
Empowered, by Marty Cagan
“EMPOWERED dives deep into the tough organizational and cultural issues that get in the way of most companies I work with today. This is the experience and advice I’ve been waiting for in one book.”
—Jeff Patton, Product Process and Design Coach
About the book:
Many product management books talk about what it takes to build world-class products. Empowered goes deeper to talk about what it takes to create product teams that genuinely thrive. Decades of experience from both the author and product leaders whose insights are present throughout the book lead Empowered to be an instant classic for product managers and product leaders alike.
Who should read this book:
This book is perfect for the product manager who aspires to transition into product leadership roles — and product leaders who are focused on ensuring their teams thrive.
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
The Influential Product Manager, by Ken Sandy
“This valuable guide will help product managers lead their organizations and better serve their users and will help product executives uplevel their team’s effectiveness and business impact.”
—Brent Tworetzky, Chief Operating Officer at Parsley Health
About the book:
A practical guide for product managers on how to act at each critical stage of the product life cycle, this book essentially serves as a textbook for those looking for concrete guidance on what actually to do. If you’re looking for a “how-to” book for being a great product manager, this is it.
Who should read this book:
This is especially helpful for those product managers just getting started and those continually asking the question, “Am I doing this right?”
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
The Product-Led Organization, by Todd Olson
“This is an essential read for anyone who wants a practical understanding of how to create the most valuable software companies of the present and future – you’d have to hunt for years to get all its wisdom in a single tome.”
—Oji Udezue, Product Leader (Calendly, Atlassian, and elsewhere)
About the book:
One of the hottest trends we see right now in product management is the notion of the “Product-Led” organization. This book, penned by the CEO of Pendo, one of the leading product-led companies in the SaaS space, is one of the first to detail what it means to be product-led and codify how to drive growth as a product-led organization.
Who should read this book:
This book is perfect for any product manager or product leader who aims to build and grow through product-led strategies.
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
Building for Everyone, by Annie Jean-Baptiste
“This book is an invaluable resource for those wanting to make significant strides in how their organization thinks about and broadly implements product inclusion initiatives!”
—Delecia Krevet, Director of People Operations at Google
About the book:
If you haven’t thought deeply about diversity and inclusion inside your products, then the chances are good that you’re missing a massive opportunity. It’s not only the right thing to do but being mindful about your product’s inclusiveness is critical if you want to see it succeed. But how do you do it? This book exists to answer that precise question.
Who should read this book:
If you’re a product manager or product leader who has thought about diversity and inclusion in your products but hasn’t gone as far as to make substantial changes — you should buy this book. In fact, every product manager and product leader ought to buy this book.
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
It’s About Damn Time, by Arlan Hamilton
“Arlan’s story speaks to all the would-be entrepreneurs and dreamers out there. She brings a unique perspective that has enabled her to see opportunities that others can not. Her message is simple. Those of us who are different can rule the business world, and no one can stop us.”
— Mark Cuban, Entrepreneur, and Investor
About the book:
While this isn’t a “product management book,” we believe that every product manager should read it. A book about perseverance and overcoming obstacles, It’s About Damn Time illustrates that absolutely anybody can find their voice, work their way into any room they want to be in, and achieve their goals — no matter the obstacles in front of them.
Who should read this book:
Candidly, everybody should read this book. But those who want to succeed in environments where the odds may be stacked against them may find this to be incredibly motivating and inspiring.
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
Unapologetically Ambitious, by Shellye Archambeau
“Archambeau’s winning voice and refusal to countenance failure make for an appealing account of one woman’s path to success.”
— Publisher’s Weekly
About the book:
This inspiring leadership book offers wisdom and actionable advice for leaders who wish to thrive in the face of adversity. Through her experience building and scaling companies in Silicon Valley, the author realized ambition alone isn’t enough to succeed truly. This book encompasses practical strategies, tools, and approaches to help any leader (including product managers) create their path to success.
Who should read this book:
While this book is perfect for those looking to take on leadership roles in their future, it will really be beneficial for anybody who wants to blaze their trail and fast-track their way to reaching their personal and professional goals.
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
Build What Matters, by Ben Foster and Rajesh Nerlikar
“This book is an amazing resource for any product leader or tech startup founder who is looking to foster the tricky combination of vision-led product management and metrics-driven product rigor.”
— Rob Go, Co-Founder, and Partner at NextView Ventures
About the book:
Sometimes, the product buzzwords get all of the attention. Keeping up with the “next new thing” can be a challenge. But sometimes, trying to keep up causes us to lose sight of what’s important: creating long-term value for our customers through the products we’re building. In this book, you’ll learn what vision-led product management is and how to put it into practice, backed by the longtime successful strategies that both authors have implemented for years.
Who should read this book:
This book is primarily for strategy-oriented product managers who wish to create customer-focused, value-building products.
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
Cracking the PM Career, by Jackie Bavaro and Gayle Laakmann McDowell
“Amazing, practical advice to take control and navigate your product management career. I wish I had this book when I first embarked on my PM journey. A must-have guide!”
— Yardley Pohl, Co-Founder and Board Member of Women in Product
About the book:
From the authors that wrote the seminal book on interviewing for product management roles, they team up again to write another likely instant-classic — this time on leveling up one’s product career. Covering areas like transitioning into product leadership, building product teams, making career decisions, and more — this book helps you think about your career as “the product.”
Who should read this book:
Anyone who cares just as much about their career as they do the products they manage, particularly those looking to transition from “Product Manager” to “Product Leader.”
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
The Classics:
Cracking the PM Interview, by Jackie Bavaro and Gayle Laakmann McDowell
“I wish this book had existed when I first found my way into product management. Gayle and Jackie don’t just help you land a PM job; they show you what it takes to be great once you’ve got one. Finally there’s a game plan for charting your career as a product manager.”
— Ken Norton, Creator of the “Bring the Donuts” newsletter and 14-year Google veteran
About the book:
Interviewing for a product management role at a top-tier technology company is a unique experience. What questions will you get asked? What are hiring managers looking for? What separates the right candidates from the great ones — who even gets hired? This book answers all of those questions and more in what has become an essential read for any product manager going through the interview process.
Who should read this book:
This book is essential reading and the perfect product management book for any product manager actively interviewing — or preparing to interview — for product management roles.
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
Running Lean, by Ash Maurya
“Ash has laid out a clear compass for anyone to validate their ideas, solve real problems and create a successful business. I’d encourage this book to anyone trying to get a business off the ground.”
— Noah Kagan, Chief Sumo of AppSumo
About the book:
In an age where product managers and entrepreneurs are building more products than ever — why do most of them fail? Unfortunately, this happens because most of the time, people simply are wasting time, money, and other resources in building the wrong product. This book helps you determine just how to find that sometimes-elusive “product-market-fit” and build something that your customers and users want or need.
Who should read this book:
This book is handy for product managers, entrepreneurs, small business owners, software developers, and even those looking to start side-ventures.
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
Crossing the Chasm, by Geoffrey Moore
“Before you set foot into the high-tech playing field, get your hands on Crossing the Chasm — in the fast-paced, hard-fought technology arena, it will definitely put the odds of winning in your favor.”
— William B Lawson Sr., Chairman and CEO of Lawson Software
About the book:
A classic text billed as creating a new game plan for marketing in high-tech industries is a lot more. This book will help you understand how customers think about the products they’re using and how vital understanding where your product fits in the product life cycle is for your product to succeed. If you want to know what innovation truly is, this is the book for you.
Who should read this book:
Anybody involved with building and launching brand new products needs to read this book — including product managers, product marketers, and entrepreneurs. Even those involved with managing existing products will stand to benefit a lot from this book.
Inspired, by Marty Cagan
“When asked what product is, and how companies can accelerate growth, I always start with ‘read INSPIRED and then we can talk.’”
— Sarah Bernard, VP of Product at Jet.com
About the book:
Most often considered the seminal book for product managers, Inspired is meant to give product people the master class on how to properly set their product teams and products up for success in the ever-changing world of technology products. While its first edition was published over ten years ago, the principles and practices described in the book remain incredibly relevant, even as the product world continues to evolve.
Who should read this book:
All product managers and product leaders should read this book. Full stop, this is considered by most as the perfect product management book for anybody to keep as a handy reference.
The Lean Product Playbook, by Dan Olsen
“Dan’s product expertise was incredibly helpful in the early days of building and growing Box. I found his advice incredibly valuable ― and if you want to build a successful product, you will too.”
— Aaron Levie, CEO of Box
About the book:
This is marketed as a guide for building practical products that customers love — and it certainly fits the bill. It’s a whole lot more. Dan Olsen shares real frameworks that are simple to understand yet meaty enough to practice at fast-growing technology companies. Product Collective’s Co-Founder, Mike Belsito, assigns this book to the undergraduate students he teaches every Fall at Case Western Reserve University because it’s an excellent all-encompassing product management book that’s both actionable and insightful.
Who should read this book:
This book is perfect for those who are relatively new to product management — and those product managers who are hungry to learn new and useful frameworks.
The Best Books for Learning and Applying New Skills to Become a Better Product Manager:
Build Better Products, by Laura Klein
“This book should be mandatory reading for anybody making product decisions.“
— Eric Ries, Author of The Lean Startup
About the book:
Building a software product is easier than ever, thanks to countless low-code/no-code tools and SaaS applications designed to help product people. But building a software product that people want to use — well, that’s a different story. This book isn’t just about theoretical concepts, though. It offers practical step-by-step guidance and exercises that help product managers build better products at all levels of the product life cycle.
Who should read this book:
Product managers looking for a systematic approach to building better software products enjoy learning exercises and applying them in their own work.
Where To Get It: (AUS)
Radical Focus, by Christina Wodtke
“Finally, a parable I could relate to! The real message is that OKRs work, and Radical Focus is a great implementation guide to the world of OKRs, making it easy to deploy and see the exceptional results you’re after.”
— David Shen, Launch Capital
About the book:
A business book disguised as a parable, this book illustrates the application of the critical concept of OKR’s but in the lens of a real-world story. Written explicitly with Silicon Valley-type businesses in mind, it’s a book that will benefit anybody who wishes to level up their work by implementing a new decision-making system to help them achieve their objectives.
Who should read this book:
Any entrepreneur, product manager, or business owner who wants to succeed using a systematic approach can follow to master the concept of OKR’s.
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
Product Management in Practice, by Matt LeMay
“In a digital era for products and teams, Matt LeMay brings the role of product management back to its fundamental human tenets.”
— Cecilia Shao, Product Manager, IBM Watson Data Platform
About the book:
A guide to product management that offers a framework for product managers to learn and implement, this book is a practical text that’s especially helpful to those that find themselves lost in the world of product management. With a particular focus on the CORE connective skills — Communication, Organization, Research, and Execution — this book is a practical playbook for product management practitioners.
Who should read this book:
It’s beneficial for those looking to break into product management or active product managers continually looking for new frameworks to learn and level up their skills.
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
Measure What Matters, by John Doerr
“Whether you’re a seasoned CEO or a first-time entrepreneur, you’ll find valuable lessons, tools, and inspiration in the pages of Measure What Matters. I’m glad John invested the time to share these ideas with the world.”
— Reid Hoffman, Co-Founder of LinkedIn and the author of The Startup of You
About the book:
Like Radical Focus, this is another book that extols the importance and usefulness of OKR’s in entrepreneurs’ work. The author uses his experience as one of the most venerable venture capitalists in all of Silicon Valley to recall stories and case studies that highlight his work and underscore how OKR’s can help one better achieve their goals. There are superstar cameos throughout, including stories about Bono, Bill Gates, Google’s Founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, and others.
Who should read this book:
Any entrepreneur, product manager, or business owner who wants to better understand OKR’s — as well as anybody interested in tales of Silicon Valley.
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
Shape Up, by Ryan Singer
“A different way of looking at managing projects, Shape Up changes the way that people think of the time and space they use to do their work, which is pretty remarkable.
— Mike Belsito, Co-Founder of Product Collective and Organizer of INDUSTRY: The Product Conference
About the book:
Positioned as a guide to the way that work is done at Basecamp, it’s much more than that. Ryan Singer re-shifts how product managers, designers, developers, and others ought to look at the projects they manage. Introducing new frameworks and exercises, Shape Up challenges one to throw away what they know about how work should be done and approach things differently.
Who should read this book:
Product managers, designers, software developers, and entrepreneurs would all stand to benefit by reading this book to manage their work more effectively.
Where To Get It: (Basecamp)
The Messy Middle, by Scott Belsky
“Building a lasting business is 1% idea and 99% resilience. The Messy Middle details the unglamorous but essential lessons every founder needs to learn.”
— Jennifer Hyman, Co-Founder, and CEO of Rent the Runway
About the book:
Most books about startup successes often talk about that beginning grind — or the victorious ending. But they avoid where the real work takes place, what Scott Belsky calls “The Messy Middle.” This book is essentially a textbook (size and all) with over 100 lessons on what it takes to build a successful startup company, focusing mainly on the book’s namesake.
Who should read this book:
It’s specially designed for entrepreneurs, but anybody trying to create a technology product from scratch, like product managers, will stand to benefit as well.
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
Escaping the Build Trap, by Melissa Perri
“All too often, companies find themselves imprisoned in ‘The Build Trap’ — a constant battle of feature-after-feature without creating real value. This book will help you get out of that.”
— Paul McAvinchey, Co-Founder of Product Collective and Organizer of INDUSTRY: The Product Conference
About the book:
All too often, companies building software products end up focusing on the wrong things. Instead of driving customer value and driving outcomes — they focus on things like speed and output. The problem, of course, is that just because you’re creating a lot of something doesn’t mean that you’re doing the right thing. This book discusses what companies can do to get out of this vicious cycle of “build, build, build” and, ultimately, escape “The Build Trap.”
Who should read this book:
This is the perfect product management book for any product person — especially those at large organizations — who feel like they keep churning feature after feature without any discernible additional benefit.
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
The Best Books for Becoming a Better Product Leader:
Product Leadership, by Richard Banfield, Martin Erickson, and Nate Walkingshaw
“Richard, Nate, and Martin have collectively walked the walk in applying human-centric design principles time and time again in the wild, which is evident in their message and many useful real-world examples.”
— Heather Abbott, SVP of Corporate Solutions at NASDAQ
About the book:
Chock full of insights from interviews with nearly 100 product leaders, this book helps explore different themes, approaches, and strategies that today’s leading product leaders use. While many product management books focus on sharing how to be a great product manager — and this one does, too — this dives deeper into not just managing great products but building great product teams.
Who should read this book:
Product managers who enjoy learning from others will especially appreciate the insights gathered from various interviews. This book will be beneficial to those looking to transition from product management to product leadership.
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
The Making of a Manager, by Julie Zhuo
“I wish I’d had this book when I started managing a team at Instagram. Julie covers the full range of becoming a manager, from your first meetings with your team to accomplish huge goals together.”
— Mike Krieger, Co-Founder of Instagram
About the book:
Any great CEO in the world had to become a manager at some point in their careers. Unfortunately, even the best management schools can’t adequately prepare anybody for what it’s like to take on their very first management role. This book is a practical guide for that particular point in one’s career — transitioning from individual contributor to manager.
Who should read this book:
Anyone who plans to make the transition — or recently made the transition — into a management role would consider this book an excellent resource, including first-time product managers tasked with leading a product team.
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
Year of Yes, by Shonda Rhimes
“There’s real value in the experiences Rhimes shares… When, for example, she discusses learning to take better care of herself, the memoir feels honest, raw and revelatory.”
— The Washington Post
About the book:
This book may not be considered a product management book — or even a business book — to most. Yet, we believe it’s still an essential read for product managers, as this memoir dives deep into Rhimes’s personal life and life as a television producer as she challenged herself to say “yes” to things for an entire year. Pushing herself well beyond her comfort zone, insights emerged that so many of us can learn from (especially product managers who often must say “no” to many things.)
Who should read this book:
This book is excellent for anybody who may find life or their career a little too comfortable and may need some inspiration to challenge themselves to do some difficult things.
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
Radical Candor, by Kim Scott
“I think this is an incredible book for anyone who is hoping to create better relationships in the workplace. Whether you manage 1 person or an entire company, this is for YOU.”
— Rachel Hollis, New York Times bestselling author
About the book:
An essential read for any manager who wants to toe the line between being aggressive and empathetic. This book offers guidance on how great bosses build better relationships with their employees. The author draws on her decades of experience and distills the learnings into actionable insights that readers can quickly identify with and put into practice.
Who should read this book:
Anyone who manages other people — and those who manage managers — will find this book perfectly suited for them.
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
It Doesn’t Have to be Crazy at Work, by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson
“Their book is funny, well-written, and iconoclastic and by far the best thing on management published this year.”
— The Economist
About the book:
Have you ever felt like your work-life was something out of the movie Office Space — with endless meetings, meaningless memos, and no real, actual… work? This book is about how to get out of that funk. More of a manifesto of sorts, this book trumpets that the notion of long hours and “hustle culture” simply isn’t necessary to achieve greatness in the workplace. There is another way; a better way. This book shows you that way.
Who should read this book:
This book is especially for those who find themselves fed up with the social norms of 80-hour workweeks and a 7-day work schedule and want to find a better way.
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
The Best Books for Getting Closer to Customers:
Testing Business Ideas, by David Bland and Alexander Osterwalder
“The more I dig into this book, the more insights I get out of it. It’s yet another amazing work by Strategyzer.”
— Nichole Elizabeth DeMeré, B2B SaaS Consultant
About the book:
70% of new products fail, while just 30% ultimately succeed. This book aims to flip that statistic. Co-authored by the person who created the business model canvas, this book is meant to be a practical guide with hands-on techniques and exercises designed to help product people rapidly test new ideas. A book that encourages less intuition and more data-driven decisions, reading this ought to leave you even more inclined to experiment with new ideas.
Who should read this book:
Anybody involved with building new products — particularly at the earliest stages — will stand to benefit from this book, from entrepreneurs to product managers, designers, and developers and, well, anybody who finds themselves “testing business ideas,” as the title suggests.
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
Webs of Influence, by Nathalie Nahai
“Applying the latest in thinking in psychology, sociology, business, design and more, this book is essential reading for anyone who works on the web.”
— Jamie Bartlett, Author of The Dark Net
About the book:
A book designed to help companies navigate the ultra-competitive space of online commerce, this weaves together insights from psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral economics to help readers better understand the dynamics and motivations behind consumer behavior.
Who should read this book:
Product managers and product marketers who are tasked with positioning their products to consumers online will benefit from this book.
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
The Mom Test, by Rob Fitzpatrick
“Read this short book! We believe this is the best and most accessible book for entrepreneurs who are seeking product market fit.”
— Simon Murdoch, Partner at Episode1 Ventures
About the book:
It’s said that you shouldn’t ask your mom about your new business idea or product concept. But this book asserts the notion misses the point. You shouldn’t ask anyone about your new business idea. Instead, engaging with customers in the right way will help you uncover whether the product you’re building solves their problem. This book enables you to guide those critical conversations.
Who should read this book:
Anybody involved with building new products — particularly at the earliest stages — will stand to benefit from this book, from entrepreneurs to product managers, designers, and developers.
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
Obviously Awesome, by April Dunford
“April provides an easy-to-understand framework for you to do your positioning work. If you run through her 10-stage process and give yourself the chance to allow the scales to fall from your eyes, you’ll improve your positioning and, ultimately, your product.”
— Simon Galbraith, CEO of Red Gate Software
About the book:
You know your product is awesome — but does anyone else? This book helps you find your product’s “secret sauce” and identify who’s craving that sauce and, ultimately, sell that sauce to them (in big batches, of course). A book that’s both entertaining and enlightening, this book is packed with lessons gleaned from the author’s experiences in launching 16 products throughout her career.
Who should read this book:
This is the perfect book for early-stage entrepreneurs, product marketers, and product managers who believe that it’s not just “the marketing team’s job” to sell their product.
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
Meaningful: The Story of Ideas that Fly, by Bernadette Jiwa
“The most important book for your boss to read this year. Buy it, share it, make it real.”
— Seth Godin, New York Times Bestselling Author
About the book:
Today’s digital landscape indeed allows anybody with a computer and an internet connection to create technology products. It’s never been easier to go from “idea” to “product” in a short period. But not all ideas fly. For those very few ideas that make it into the real world, why do just a fraction become breakout hits? This book explores that question and shines a light on how most ideas need somebody else to fall in love with them to blossom.
Who should read this book:
This is a great product management book for all types of product people — from the traditional product manager helping build products for a larger organization to the early-stage entrepreneur trying to make their dreams come true.
Where To Get It: (Amazon US)
Demand-Side Sales 101: Stop Selling and Help Your Customers Make Progress, By Bob Moesta and Greg Engle
“Bob has already brought the benefit of applying his JTBD principles to two of the three most important areas in business: product strategy and marketing. This book tackles the third and arguably the most important: sales. Most sales gurus obsess about how to sell. Bob instead invests his time in the more important and underserved side of the equation: how people buy. The result is a fresh perspective and new ideas for an age-old trade.”
—Des Traynor, Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Intercom
About the book:
Moesta and Engle introduce you to a way of selling that won’t make your stomach churn. As they say, “sales does not have to feel icky for you or your customers.” Instead, you can have more meaningful conversations and mutually beneficial outcomes by understanding your customer’s true motivations.
Who should read this book:
This book is not just for people in strict sales roles. It will appeal to any product person familiar with the Jobs-to-be-Done framework that Moesta helped architect or those who are not but are intrigued by the idea of demand-side selling.
Where to get it: (Amazon US)
Our Big Takeaway for Product Managers and Product Leaders:
While traditional academia may have long ignored the vital role of product management, this list shows no shortage of great product management books that can genuinely help us. You’ll notice from this list, though, that not every book listed is viewed as a traditional product management book. Some may not even be considered business books. Yet, we curated this list because every single one of these books will help product managers and product leaders become even better at their craft.
