The Best Product Management Books for 2025: 16 Picks from Product Experts
There are A LOT of Product Management books out there and you’ll have a bit of a hard task on your hands trying to read them all. For that reason, it’s better to cherry-pick the best Product Management books available. But that leaves a question: what are the best books to read? And who’s judging?
Many other lists of Product Management books – although great – are usually a single person’s opinion. Now, as Product Managers, we already know the risks of listening to just one person’s opinion.
So, instead of just giving you my opinion, I wanted to create something a bit more objective. A list that reflects the collective thoughts of the PM community.
To do that, I’ve asked some of the biggest names in Product Management a simple question:
What’s your favourite Product Management book?
Here are all the responses, with answers collected from headline speakers at Product Management conferences, Agile experts, and celebrated authors in their own right.
If you need the definitive list of the best Product Management books in 2025, there’s no better list than this.
But before we dive into what they think, let’s explore what you guys said.
Your favorite Product Management books
I was curious to find out what the general consensus was these days regarding what were the best Product Management books. So, I asked my LinkedIn community what product-specific book they’d take with them to a desert island and totted up the answers. The responses were fascinating.
Here’s a visual of the top books that were mentioned the most:
So, on the podium is:
🥉Strategize – Roman Pitchler
🥈Crossing the Chasm – Geoffrey A. Moore
🥇 Escaping the Build Trap – Melissa Perri
These are great choices from the Product Management public and are echoed by a couple of the Product experts I asked:
Denise Tilles
“The book I always go back to is Escaping the Build Trap by Melissa Perri, truly! Why?
The book is a game-changer for Product Teams. It deftly exposes how organizations get stuck building features without delivering value. When I read the book in 2016, it was one of the first times I was exposed to formal Product Management frameworks.
A really helpful concept in the book is the strategy layers, which help teams understand how each level of the product team contributes to the strategy, at what level, and when.
It’s essential reading for anyone wanting to create products that actually matter to customers.”
– Denise Tilles, Co-author of Product Operations
Denise is a well-celebrated Product Management leader, being the leading voice in Product Operations while helping enterprise and scale-up companies evolve their product operations strategy through coaching.
Her co-authored book, Product Operations, written alongside the aforementioned Melissa Perri, is a fantastic choice to add to your resources.
If you’re not much of a reader, Dennise and Mellisa are recording an updated audiobook version, which will include AI case studies – a vital addition to reflect the Product Management landscape in 2025.
We spoke with Denisse recently about setting up Product Operations. Check it out:
One of our experts also gave some love to the public’s runner-up, Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore, mainly because of how impactful it can be for your Product Management career:
Daniel Elizalde
“It’s hard to choose a favorite, but Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore is one that had a big impact in my career.
This classic book describes how to navigate each stage of the adoption lifecycle. This knowledge is critical for PMs since the techniques you’ll use to prioritize, develop, and go-to-market vary widely whether you are launching a brand new product, growing an existing one, or maintaining an already established one.
Crossing the Chasm is invaluable as a PM working in the weeds and as a Product Leader working to set the strategy and direction of your portfolio. I found it so valuable that I leveraged several of its concepts in my own book, The B2B Innovator’s Map.”
– Daniel Elizalde, author of The B2B Innovator’s Map
Daniel Elizalde is a seasoned Product Executive with over two decades of experience shaping innovation across industries like e-commerce, automotive, and climate tech. As the former VP and Head of IoT at Ericsson, he’s trained thousands of product professionals through his courses, workshops, and Stanford classes.
His book, The B2B Innovator’s Map is a must-read for anyone looking to navigate the complexities of enterprise Product Management. Whether you’re launching a new idea or scaling a product, Daniel’s insights will help you bridge the gap between emerging technology and real-world impact.
We spoke with Daniel a few years back about using the B2B Innovation Journey to drive success. Check it out 👇:
My favorite Product Management book
I didn’t want this list to be entirely my opinion, but I still wanted to give it and include it among this list from product experts. So here’s my take:
I’m only partly joking, but the childhood story If You Give a Mouse a Cookie is a book that taught me valuable lessons about getting stuck in the Agency trap or building edge case features that forget the need for more edge case functionality.
For a more serious suggestion, another favorite of mine that often gets overlooked is The Art of Profitability by Adrian Slywotzky.
It’s told like a story and series of conversations between two people and really cements lessons around how to think about business or revenue models. This is increasingly important as PMs are asked to be accountable for business outcomes and impact and to get more involved with the commercialization of the business.
Leaving you with that appetizer, let’s have a look at what our list of Product Experts and authors had to say about their favorite Product Management books:
The 14 best Product Management books – chosen by Product Management experts
1. Bruce McCarthy
Bruce McCarthy is the product roadmap guru – he literally wrote the book on it: Product Roadmaps Relaunched. As the Founder of Product Culture, he’s helped teams at EGYM, Vistaprint, and Huawei embrace outcome-driven roadmaps over timeline ones. A longtime advocate for strategic, flexible planning, Bruce is the perfect guide to rethinking your roadmap.
Want to hear him break it all down? We’ve got just the webinar for you:
Bruce McCarthy’s favorite Product Management Book: Start with Why by Simon Sinek
“I have a lot of favorite product books, so it’s hard to choose. If you force me to pick one, it would have to be Start with Why by Simon Sinek.
Start with Why by Simon Sinek has always been my must-read for product people. We’re great at requirements, priorities, and plans – but as Sinek points out, Martin Luther King didn’t say, “I have a plan.” He inspired change by articulating his dream. We ask “why” not just to solve the right problems but to communicate purpose – back to customers and across the organization.
If stakeholders don’t grasp the why, execution suffers, and the product feels disjointed. A strong shared why aligns teams and drives success. This book explains how (and why) starting with purpose is the key to building great products.
2. Adam Thomas
Adam Thomas is a product leader and strategist who helps teams escape survival mode and build sustainable, strategy-driven solutions. With experience at Google, BP, and SmartRecruiters, he’s seen firsthand the tensions between customer needs, Product Teams, and business goals. Through data-driven storytelling and a focus on workplace culture, Adam equips teams to break free from reactive cycles.
Adam Thomas’s favorite Product Management Book: Product Management in Practice by Matt LeMay
“My favorite Product Management book is Product Management in Practice by Matt LeMay.
I love it because it feels like a conversation with a mentor – clear, direct, and energizing. LeMay doesn’t waste time on theory for theory’s sake; instead, he breaks down the messy, connective work of PMs with honesty and humor.
There’s always something actionable inside, whether you’re leading a team or stuck translating strategy into action.”
3. Itamar Gilad
Itamar Gilad is a Product Management expert with 20+ years at Google, YouTube, and Microsoft – he even led Gmail’s growth to a billion users. He’s the creator of the GIST Framework and Confidence Meter, helping teams replace gut feelings with data-driven Product Management decisions. Now a coach, author, and speaker, Itamar teaches teams how to build products with real impact.
Wanna hear more about GIST? We’ve got an on-demand chat that’s just a click away:
Itamar Gilad’s favorite Product Management book: The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
“If I had to pick just one book, it would be The Lean Startup by Eric Ries.
13 years later, it’s still a fundamental text for any product person as it explains the principles and methods of modern product development in a very accessible way.”
4. Melissa Appel
Melissa Appel is the coach every Product Leader needs, with 20 years of experience at companies like Wayfair and Divert. As the author of Aligned: Stakeholder Management for Product Leaders, she’s an expert in stakeholder management – helping teams get buy-in without the chaos. Now an executive coach, Melissa helps product leaders refine their processes, build strong teams, and turn alignment into action.
Melissa Appel’s favorite Product Management book: Obviously Awesome by April Dunford
“I have severe recency bias when it comes to business books. They’re all so interesting! The one I read recently, which I LOVE, is Obviously Awesome by the amazing April Dunford.
For Product Managers who want to have a more holistic understanding of what makes products successful, April’s book shows you how to describe what your product does in a way that enables customers to understand how it solves their problems.
From a stakeholder management perspective, these are the same techniques you can use to position your idea or initiative in a way that resonates with your stakeholders. There are so many possible applications for the frameworks and techniques in this book.”
5. Dave Martin
Dave Martin is a seasoned product leader and executive coach, helping B2B tech founders and teams scale with strong leadership and efficient product processes. As founder of RightToLeft and former CPO, he’s led products from zero to millions in ARR and guided multiple SaaS exits. Co-author of The Product Momentum Gap, Dave specializes in aligning teams, driving growth, and making product leadership less stressful.
Dave Martin’s favorite Product Management book: Black Box Thinking by Mathew Syed
“My favourite book for product professionals is Black Box Thinking by Matthew Syed.
In Black Box Thinking, we see a suite of practical examples where evidence-driven improvements make enormous impacts to save lives and keep people safe.
The real lesson is how dogmatic individuals can be when they are emotionally attached to their opinions. The examples are extreme, ranging from surgeons to law enforcement. One of products biggest blockers is changing opinions. The lessons from this book are priceless in helping you do that.”
6. Petra Willie
Petra Wille is a product leadership coach, speaker, and author dedicated to turning good product managers into great ones. Her book, Strong Product People, is a go-to guide for developing top-tier PMs. A mentor and speaker, Petra helps teams build outcome-driven products and create real impact.
Petra Wille’s favorite Product Management books: Impact-First Product Teams by Matt LeMay & Connected: Building Expectional Relationships by David L. Bradford
“I couldn’t decide, so I had to pick two!
Impact-First Product Teams by Matt LeMay is one I had to include. Fresh off the press, this slim yet powerful book zeroes in on the hard truth that “doing things right” doesn’t matter if your company can’t survive.
Instead, Matt argues that Product Teams must focus on impact: connecting day-to-day product decisions to the broader business goals that keep them afloat. By weaving real-world examples, conversation starters, and “reality-tested” guidance, Matt shows how to put impact at the heart of product work, no matter your industry or funding model. I truly believe this is a must-read for any Product Leader trying to stay grounded in outcomes that truly matter.
My other choice is Connected: Building Exceptional Relationships by David L. Bradford & Carole Robin.
Great product work doesn’t happen in isolation. Whether you’re aligning stakeholders, coaching a team, or navigating conflict, relationship-building is a critical product skill.
Connected offers practical tools for building trust-based relationships, with a powerful reminder: “I care enough (about you, about our relationship) to say the worst.” A fantastic read for product folks who want to lead with clarity and empathy.”
7. Phil Hornby
Phil Hornby is a seasoned product leader. His career spans various roles – including Product Management, Project Management, Operations, Development, Sales, and Marketing – he’s done it all. Phil’s mission is to help product leaders think clearly, make strong decisions, and take powerful action that drives high-impact outcomes.
Phil is the founder of For Product People, where he offers coaching, workshops, and content aimed at empowering product professionals. He’s recently launched a program focused on The Business side of Product Management.
Excitingly, Phil is set to release his book, Empowered Product Teams, in October 2025. This no-nonsense guide aims to help product leaders design, structure, and evolve teams that deliver real impact.
Phil Hornby’s favorite Product Management book: Sense and Respond by Jeff Gothelf & Josh Seiden
“My favourite product book… Easy. Sense and Respond by Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden.
This book is all about the core discovery mindset that a great Product Manager needs to have. It’s not as practical as some out there but I find most others leave you wondering why you should do something and not building the fundamental thought processes that you need to be successful – Sense and Respond delivers on that.”
8. Laura Klein
Laura Klein is a UX and Product Management expert dedicated to helping teams build products that people actually love. Author of UX for Lean Startups and Build Better Products, she champions user-centered design that solves real problems. A sought-after speaker, Laura shares candid insights on UX, product, and tech’s trickiest challenges.
Laura Klein’s favorite Product Management book: Continuous Discovery Habits by Teresa Torres
“I really like Teresa Torres’s Continuous Discovery Habits. It helps PMs understand their users’ needs with practical, easy-to-follow advice for teams of all sizes.”
9. Matt LeMay
Matt LeMay is a Product Management expert, author, and speaker known for cutting through complexity with sharp, practical advice. His books help PMs focus on what truly drives impact. With experience at GE, American Express, and Pfizer, Matt’s training and frameworks make product management more effective (and a lot less painful).
Matt LeMay’s favorite Product Management book: Radical Focus by Christina Wodtke
“I’m going to say Christina Wodtke’s Radical Focus because it provided a lot of the foundations for my book, and it’s just great overall.”
10. Jock Busuttil
Jock Busuttil is a seasoned product coach, strategist, and author who helps teams and leaders level up their product practices. With deep expertise in product strategy and leadership, he works hands-on with organizations to refine their approach, align teams, and drive meaningful outcomes.
Beyond coaching, Jock is a prolific writer, always exploring new ideas – sometimes juggling multiple books at once. You can find his latest insights, practical advice, and ongoing work at productpeo.pl and jockbusuttil.com.
Jack Busuttil’s favorite Product Management book: Just Enough Research by Erika Hall & The Four Steps to the Epiphany by Steve Blank
“I’m going to cheat the question slightly and recommend two:
The first is Erika Hall’s Just Enough Research. Packed full of wit, it’s a book about practical user research for Product Teams on a tight budget or who haven’t yet convinced ‘The Powers That Be’ to recruit an actual user researcher. I ended up buying copies for every team I work with.
The second is Steve Blank’s The Four Steps To The Epiphany. You know that whole ‘get out of the building’ discovery thing? The crazy suggestion that it might be a good idea to check out your assumptions before building your product and failing hard? Steve Blank articulated it, if not first, then early enough for his approach to be considered heresy to traditional business practices. One of the giants on whose shoulders we stand.”
11. Bernhard Hecker
Bernhard Hecker is a product leader with deep expertise in scaling teams and driving AI innovation across SaaS, AI, and cloud platforms. He’s helped companies like SUSE and Pluxee expand into new markets and navigate complex regulations, aligning AI and cloud solutions with real business needs. Bernhard is passionate about shaping AI adoption and scaling growth.
Bernhard Hecker’s favorite Product Management book: The Lean Agile Dilemma by Katie Tamblin
“There are the usual suspects, but for me, one stands out: The Lean Agile Dilemma by Katie Tamblin.
It’s a fantastic read for any Product Manager navigating a corporate environment (instead of a startup) who still wants to get things done in a meaningful way. It explains why larger companies often struggle to move as fast as startups and, more importantly, what they can do about it – without blindly applying Lean-Agile principles where they don’t fit. Smart, practical, and entertaining!
It’s also a great read for startup folks and those in naturally leaner environments to understand why corporates move differently and why they still manage to be successful.”
12. Ant Murphy
Ant Murphy is a product coach and founder of Product Pathways, focused on helping product professionals avoid the self-proclaimed mistakes he made early in his career. With real-world experience founding four businesses, he believes great product teams are key to building successful products. A top writer and keynote speaker, Ant shares his insights through his YouTube channel, newsletter, and coaching, helping teams excel across industries.
Ant Murphy’s favorite Product Management book: Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specalized World by David Epstein
“I’m going to throw a totally unexpected book into the mix. Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein. Why?
It turns out that if you want to be creative, innovative, and great at solving wicked problems, then you’d better be a generalist!
The book explores the vast amount of research and science behind where generalists triumph over specialists, and it turns out that it’s in spaces such as creativity, problem, and lateral thinking – exactly what Product Managers need to be great at.
I loved the book because it really made me rethink what makes great product people – diverse backgrounds, broad experiences, applying practices from different industries, etc. turns out to be the recipe for building better products! This has completely changed how I hire, develop, and coach product people today.
I’d also suggest that you go read something from a different genre – start with overlapping ones like leadership, marketing, sales, behavioural psychology, etc – my recent pick: read The Jolt Effect by Mathew Dixon.”
13. Roman Pichler
Roman Pichler is a globally recognized Product Management expert, author, and consultant with over 20 years of experience. He’s the author of several key books, including Agile Product Management with Scrum and Strategize, and his blog is a go-to resource for product professionals. Roman helps organizations develop successful products through his writing, speaking, and consulting, shaping the future of Product Management.
Roman Pichler’s favorite Product Management books: The Innovator’s Solution, Collaborative Intelligence: Using Teams to Solve Hard Problems & Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself
“I’d like to share three possibly slightly unusual book recommendations. These are:
The Innovator’s Solution, Revised and Expanded
Collaborative Intelligence: Using Teams to Solve Hard Problems
Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself
The first one is one of my favourite books on innovation, which I keep returning to.
The second one offers lots of helpful advice to help build effective Product Teams.
The third one, finally, addresses a common problem product people have in my experience – we can be very driven and self-critical. But if we don’t look after ourselves and are too hard on ourselves, it will be hard to innovate successfully and create value on a continued basis.”
14. Stefan Wolpers
Stefan Wolpers is an Agile expert with over 20 years of experience in software development and Agile coaching. He’s the founder of Food for Agile Thought, a widely respected newsletter that delivers valuable insights and best practices to help agile practitioners stay ahead of trends. Stefan’s newsletter is a must-read for anyone looking to build and scale high-performing Agile teams.
Looking for more product-focused newsletters?/ We’ve got a list covering the best:
The 17 Best Product Management Newsletters of 2025
Stefan Wolpers’s favorite Product Management book: Driving Value with Sprint Goals by Maarten Dalmijn
“My tip is Maarten Dalmijn’s book Driving Value with Sprint Goals. It’s still the best one around on “goals” as a concept to create value.
Let’s face it – most teams get goals completely wrong. They either skip them, twist them into something else, or just check a box. The worst offenders? Teams that first pick all the work that ‘needs to be done’ and then desperately try to slap some random words together as a ‘goal’ afterward – usually failing miserably.
No wonder so many teams end up trapped in the feature factory. Maarten Dalmijn’s Driving Value with Sprint Goals reveals exactly how to leverage goals for meaningful outcomes. It’s refreshingly direct and packed with practical tactics to help your team stop spinning wheels and start shipping what truly counts.
If you’re serious about creating value for your customers, this book is essential, not just for Scrum teams.”
Get reading 📚
And there it is, a list of the best Product management books chosen by product experts and authors of some of the most well-regarded Product Management books out there.
That said, there are some heavyweights that you’d expect to feature that weren’t mentioned in this list, but that can easily be explained. Many of our contributors wanted to steer clear of the obvious and offer something more unique.
So, to make sure no one feels left out and that you go away with a full bookshelf worth of all the best Product Management books you need to know, here are a few more essential bits of reading to round out the list:
- Inspired – Marty Cagan (and all his other books)
- Hooked – Nir Eyal
- Sprint – Jake Knapp
- The Lean Product Playbook – Dan Olsen
- Decode and Conquer – Lewis C. Lin
Of course, when talking about Product Management books, you shouldn’t overlook ebooks. These hold a wealth of practical advice to help you excel and improve. We’ve got a whole host of amazing ebooks ranging from prioritization frameworks, OKRs, and KPIs.
However, with a focus on 2025, our most important ebook is our Guide to Building AI Products. With most products adopting AI functionality, you need to get ahead as a Product Manager and learn how to properly build and manage AI products.
If you read one ebook this year, make sure it’s this:
One of the best “product” books I’ve read is actually not a product book, but a business book, highly relevant to Product Managers. It’s the First 90 Days by Michael D. Watkins
Becoming a Product Manager can be daunting. There are no university classes, and you can learn so much from books. You need real-life experience. Finding a mentor is great, but it can be time-consuming. Online coaches are good, but they cost a fortune. As I transitioned from software developer to Product Manager, I decided to join a support group for Product Managers (https://www.coachgroup.co). I can learn from people who did the work before, bringing my experience as a dev to the table.
That’s great, thanks so much for sharing, Martin! Adding this one to my own list to read 🤓