The most recommended books about Google

Who picked these books? Meet our 8 experts.

8 authors created a book list connected to Google, and here are their favorite Google books.
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Book cover of Leading with Noble Purpose: How to Create a Tribe of True Believers

Roberta Chinsky Matuson Author Of Can We Talk?: Seven Principles for Managing Difficult Conversations at Work

From my list on maximizing your talent.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m one of the world’s leading experts on the maximization of talent, who is the author of six books on leadership and talent. I’m also a LinkedIn Top Voice in Leadership and Workplace, and one of the few people who was a guest on The O’Reilly Factor, with Bill O’Reilly, who left the show unscathed.

Roberta's book list on maximizing your talent

Roberta Chinsky Matuson Why did Roberta love this book?

All too often, managers try to motivate their employees with money and outrageous perks. If that stuff worked, these companies would have a fully engaged workforce. Leadership expert Lisa Earle McLeod tackles the employee engagement crisis by showing leaders how to put workplace meaning front and center. Lisa’s book includes plenty of examples of how to put her words into action. It’s an easy read, with a very important message.

By Lisa Earle McLeod,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Leading with Noble Purpose as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Profit doesn't drive purpose. Purpose drives profit. We made some incorrect assumptions about work and those assumptions are killing us. We allowed a narrative that is solely about earnings to replace what we know to be true about human motivation. Human beings are hardwired to seek purpose, but according to data, most people don't feel a sense of purpose in their work. Work has become a grind, an endless series of tasks that lack meaning. Building upon her bestseller Selling with Noble Purpose, leadership expert Lisa Earle McLeod tackles the employee engagement crisis by showing leaders how to put workplace…


Book cover of Sex in Middlesex: Popular Mores in a Massachusetts County, 1649-1699

Karen Vorbeck Williams Author Of My Enemy's Tears: The Witch of Northampton

From my list on 17th century America.

Why am I passionate about this?

After living in, while restoring, an old farmhouse built in the late 17th century or very early in the 18th, it was impossible for me not to want to know the history of the house and the people who lived there. Combine that with the stories my grandmother told me about our ancestor, the suspected witch Mary Bliss Parsons of Northampton, and I felt destined to know her story. That led to many years of research and writing. At the moment I am writing another 17th century New England historical fiction. I love this period of history and so few write about it. 

Karen's book list on 17th century America

Karen Vorbeck Williams Why did Karen love this book?

Well, the title was amusing. The rest of the book was fascinating, alarming, and totally surprising for an author who was researching the lives of Puritans in early New England. The public records, Puritan laws, along with Thompson’s analysis opened up a world of new information and removed every myth I’d heard about these staunchly religious people.

By Roger Thompson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Sex in Middlesex as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Thompson analyzes the court records of 17th century Middlesex County, searching for such sexually related crimes as fornication, breach of promise, sexual deviancy, and adultery. His findings help shatter the traditional historical caricature of New England Puritans as patriarchal, dour wife-beaters and child-abusers, a myth eloquently created by Perry Miller and most recently reinforced by Lawrence Stone. In the court records Thompson discovers Puritans who exhibited 'tolerance, mutual regard, affection, and prudent common sense' within the context of a popular Puritan piety. A well-written social history that places Puritanism in a human rather than an intellectual framework, Sex in Middlesex…


Book cover of Building Secure and Reliable Systems: Best Practices for Designing, Implementing, and Maintaining Systems

Adam Shostack Author Of Threat Modeling: Designing for Security

From my list on application security for builders.

Why am I passionate about this?

Being able to understand and change reality through our knowledge and skill is literal magic. We’re building systems with so many exciting and unexpected properties that can be exploited and repurposed for both good and evil. I want to keep some of that magic and help people engineer – build great systems that make people’s lives better. I’ve been securing (and breaking) systems, from operating rooms to spaceships, from banks to self-driving cars for over 25 years. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that if security is not infused from the start, we’re forced to rely on what ought to be our last lines of defense. This list helps you infuse security into your systems.

Adam's book list on application security for builders

Adam Shostack Why did Adam love this book?

This book captures lessons from many authors at Google, some of whom I’ve worked with over the years. The chapters on availability (7, 8, 9) were a revelation to me. I had no idea how Google approaches the topic of resilience and recovery in their systems, and I now think of the whole topic very differently. The biggest takeaway is how to think about the design of systems.

By Heather Adkins, Betsy Beyer, Paul Blankinship , Ana Oprea , Adam Stubblefield

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Building Secure and Reliable Systems as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Can a system be considered truly reliable if it isn't fundamentally secure? Or can it be considered secure if it's unreliable? Security is crucial to the design and operation of scalable systems in production, as it plays an important part in product quality, performance, and availability. In this book, experts from Google share best practices to help your organization design scalable and reliable systems that are fundamentally secure.

Two previous O'Reilly books from Google-Site Reliability Engineering and The Site Reliability Workbook-demonstrated how and why a commitment to the entire service lifecycle enables organizations to successfully build, deploy, monitor, and maintain…


Book cover of Radical Candor

Eric Brechner Author Of Agile Project Management with Kanban

From Eric's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Career coach Educator Math geek Despiser of waste Father and husband

Eric's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Eric Brechner Why did Eric love this book?

This unfortunately titled book reflects my own philosophy and recommendations for managing software engineers. The title is unfortunate because there's nothing radical about the author's recommendations, at least not to me.

The focus is on providing compassionate candor to your staff, caring personally about them while directly challenging them in areas where they should improve. The first part of the book explains why you should take this approach, including its benefits. The second part provides clear and specific guidance on attaining those benefits.

Having been a manager and coach for over 25 years, I'm often asked what management book I recommend. Until now, my choices were too esoteric or too academic. Now, I recommend Radical Candor.

By Kim Scott,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Radical Candor as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Featuring a new preface, afterword and Radically Candid Performance Review Bonus Chapter, the fully revised & updated edition of Radical Candor is packed with even more guidance to help you improve your relationships at work.

'Reading Radical Candor will help you build, lead, and inspire teams to do the best work of their lives.' - Sheryl Sandberg, author of Lean In.

If you don't have anything nice to say then don't say anything at all . . . right?

While this advice may work for home life, as Kim Scott has seen first hand, it is a disaster when adopted…


Book cover of SEO 2022: Learn search engine optimization with smart internet marketing strategies

Andreas Ioannou Author Of Entrepreneur Makeover

From my list on digital marketing that will help you to stand out.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a self-taught marketer. I have gained all my digital marketing knowledge by reading articles and watching videos online. I am the author of the digital marketing book, Entrepreneur Makeover. On my Entrepreneur Makeover website, I share digital marketing strategies through my articles that help people to promote their website/business for free or at a minimal cost. I have a passion for digital marketing because I realised how important digital marketing is in order to succeed in any kind of business. You can have a great website or product but if no one knows about it, this is something that will result in the failure of a business.

Andreas' book list on digital marketing that will help you to stand out

Andreas Ioannou Why did Andreas love this book?

SEO 2022 is a simple, easy-to-understand explanation of Search Engine Optimization techniques for beginners and advanced users. It is one of the best books on SEO, released by the author every year with the latest SEO trends and updates. The book focuses on search engine optimization tips and strategies for getting top rankings.

The author of the book, Adam Clarke, is Google Analytics and Google Ads certified and is also a renowned SEO consultant. 

With around 250 pages, Adam shares all of his top SEO knowledge with his readers.

By Adam Clarke,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked SEO 2022 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Learn SEO and rank at the top of Google with SEO 2022—beginner to advanced!
Recently updated - EXPANDED & UPDATED JUNE 2022

No matter your background, SEO 2022 will walk you through search engine optimization techniques used to grow countless websites online, exact steps to rank high in Google, and how get a ton of customers.

In this SEO book you will find:
1. SEO explained in simple language, beginner to advanced.
2. The inner workings of Google’s algorithm and how it calculates the search results.
3. How to find “money” keywords that will send customers to your site.
4.…


Book cover of Rules of Summer

Karen Krossing Author Of Monster vs. Boy

From my list on middle-grade about monsters and facing our fears.

Why am I passionate about this?

When I was small, a goblin lived in my closet. I was sure of it. At night, I huddled under my blanket, listening to the unexplainable noises coming from my closet. And yet, I also have felt like that monster hiding in the closet—afraid to enter the wide world, afraid of who I might meet and what they might think of me. I have felt different. Misunderstood. This list of monstrous middle-grade books shows how our story monsters are more than metaphors. They are a way to understand ourselves, our big emotions, our daydreams, and our nightmares. I guarantee these books will delight and empower younger and older readers.

Karen's book list on middle-grade about monsters and facing our fears

Karen Krossing Why did Karen love this book?

For me, this picture book captures how childhood is both magical and terrifying.

For a younger brother, summer becomes a series of rules to navigate within a surreal landscape peopled only by unpredictable monsters and his big brother, who makes the rules. This imagined world, where stepping on a snail can conjure a tornado, feels strangely authentic and satisfying.

Each time I read this book, I’m fascinated again.

By Shaun Tan,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Rules of Summer as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 6, 7, and 8.

What is this book about?

A beautiful paperback edition of the future classic by Academy Award and Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award winner - Shaun Tan combines humour and surreal fantasy to picture a summer in the lives of two boys. Never break the rules. Especially if you don't understand them. The boys hide from a giant red rabbit and outwit a crowd of scary eagles, but when their games become ever darker and sinister they learn that breaking the rules can be dangerous.'Visually fascinating.' - The New York Times'Thrilling, disturbing and hard to shake...one startling image after another.' - Wall Street JournalOther titles by Shaun…