7 Knowledgeable Books About Engineering

Ever wondered how anything (really, anything!) was built? How the biggest constructions came about? How the most intricate machines, and the most mind-blowing software even came to be? All that could be answered with only one word: Engineering.

Engineering is nothing but the art of applying knowledge from science, mathematics, and empirical evidence towards the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of structures, machines, devices and systems. Make no mistake, engineering is a science and art without which mankind would have never gotten out of the caves. The books listed here can empower you to become knowledgeable of this vast subject.

#1 Accelerate: The Science of Lean Software and DevOps by Nicole Forsgren PhD

Accelerate by Nicole Forsgren is a must read for anyone in product or engineering, it’s discusses the benefits of continuous delivery and how beneficial it is for your organization. This is all backed by thousands of data points from countless surveys.

Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:

• The Book Depository (International)
• Waterstones (International)

Read more reviews and buy the book here (Amazon)

Search for the audiobook here (Audible)

#2 What If; Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions

This book lives up to its title and does not disappoint. It goes through real engineering analysis to situations that are clearly out of the realm of possibility. Some might start as possible situations, but he takes everything to the next level and goes well beyond the realm of possibility.

Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:

• The Book Depository (International)
• Waterstones (International)

Read more reviews and buy the book here (Amazon)

Search for the audiobook here (Audible)

#3 $20 Per Gallon; How the Inevitable Rise in the Price of Gasoline Will Change our Lives for the Better

This book is from 2009 and certainly things in the automotive industry have changed since then. However, I found this to be a very interesting thought experiment on how things in our world will change with the increase in gasoline price with many of the lessons and proposals still applicable.

Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:

• The Book Depository (International)
• Waterstones (International)

Read more reviews and buy the book here (Amazon)

Search for the audiobook here (Audible)

#4 The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement

This book is a business novel that details the process a plant director went through to improve his throughput and efficiency of the plant. The lessons are applicable to other engineering situations and life situations as well.

Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:

• The Book Depository (International)
• Waterstones (International)

Read more reviews and buy the book here (Amazon)

Search for the audiobook here (Audible)

#5 Maintaining Mission Critical Systems in a 24/7 Environment by Peter M. Curtis

Maintaining Mission Critical Systems in a 24/7 Environment is an imperative guide to designing, operating, and maintaining mission-critical equipment and systems. Curtis shares his 30+ years of experience and deep industry acumen in critical infrastructure engineering focused on business resiliency, data center efficiency, and green power technology with mission-critical facility engineers and operators. It’s already a best seller book in its class – with the 3rd edition set to be released in late 2019.

Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:

• The Book Depository (International)
• Waterstones (International)

Read more reviews and buy the book here (Amazon)

Search for the audiobook here (Audible)

#6 Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature

Nature contains ingenious designs due to billions of years of evolution. Biomimicry isn’t necessarily a new concept, but is more relevant than ever today. It’s much more feasible for the designs with these principles to actually be manufactured due to advances in additive manufacturing, and software innovations such as topology optimization and generative design.

Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:

• The Book Depository (International)
• Waterstones (International)

Read more reviews and buy the book here (Amazon)

Search for the audiobook here (Audible)

#7 Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things

As the creators of products that are mass produced, it’s our responsibility to consider the complete lifecycle of what we are producing and the impact on the environment. This is a great book to challenge how designers think about sustainability with respect to design, manufacturing, packaging, and shipping.

Before buying a book make sure to compare price and outlet, we have included links below to several large book outlets for different regions in the world:

• The Book Depository (International)
• Waterstones (International)

Read more reviews and buy the book here (Amazon)

Search for the audiobook here (Audible)