Peopleware: A must read for everyone (especially managers)
I recently went to Portland, and when I am there I make it a point to always stop by Powells Book Store. They have a whole building about the size of a typical Barnes & Noble dedicated to technical books. It had been several years since I had read Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams by Tom DeMarco and Timothy Lister, so when I saw the second edition sitting on the shelf with 8 new chapters I just had to get it.
DeMarco and Lister's have a witty and enjoyable style of writing that makes their books fun to read. I simply couldn't put the book down on a flight from Seattle to London. Not only is the book engaging, it provides strong evidence to support their arguements and dispells many common myths, misconceptions, and misinformation around efficiency and effectiveness of people, projects, and the workplace. It provides managers with better information and keen insight on how to manage technical people and technical projects.
As Joel Spolsky wrote, "I can't recommend this book highly enough. It is the one thing every software manager needs to read...not just once, but once a year."