Buy new:
-31% $33.35
Delivery November 4 - 5
Ships from: Amazon
Sold by: BookNBounty
$33.35 with 31 percent savings
List Price: $47.99
The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
FREE International Returns
$11.61 Shipping & Import Charges to Canada Details

Shipping & Fee Details

Price $33.35
AmazonGlobal Shipping $9.87
Estimated Import Charges $1.74
Total $44.96

Delivery November 4 - 5
In Stock
$$33.35 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$33.35
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon
Ships from
Amazon
Sold by
BookNBounty
Sold by
BookNBounty
Returns
30-day refund/replacement
30-day refund/replacement
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
30-day refund/replacement
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$17.95
FREE International Returns
Minimal signs of wear. Corners and cover may show wear. May contain highlighting and or writing. May be missing dust jacket. May not include supplemental materials. May be a former library book. Ships direct from Amazon! Minimal signs of wear. Corners and cover may show wear. May contain highlighting and or writing. May be missing dust jacket. May not include supplemental materials. May be a former library book. Ships direct from Amazon! See less
Delivery November 12 - 25
$$33.35 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$33.35
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Added to

Sorry, there was a problem.

There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again.

Sorry, there was a problem.

List unavailable.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Frederick P. Brooks, Jr.
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Mythical Man-Month, The: Essays on Software Engineering, Anniversary Edition Anniversary Edition

by Frederick Brooks Jr. (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,652 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$33.35","priceAmount":33.35,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"33","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"35","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"x1P8rH5XzSwv9zO3mS7hp3sPXG248GTTn9Ay3n03QKuMw61BRXHbUz%2Fhjkui6yf6gXsoaFJhgF%2FQvi1v6lb6nlQ%2FfkXSuGrtGd8bknfBcDMNDuCJJFSzWtV2HPgsuzS%2FRteX70KdTINwg06wcinGTLhJvk%2BCUwzPYqOp%2F7VwE%2Bg3h%2BxWZq3%2FtQHlLgWhW9V%2B","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$17.95","priceAmount":17.95,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"17","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"95","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"x1P8rH5XzSwv9zO3mS7hp3sPXG248GTTK4uFCcVb22%2BsV7W5lNpAx7Bl5DZrYmM5VKWzQNV6wv115TDfpgXYraoplmZ7OJkvLvcw%2FSh2aXSB4JEKolU0BU8nCFVE5%2BDJyFzaox0yVEMsH6XHiXcr7EOLGlhDaKAb%2BQXnphGEB5QV5IDVUxsKbg%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Few books on software project management have been as influential and timeless as The Mythical Man-Month. With a blend of software engineering facts and thought-provoking opinions, Fred Brooks offers insight for anyone managing complex projects. These essays draw from his experience as project manager for the IBM System/360 computer family and then for OS/360, its massive software system. Now, 20 years after the initial publication of his book, Brooks has revisited his original ideas and added new thoughts and advice, both for readers already familiar with his work and for readers discovering it for the first time.

The added chapters contain (1) a crisp condensation of all the propositions asserted in the original book, including Brooks' central argument in The Mythical Man-Month: that large programming projects suffer management problems different from small ones due to the division of labor; that the conceptual integrity of the product is therefore critical; and that it is difficult but possible to achieve this unity; (2) Brooks' view of these propositions a generation later; (3) a reprint of his classic 1986 paper "No Silver Bullet"; and (4) today's thoughts on the 1986 assertion, "There will be no silver bullet within ten years."

Previous slide of product details
  1. ISBN-10
    9780201835953
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0201835953
  3. Edition
    Anniversary
  4. Publisher
    Addison-Wesley Professional
  5. Publication date
    August 2, 1995
  6. Language
    English
  7. Dimensions
    9.07 x 6.11 x 0.75 inches
  8. Print length
    336 pages
  9. See all details
Next slide of product details

Frequently bought together

Mythical Man-Month, The: Essays on Software Engineering, Anniversary Edition
This item: Mythical Man-Month, The: Essays on Software Engineering, Anniversary Edition
$35.12
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
The Pragmatic Programmer: Your Journey To Mastery, 20th Anniversary Edition (2nd Edition)
$49.99
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams (3rd Edition)
$35.58
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price: $00
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
spCSRF_Treatment
Choose items to buy together.

Related Climate Pledge Friendly items

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Previous set of slides
  1. Anker USB C Cable,6.6FT Thunderbolt 4 USB C to USB C Certified Cable, 8K Display/40Gbps/100W Charging Cord for iPhone 16, Mon
     Climate Pledge Friendly
    Products with trusted sustainability certification(s). Learn more

    PRODUCT CERTIFICATION (1)

    Climate neutral by ClimatePartner

    Climate neutral by ClimatePartner certifies the carbon footprint of a product was calculated and all associated emissions were offset.

  2. Logitech MX Ergo Plus Wireless Trackball Mouse, 2048 dpi Optical Sensor, 8 Buttons, 4-Way Scroll Wheel, 910-005178 (Renewed)
     Climate Pledge Friendly
    Products with trusted sustainability certification(s). Learn more

    PRODUCT CERTIFICATIONS (2)

    Carbon Neutral Certified by SCS Global Services

    Carbon Neutral Certified by SCS Global Services means the product’s carbon emissions have been measured and reduced, with any remaining emissions offset.

    Pre-owned Certified: Electronics

    Pre-owned Certified: Electronics products are inspected, cleaned and (if applicable) repaired to excellent functional standards. Buying pre-owned instead of new can extend a product's life, reduce e-waste, and raw material extraction.

  3. Ito En Organic Oi Ocha Unsweetened Green Tea, 16.9 Ounce (Pack of 12), Zero Calories
     Climate Pledge Friendly
    Products with trusted sustainability certification(s). Learn more

    PRODUCT CERTIFICATION (1)

    USDA Organic

    USDA Organic products are grown and processed according to the USDA Organic standards addressing soil and water quality, among other factors. Organic is protected by law, inspected by experts, traced from farm to store, and shaped by public input.

  4. Logitech MX Vertical Wireless Mouse – Ergonomic Design Reduces Muscle Strain, Move Content Between 3 Windows and Apple Comput
     Climate Pledge Friendly
    Products with trusted sustainability certification(s). Learn more

    PRODUCT CERTIFICATION (1)

    Carbon Neutral Certified by SCS Global Services

    Carbon Neutral Certified by SCS Global Services means the product’s carbon emissions have been measured and reduced, with any remaining emissions offset.

  5. LEUCHTTURM1917 - Notebook Hardcover Medium A5-251 Numbered Pages for Writing and Journaling (Army, Dotted)
     Climate Pledge Friendly
    Products with trusted sustainability certification(s). Learn more

    PRODUCT CERTIFICATION (1)

    The Forest Stewardship Council

    The Forest Stewardship Council certified products support responsible forestry, helping keep forests healthy for future generations.

  6. Logitech MX Master 3S - Wireless Performance Mouse, Ergo, 8K DPI, Track on Glass, Quiet Clicks, USB-C, Bluetooth, Windows, Li
     Climate Pledge Friendly
    Products with trusted sustainability certification(s). Learn more

    PRODUCT CERTIFICATION (1)

    Carbon Neutral Certified by SCS Global Services

    Carbon Neutral Certified by SCS Global Services means the product’s carbon emissions have been measured and reduced, with any remaining emissions offset.

Next set of slides

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,652 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book's value for money to be excellent. They also say it's well worth reading and a good introductory read for anyone. Opinions are mixed on the erasure, with some finding it timeless, while others say it's outdated.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
Value for moneyReadabilityErasure
79 customers mention "Value for money"72 positive7 negative

Customers find the book's points pertinent to the thesis, necessary, and concise. They say it contains wonderful concepts about organizing large projects. Readers also appreciate the wisdom of the book, saying it's almost all current. They mention the principles are truly timeless.

"...Mr. Brooks' writing style is impeccable; he carefully dissects and examines each topic, with the wit and wisdom merited by such a technical field,..." Read more

"...In spite of this, the principles of the book are still applicable: the chapters on estimation, team size, and the dismantling of the person-month..." Read more

"...Buy this book if you can, and borrow it if you cannot. It is truly forgotten wisdom that too many organizations should have internalized twenty..." Read more

"The ideas in the book itself are fantastic. However, there are many text formatting issues that interrupt the reading experience...." Read more

66 customers mention "Readability"56 positive10 negative

Customers find the book well worth reading, saying it's a classic. They say the content is good and accessible. Readers also mention the author is great and makes the book satisfying and edifying.

"...in philosophy, computer science, or good writing, this book is well worth your time. If you are interested in two or three of them, it's a must-read...." Read more

"...those human factors of software engineering in a manner both satisfying and edifying. Pick up this timeless classic. Absorb the teachings...." Read more

"...Despite that, I thought it was overall an easy read, though not as humorous and engaging as some of the other software books I've been through." Read more

"...Brooks's style is friendly but professional and business like. Budding project managers will find many useful insights...." Read more

26 customers mention "Erasure"13 positive13 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book. Some mention it's timeless and provides a great perspective for decades, while others say most of the content is outdated.

"The Mythical Man-Month is an indisputable classic. It deserves 5 stars even if a little outdated.I do not give 5 stars easily...." Read more

"...To me, the book suffers from two major problems. For one, it is very outdated, and this 'anniversary edition' updates absolutely nothing from the..." Read more

"...experience from classic projects such as IBM's OS/360, the book has interesting history as well...." Read more

"Very dated. While some stuff is still relevant, much of the book is devoted to old batch-processing systems...." Read more

Lots of underlying
4 out of 5 stars
Lots of underlying
The book was in good condition, except nearly every single sentence in the entire book had been underlined. Oddly the only sentences not underlined were the sentences related to the importance of testing.
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

T. A. Baker
5.0 out of 5 stars Influential Classic on Software Development: A Must-Read
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2015
Verified Purchase
This is an excellent compendium of knowledge about software development, particularly in relation to project management and efficient team organization. Though it covers more topics than just those, it really demystifies and sheds light on why managing software development is so different and so much more difficult than any other industry.

If you have any interest in philosophy, computer science, or good writing, this book is well worth your time. If you are interested in two or three of them, it's a must-read. This is a classic in the software development space and has been extremely influential for many years.

Mr. Brooks' writing style is impeccable; he carefully dissects and examines each topic, with the wit and wisdom merited by such a technical field, yet he does it without using a lot of double-speak or unnecessary "fluff" - not a true text but rather a collection of essays, each chapter comes across as a polished, finished product, well-focused on a single topic.

This particular edition is also highly recommended. It contains four additional chapters: No Silver Bullet, yet another influential essay by Brooks that was not in the original edition; an overview of all his points (the entire book) in an easy-to-digest format; his thoughts 20 years on from writing the original, and how the industry has changed in that time; and finally, his responses to various criticism he has received over the years specifically in response to the "No Silver Bullet" essay.

This is an excellent purchase and a great read.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
NDExD
4.0 out of 5 stars A classic - somewhat dated, but required reading nonetheless
Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2010
Verified Purchase
The Mythical Man-Month is Frederick Brooks' seminal collection of essays vis-a-vis software engineering. From the title, one would imagine that the tome's unifying thesis revolves around the discredited idea that adding more engineers to a project will enable the project to be completed in fewer months, or, to put it another way, that the length of a project's schedule is a linear function of the number of workers assigned to that project. Using graphs based on mathematical formulas and on research conducted by other specialists, Brooks neatly dismantles the person-month myth - demonstrating, in fact, that in many projects (particularly if complex interrelationships are required or if the project is behind schedule), adding more bodies often increases the time required for completion.

Despite what the title suggests, however, the above-mentioned topic is but one of many covered by this work. Other topics include the distinction between the "essential" and "accidental" elements of software design; the distinction between building a computer program vs. designing a "programming a systems product" (and the ninefold difference in complexity and time between the two); the quest for software engineering's elusive "silver bullet"; the importance of documentation; the surprisingly small percentage of time that actual writing of code occupies on the timeline of a typical software-development project (as contrasted with time needed for testing and debugging); large teams vs. small "surgical teams" (and why the latter isn't always the answer for all projects); the "buy versus build" dilemma; and many others.

Much of the material in the first several chapters of the book appears obsolete (although there are still valuable principles that can be gleaned). However, in chapter 19 (a kind of "retrospective" chapter added 20 years after the original publication date), Brooks amends much of the out-of-date material, e.g., his earlier views on program size and space metrics (rendered all but irrelevant in this age of multi-gigabyte memory), and the degree to which the (albeit hard-to-predict) personal computer explosion and the growth of the Internet. However, even since the time of the book's revision (1995), further explosions have taken place in the computing industry - most notably with regards to Web 2.0, the ubiquity of data-driven Web applications (these even obsoleting many shrink-wrapped products), Web services, and development methodologies such as Agile and XP - that even chapter 19 may seem a little out-of-date to the modern developer. In spite of this, the principles of the book are still applicable: the chapters on estimation, team size, and the dismantling of the person-month myth are enough to make this tome required reading for developers and managers alike - especially the latter.
12 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
The Swan
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful; Essential!
Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2010
Verified Purchase
Oddly, I was reminded of this classic work whilst reading Chris Date's otherwise quite unremarkable tome, "The Third Manifesto". Date and Darwen cite this classic text admiringly. And this may be the most important contribution to have emerged from their efforts. Having toiled in the Information Technology field for decades, I was, of course, familiar with many of the gems of wisdom that were first articulated by Brooks in this classic book. But it was a true joy and revelation finally to read the book itself from cover to cover.

Among the pearls of wisdom contained within these pages are the following:

Adding people to a late software project tends to make it later.

While it takes one woman nine months to give birth, nine women cannot accomplish the same task in one month. (Hence, the concept of the mythical man month. People and time are not interchangeable commodities.)

The factor most dispositive of success in software engineering is conceptual integrity.

The first duty of the manager is create a concise and precise written plan.

Communication, and its attendant, organization, require as much skill and careful consideration as any other aspect of technical project leadership.

There are many, many more wonderful insights contained within the corpus of this outstanding book. While dated, no doubt, the truths that emerge from careful consideration of this important work are that overcoming problems of human interaction are really paramount to success in any task as complicated as software engineering and that the discipline of software engineering is perhaps one of the most wonderfully rewarding career paths open to creative and serious folks even today. This outstanding book rightly deserves an honored place in the library of any person who would succeed in a career in information technology now, or in the future. Yes, it deals with human factors that some may argue can be overcome by technology. But, as Brooks so cogently demonstrates in his wonderful essay on the "silver bullet", the search for the final solution to the problem of software engineering is very much like the hope to slay the mythical werewolf with a silver bullet in that it is a search for an enigma to deal with a chimera. It can't realistically hope to succeed.

Finally, in assessing the timeless importance of this classic, we are reminded of the sage advise of that great philosopher, Arnold Schwarzenegger, that, when working with people, everything is political. Yes, the human factors always do matter. And Dr. Brooks has illuminated those human factors of software engineering in a manner both satisfying and edifying. Pick up this timeless classic. Absorb the teachings. And watch your productivity and effectiveness in the discipline soar. God bless.
5 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Dmitry Rocha
5.0 out of 5 stars The book is in good conditions
Reviewed in Canada on December 11, 2022
Verified Purchase
The book is in good conditions. There are some minor issues in the cover, but nothing too serious.

It was worth paying half price (+shipping).
Report
Kostas Xydis
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read book for project managers and IT people
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 2, 2023
Verified Purchase
Nice book. A must read book for project managers and IT people. Others may find it not interesting.
Report
Paula Cristiane Silva
5.0 out of 5 stars Um clássico assustadoramente atual
Reviewed in Brazil on October 15, 2020
Verified Purchase
Um clássico que sempre assusta: como estamos errando e falando das mesmas coisas há tantos anos? Estamos aprendendo com as experiências passadas, ou apenas reinventando a roda e caindo nos mesmos erros a cada novo sistema? Leitura obrigatória para todos os profissionais de TI, principalmente desenvolvedores.
Report
Cliente de Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente libro
Reviewed in Mexico on July 22, 2018
Verified Purchase
En el se revela los errores que cometemos al desarrollar un proyecto, nunca esta de más este tipo de libros que te señalar errores que no percibes y sin embargo en algún momento caes en ellos sin darte cuenta, 100% recomendable.
Report
Andre Adrian
5.0 out of 5 stars How-to for a 5000 Man-Years IT project
Reviewed in Germany on October 1, 2019
Verified Purchase
Mr. Brooks and his team needed 5000 man years from 1963 to 1966 to create OS/360. Peak head count was 1000 persons. Today we ask the question: was this massive amount of labor necessary? I think so. Today the art of operating systems is much advanced. But at Brooks time, he had to break new ground, fast and in good quality. He and his very large team did write history, like Prof. Corby (Corbató) did with Multics. Next to Brooks law I like his scheduling rule most: 1/3 planning, 1/6 coding, 1/4 component test and early system test and 1/4 system test, all components in hand. In my projects I used the surgeon team, Mill's Proposal. It worked again and again.
Report