There are quite a few books on John Deere machinery and history, and although I have not read all of them, the ones that do stand out are the following.
1. The John Deere Way
This book is more about the business ethics behind John Deere & Company rather than just a history lesson on the company. It would benefit the any entrepreneur as well as the John Deere enthusiast. The John Deere Way examines the basic business strategies that have made it one of America's most successful companies. The book is written by the experienced business author, David Magee, and covers strategy areas such as quality coming first, maintaining integrity, and growing on the strength of your roots. At this time when so many manufacturing companies are battling with foreign competition, The John Deere Way is a timely reminder to re-examine what made American manufacturing strong in the first place.
2. John Deere: A History of the Tractor
This book is a must read for anyone who loves John Deere machinery. Author, Randy Leffingwell, illustrates his text with amazing color photographs and brings the book alive with interviews with John Deere tractor owners and enthusiasts. A real bonus is never-seen-before archival drawings and photographs. What a pleasure it was to journey back through time with these iconic tractors.
3. Legendary John Deere Tractors: A Photographic history
For those of you who love to browse through photographic showcases, this is the book for you. It covers the Model D through to the giant 8401s and the new generation lines being produced now. Legendary John Deere Tractors: A Photographic History walks through the origins of the John Deere tractor and how the two-cylinder tractors launched John Deere into the successful tractor manufacturer it is today.
