8 Tensorflow Books That Separate Experts from Amateurs

Kirk Borne, Francois Chollet, and other leaders share top Tensorflow books to sharpen your skills and advance your AI projects.

Updated on June 28, 2025
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What if you could tap into the exact TensorFlow knowledge that industry leaders rely on to build cutting-edge AI systems? TensorFlow, Google's open-source machine learning framework, has transformed how developers and researchers create intelligent applications, yet mastering it demands the right resources. This collection of TensorFlow books offers a rare window into expert-recommended approaches that tackle everything from natural language processing to deploying models on mobile devices.

Seasoned data scientist Kirk Borne, known for his role at Booz Allen Hamilton, highlights books that dive deep into natural language processing with TensorFlow 2, emphasizing practical code implementations for real-world challenges. Meanwhile, Francois Chollet, the creator of Keras, endorses works focused on image generation and hands-on TensorFlow projects that marry clarity with power, reflecting his intimate knowledge of the framework’s inner workings.

While these curated books provide proven frameworks and foundational techniques, if you want content tailored specifically to your background, skill level, and learning goals, consider creating a personalized TensorFlow book that synthesizes these insights into a roadmap just for you. Your unique journey deserves customized guidance alongside expert wisdom.

Kirk Borne, Principal Data Scientist at Booz Allen Hamilton, draws on extensive expertise in data science and machine learning to recommend this book for its thorough practical focus. He discovered it while exploring advanced NLP techniques integrated with TensorFlow 2, praising it for including code on nearly every major topic from sentiment analysis to transformers and conversational AI. As he puts it, "All your NLP favorites are here: TD-IDF, Word2Vec, Seq2Seq, BERT, RNN, LSTM, GPT, and more." His endorsement highlights how this resource bridges theory and real-world application, making it a strong choice if you want to deepen your TensorFlow-based NLP skills.

Recommended by Kirk Borne

Principal Data Scientist at Booz Allen Hamilton

Advanced Natural Language Processing with TensorFlow 2 provides TensorFlow code for nearly every topic and technique presented in the book, including GitHub access to all of that code. The topics cover a broad spectrum of current NLProc techniques, applications, and use cases, specifically in the context of TensorFlow deep learning. These include sentiment analysis, transfer learning, text summarization, named entity recognition (NER), transformers, attention, natural language understanding (NLU) and natural language generation (NLG), image captioning, text classification (via a variety of methods and algorithms), and conversational AI. All your NLP favorites are here: TD-IDF, Word2Vec, Seq2Seq, BERT, RNN, LSTM, GPT, and more. (from Amazon)

2021·380 pages·Natural Language Processing, Tensorflow, Computational Linguistics, Machine Learning, Named Entity Recognition

Ashish Bansal's decades of experience in AI and machine learning shaped this detailed guide to advanced natural language processing using TensorFlow 2. You’ll explore techniques like Named Entity Recognition built from scratch with Conditional Random Fields, and delve into modern architectures including transformers and seq2seq models. The book also covers practical tasks such as sentiment analysis, text summarization, and image captioning, supported by working TensorFlow code for each method. If you already have a foundation in NLP and Python, this book deepens your expertise with nuanced approaches for tackling complex language problems.

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Best for image generation experts
Francois Chollet, the creator of Keras, brings a unique perspective to this TensorFlow-focused book, noting its clear and accessible code examples. His endorsement highlights the inclusion of StyleGAN, a model crucial for advanced image generation tasks. This recommendation comes from an expert deeply familiar with TensorFlow and Keras, making his insights particularly valuable for anyone wanting to master image generation using these tools. His review suggests you’ll gain practical skills directly applicable to contemporary deep learning challenges.

Recommended by Francois Chollet

Creator of Keras

All TensorFlow/Keras, with very readable code examples. Includes a section on StyleGAN, which will come in handy (from Amazon)

Soon Yau Cheong's experience with AI consultancy at NVIDIA and Qualcomm shaped this detailed guide to image generation using TensorFlow 2.x. You’ll explore advanced architectures like GANs and autoencoders, learning to build models that perform face swaps, style transfers, and photorealistic image synthesis. Chapters on spectral normalization and self-attention deepen your understanding of modern neural networks, while practical examples like StyleGAN and CycleGAN illustrate real applications. This book suits deep learning practitioners and computer vision engineers aiming to enhance image and video generation skills with hands-on TensorFlow implementations.

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Best for personalized learning paths
This AI-created book on TensorFlow mastery is tailored to your skill level, background, and specific learning goals. By sharing your interests and the aspects of deep learning you want to focus on, you receive a custom guide that matches your needs perfectly. This personalized approach makes learning TensorFlow more efficient and relevant, helping you confidently tackle complex projects. Instead of generic content, this book gives you a clear, focused pathway through the material that matters most to you.
2025·50-300 pages·Tensorflow, Deep Learning, TensorFlow Basics, Neural Networks, Model Optimization

This tailored book explores customized TensorFlow approaches designed to match your unique background and deep learning goals. It covers the core concepts of building, training, and optimizing deep neural networks, while also examining advanced techniques such as transfer learning, model tuning, and deployment pathways that align with your specific project needs. By focusing on your interests and experience level, this personalized guide synthesizes complex topics into a clear, accessible roadmap that empowers you to master TensorFlow effectively. With a focus on practical mastery, the book reveals how to navigate TensorFlow's rich ecosystem, harness its APIs, and efficiently implement solutions for diverse deep learning challenges. The tailored content ensures you gain relevant insights that directly support your learning journey and project ambitions.

Tailored Guide
Model Optimization
1,000+ Happy Readers
Rowel Atienza, Associate Professor at the University of the Philippines with a rich history in robotics and computer vision, brings his deep expertise to this book. His experience developing control algorithms and gaze tracking systems informs the practical approach to complex deep learning topics here. This work reflects his passion for teaching and research, making advanced AI concepts in TensorFlow accessible and applicable for those ready to advance their skills.

Rowel Atienza draws upon his extensive background in robotics and computer vision to deliver an in-depth exploration of advanced deep learning techniques using TensorFlow 2 and Keras. You’ll navigate beyond basics into practical applications like generative adversarial networks, variational autoencoders, and deep reinforcement learning, supported by clear explanations and hands-on projects. Chapters on object detection and semantic segmentation provide concrete examples that bridge theory with real-world AI challenges. This book suits you if you already have Python fluency and some machine learning experience and want to deepen your mastery of cutting-edge neural architectures and unsupervised learning methods.

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Best for generative AI developers
Joseph Babcock has spent more than a decade working with big data and AI across e-commerce, digital streaming, and finance, earning a PhD focused on machine learning in genomics. His extensive background informs this guide to generative AI with TensorFlow 2, where he connects theoretical models to practical creations like music and deepfakes. His expertise shines through detailed code examples and exploration of emerging AI applications, making it a valuable resource for Python programmers eager to experiment with AI creativity.

Joseph Babcock brings over a decade of hands-on experience with big data and AI to this exploration of generative models using TensorFlow 2. You’ll dig into how machines create art, text, and music by building and adapting models like VAEs, GANs, LSTMs, and transformers. The book walks you through practical coding examples, such as composing music with MuseGAN or crafting deepfakes with autoencoders, while also highlighting cutting-edge applications like protein folding. If you’re comfortable with Python and have some foundation in machine learning math, this book offers a deep dive into generative AI’s creative potential, though it’s less suited for complete beginners.

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Best for applied TensorFlow engineers
Thushan Ganegedara, a senior ML engineer at Canva and TensorFlow specialist with a PhD from the University of Sydney, wrote this book to demystify TensorFlow 2 for intermediate practitioners. His active role in the TensorFlow community and experience teaching through DataCamp shape the practical, example-driven approach found here, helping you master complex models and pipelines with clarity and confidence.
TensorFlow in Action book cover

by Thushan Ganegedara··You?

Drawing from his extensive experience as a senior ML engineer at Canva and a prolific contributor on StackOverflow, Thushan Ganegedara offers a detailed walkthrough of TensorFlow 2 in this book. You'll gain hands-on skills in building deep learning models, from fundamentals to advanced architectures like transformers and attention mechanisms, with practical examples such as a French-to-English translator and neural fiction writing. The book also guides you through constructing end-to-end data pipelines using TensorFlow Extended (TFX), making it a solid resource for Python programmers with foundational deep learning knowledge. If you're aiming to deepen your applied TensorFlow skills for computer vision and NLP, this book delivers focused insights without unnecessary fluff.

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Best for focused skill building
This AI-created book on TensorFlow learning is tailored to your background and goals, created to help you rapidly build skills through focused daily exercises. You share your experience level, areas of interest, and objectives, and the book is crafted to concentrate exactly on what you need for efficient progress. Instead of generic content, it offers a customized learning path that matches your pace and helps you engage deeply with core TensorFlow concepts and projects.
2025·50-300 pages·Tensorflow, TensorFlow Basics, Model Building, Data Preparation, Neural Networks

This tailored book offers a hands-on journey through TensorFlow, designed to fast-track your learning with focused exercises and projects. It explores foundational concepts and progressively builds your skills through daily challenges, ensuring you engage directly with the framework's core capabilities. The content matches your background and addresses your specific goals, making complex topics approachable and relevant to your interests. Throughout, it reveals practical techniques for model building, optimization, and deployment tailored to your pace and experience level. By concentrating on your unique learning needs, this personalized guide bridges expert knowledge with targeted practice, helping you master TensorFlow efficiently. It focuses on your interests in rapid skill development, providing a clear, structured pathway that encourages consistent progress and deep understanding.

Tailored Guide
Skill Acceleration
1,000+ Happy Readers
Best for ML pipeline builders
Hannes Hapke, a senior data scientist at SAP Concur with a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, brings his broad expertise from healthcare to renewable energies to this work. His role exploring innovative machine learning solutions for business travelers positions him uniquely to address the real-world challenges of model deployment. This book reflects his commitment to helping data scientists and engineers move beyond development to efficient production, leveraging the TensorFlow ecosystem to streamline complex pipelines.
2020·364 pages·Tensorflow, Data Science Model, Machine Learning Model, Machine Learning, Data Science

What happens when deep expertise in machine learning infrastructure meets the operational challenges of deploying models at scale? Hannes Hapke and Catherine Nelson draw on their extensive experience across industries like healthcare and retail to show how automating machine learning pipelines transforms project outcomes. You’ll learn to orchestrate pipelines using TensorFlow Extended and tools like Apache Beam, enabling you to cut deployment time drastically — from days to minutes. The book dives into practical steps including data validation, model analysis with fairness checks, and deployment strategies spanning TensorFlow Serving to mobile optimization. If your focus is turning prototypes into production-ready solutions, this guide will sharpen your approach without overcomplicating the process.

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Anirudh Koul is a noted AI expert, NASA ML Lead, UN/TEDx speaker, and former Microsoft AI scientist who founded Seeing AI, widely adopted assistive technology for the blind. His decade-long experience in production-scale AI and recognition by major institutions like IEEE and the World Economic Forum provide a strong foundation for this book, which guides you through making practical deep learning applications across platforms and devices.
2019·583 pages·Deep Learning, Tensorflow, Machine Learning, Computer Vision, Transfer Learning

Drawing from Anirudh Koul's extensive experience as NASA ML Lead and a former Microsoft AI scientist, this book walks you through building deep learning applications that work across cloud, mobile, and edge devices. You’ll learn practical skills like training and deploying computer vision models using Keras, TensorFlow, and TensorFlow Lite, with projects ranging from autonomous car simulations to real-time object detection on iOS. The authors break down complex topics such as transfer learning and scalable inference serving, supported by insights from industry veterans like François Chollet. If you want to move beyond theory and create AI-powered tools that scale in real environments, this book equips you with hands-on knowledge.

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Aurélien Géron brings a unique blend of engineering expertise from sectors like finance and healthcare, combined with leadership at Google’s YouTube video classification team. His experience informed this book, aiming to equip you with real-world skills in machine learning using popular libraries like Scikit-Learn and TensorFlow. This background ensures the book offers more than theory—it delivers practical guidance grounded in diverse, technical challenges.
Machine Learning, Machine Learning Model, Tensorflow, Deep Learning, Neural Networks

This isn't another machine learning book promising quick fixes; Aurélien Géron draws from a rich engineering background that spans finance, defense, and healthcare to demystify core concepts using Scikit-Learn, Keras, and TensorFlow. You’ll explore practical methods to build intelligent systems, from data preprocessing to neural network design, with clear code examples guiding you through real-world tasks like video classification. This book suits developers and data scientists eager to deepen their hands-on skills with modern tools, rather than just theory. If you're ready to move beyond surface-level tutorials into a more applied understanding, this book offers a solid foundation without fluff.

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Conclusion

These eight TensorFlow books collectively navigate the rich landscape of AI development—from foundational machine learning techniques to specialized fields like generative models and deployment pipelines. If you’re aiming to deepen your understanding of natural language processing with TensorFlow, start with Ashish Bansal’s guide, praised by Kirk Borne for its practical code coverage. For those focused on deploying models at scale, Hannes Hapke’s pipeline automation strategies offer a sharp edge.

Beginners eager to grasp practical machine learning should combine Aurélien Géron’s hands-on approach with Thushan Ganegedara’s applied TensorFlow projects for a balanced learning path. Developers working on cloud and edge applications will find Anirudh Koul’s experience-rich book invaluable for real-world AI challenges.

Alternatively, you can create a personalized TensorFlow book to bridge the gap between general principles and your specific situation. These books can help you accelerate your learning journey and sharpen your ability to harness TensorFlow’s potential in your AI endeavors.

Frequently Asked Questions

I'm overwhelmed by choice – which book should I start with?

Start with "Hands-On Machine Learning with Scikit-Learn, Keras, and TensorFlow" for a practical foundation. It demystifies core concepts and prepares you for more advanced TensorFlow topics covered in other books.

Are these books too advanced for someone new to TensorFlow?

Not at all. While some books target advanced users, titles like "TensorFlow in Action" and Aurélien Géron's work are accessible to those with basic Python skills and introduce TensorFlow gradually.

What's the best order to read these books?

Begin with foundational guides like Géron’s and Ganegedara’s books, then progress to specialized topics such as natural language processing, generative AI, and pipeline automation for a layered learning experience.

Do I really need to read all of these, or can I just pick one?

You can pick based on your goals. For example, focus on image generation with Cheong’s book or pipeline automation with Hapke’s. Each offers deep expertise in its niche.

Are any of these books outdated given how fast TensorFlow changes?

All selected books reflect TensorFlow 2.x, the current major release, ensuring relevance. Authors like Thushan Ganegedara and Francois Chollet maintain active community roles, keeping content up to date.

How can I get tailored TensorFlow guidance specific to my experience and goals?

While these books offer solid expert insights, personalized content can bridge theory and your unique needs. You can create a personalized TensorFlow book that adapts expert knowledge to your background, speed, and focus areas for efficient learning.

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