Marty's media: 2009 Update Jan
Below you'll find some of my 2008 books that I read. I took some diversion from my 26 book goal for 2008. I think that I ended up around 20. Unfortunately, I did a poor job of keeping that list up to date, so I won't promise to do so this year. However, two worth mentioning that did not make it below for above reason:
1) Drawing for Dummies as I've taken up pencil sketching. It's a skill that I need to develop and it causes different neurons to fire, which is an interesting challenge because it forces other sides of my brain to work. Not that I'm an expert on this area, but it's just a good skill to have. This makes it tangible for the art-arded like me.
2) I would also say that Pete Blackshaw's book fell into this category as a must read, Satisfied Customers Tell Three Friends, Angry Customers Tell 3,000. Anyone in interactive marketing should read the book. I walked away with some key concepts to apply to my businesses. I appreciated the anectdotes and principles put forth in the text.
Since the writing below, I've abandoned Audible. Not that I don't still love it, I do. However, I prefer to change up my media habits about once a year. Pick up a new magazine subscription or dive into new material. I've moved to an iPod, digitized a ton of cds and am enjoying some last.fm as well. Another rediscovery that I found was wfnx.com. My favorite radio station in Boston.
Instead of focusing of just my reading, I'll focus on more media overall for this year, movies etc. Might sound easy for you, but watching a movie is something that just doesn't sound appealing. I'll attempt to keep periodic updates. We'll see. No promises and I won't disappoint, well, me.
2008 Reading materials...Adios.
You can tell a lot about a person by what they are consuming. With that in mind, here's what is currently on my reading and listening list. The goal is 26 books (a book every two weeks). Remember, I'm an audible.com fan, so I'm including a listening list as well. I will be reviewing anything read or listened to in the 2008 year.
Read or listened...
The Influencer
by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler
Don't know much yet... Just opened the cover when I was at the library and it caught my interest.
The Long-Tail
by Chris Anderson
From the blog of the same name, a view about how supply chain, choice and niche markets are changing the dynamics of consumer behavior (a much better explanation is presented in the book and the site. So far, it's pretty good.
Just listened
( 10 book summaries from Harvard Business Publications)
An assortment of books that I was interested in, but just wanted the cliff-note version. This does not count as ten books in my goal for the year.
Made to Stick, Chip and Dan Heath
So
far, so good. Interested book with concepts that you can walk away from
and feel like you can apply. Will update. It's already making a change
in the way that I'm approaching blogging--um, I need that.
The Berkeley Concert, Lenny Bruce
I read some of Bruce's work when I was young, but apparently I now realize how much I did not get the material. I recently listened to this book and really just understood how timeless his insight really was/is. He does a bit on drug companies pedaling the "magic pill" in the late sixties that forty-some years later is still right on. You can here some of what I would describe as mania here and there, but very keen insight in this man's work. We all have our vices. Sorry he had to go.
The Year of Living Biblically, A.J. Jacobs
Great writer. Read by the author in this case is a true treat. You can hear the tonality of skepticism and deep cynicism regarding religion deep within his voice. He has little breakthrough moments, like when he experiences true joy with a group of Hacedic Jews. At the end of the day, I wouldn't consider this Pulitzer material, but it's a really interesting read and experience with this man's journey "attempting" to live according to the Bible. (1.10.08)
- The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
This book is worth the listen. I'm always enjoy books on leadership because they help me articulate things that occur around me--just having the lexicon at my disposal is important. It's an important time for me as I take on new personal and professional leadership challenges. I need these books probably more than I know, simply to articulate the challenges. My instincts are good, but refinement is always necessary and the ability to articulate the situations is very important. I picked up more than five things I will take with me in this book. (1.17.08)
Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow's Big Changes
Really great book. The principle is in the title and the book is a series of case studies. I would actually enjoy this book in short form of great case studies with stats, say about 50-70 pages. However, it is definitely worth the time and I appreciate the statistical nature of the text.
Just read
The Art of Client Service
by Robert Solomon
This book is a mandatory for anyone interested in the agency world. Were to have read this book my first few weeks at Bridge, even in technology, it would have expedited things by a year. It's a quick read, but full of great information. My wife read it and also shares this opinion.
- SAS Survival Handbook, Lofty Wiseman
Every guy should give this to his son and recommend he wander out into the soils of the earth and find his way. OK, that may be extreme, but who
shouldn't be more prepared, right? The whole reason to read this is to
increase my knowledge. A course I took one day said something very
true--"The more you know, the more problems you have the ability to
solve. That makes you more valuable." I see knowledge as transient
between cooking, outdoors and work. There are laws and principles that
translate to everything. An example is, make decisions first and
correct course as you go. Applies to cooking, camping/hiking and to
work-life in general, hence the read.
Elements of Cooking, Michael Ruhlman
As mentioned in my about page, I'm an avid cook. My good friend Chad had this signed by Ruhlman (who frequently appears on Bourdain's show). Update: This is a brilliant reference on the details of how to do many things in your home kitchen. I've incorporated 5-6 things into recipes frequently just from reading this book and referring to it more often all the time. From thinking about fat, to stock to poaching eggs, this is a mandatory for all cooks. Keep it on the shelf in the kitchen.
The Wal-Mart Effect: How the World's Most Powerful Company Really Works--and How It's Transforming the American Economy
This is a book that left me deeply conflicted. First, I do not shop at Wal-Mart, can't do it because I hate the experience of their stores. Read other posts, I love to cook. Thus, I like to shop for food. It's not a transaction, rather an experience. The rest of the household goods are purchased at Sam's (I know a Wal-Mart subsidary). We do our durable goods at Sam's and smallish food purchases at our local Findlay Market. The conflict for me is simple: do I prize their audacity to change a market and innovate along the way or do I despise them for the dollar-pinching, slave-waging and overseas market push? I'll leave it to this: morality reflects what we ought to do, economics reflects what we really do.
- China Road
- Wikinomics
- The Omnivore's Dilemma (Unabridged)
