The Books Leaving My Bookshelf

The Books Leaving My Bookshelf

The last six months have been a book binge for me. Twenty books ordered via Amazon. Another six books handed to me at conferences or by friends. The six to eight months prior to that? Eight.

This activity has cluttered my bookshelf and forces me to cull the herd. Some of them have to go.

Before they exit my life, I’m giving them a little sendoff. A few sentences about a good thing I took from the book. A final send off. I thank them for the work they’ve done and wish them well in their future endeavors. 

Non-Fiction Books

Sandbox Wisdom by Tom Asacker. This book uses a millionaire and his granddaughter to reveal ideas that will revolutionize your brand with the genius of childhood. My take: be mindful of the stories you tell, both internally and externally, because they are the essence of your company.

The Choose Yourself Guide to Wealth by James Altucher. If you’re not familiar with James Altucher, you have to listen to a few of his podcasts or get his newsletter. He puts it all out there. His take on generating income and wealth is fascinating. He’s a contrarian. My take: his section on generating ideas is worth putting up with the odor. (my copy smells terrible – toxic ink or paper or something)

Trust Me, I’m Lying by Ryan Holiday. The author is part of what my friend calls the Bro Hacker Lifestyle. Personalities like Tim Ferris, Tucker Max and, Dov Charney, who live a lifestyle that is light on work, heavy on hacking the system and having awesome experiences. My take: put yourself in your target customer’s shoes and appeal to their base desires to get them to help you. We want what we can’t have and we chase things that run away from us. He does that with PR.

Marketing Your Services by Anthony Putnam. I received this one used (published 1990) and the person who read it prior to me must have taken a lot from the book, based on the notes and marks. It’s a dense guide to being a marketer in the 80’s. My take: market to play the long game with your prospects, and ignore the pricing formula, it’s a contradiction of the point he makes about value in the same section.

Your Best Just Got Better by Jason Womack. I met Jason at a coffee while he was visiting with another friend of mine. His book is a guide to working smarter, thinking bigger and making more. More of whatever you’re looking for. My take: focus. Jason suggests interspersing your day with periods of fifteen minutes of focus. Use a timer.

The Millionaire Messenger by Brendon Burchard. I picked this one up because Mr. Burchard’s memes were clogging my social media feeds and a friend told me he was taking an online course from him. My take: it follows the self-help narrative, I was struggling, I discovered this secret, applied it, achieved great heights, and you can too, if you just follow my advice. (and if it doesn’t work, you’re not doing it right)

Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson. It’s a classic, right? Change happens! Every time I see the title, I think of Larry Winget on stage saying, “. . .but Larry, you don’t understand. They moved my desk!” My take: like the law of the jungle, when it comes to change in your life you have three choices: adapt, migrate or perish. Try, fly or die!

The Enlightened Cyclist by BIKESNOBNYC (Eban Weiss). A gift with the subtitle, Commuter Angst, Dangerous Drivers, and Other Obstacles on the to Two-Wheeled Transcendence. Some entertaining stories about commuting on a bicycle and the challenges therein. My take: remember that you’re not the only person on the planet and treat others as you wish to be treated.

The Hidden Brain by Shankar Vedantam. I hate to see this one go. You may recognize Shankar Vedantam’s name from NPR where he tells social science stories. This book focuses on our deep reservoir of unconscious thoughts and actions. My take: I can’t believe I’m so judgmental and guided by stereotypes. Understanding is the first step to recovery, right?

Tell To Win by Peter Gruber. I’m a sucker for books that validate my worldview. This is one. Peter Gruber is one of those larger-than-life deal makers in the realm of Jerry Weintraub and Donald Trump. His subtitle promises, Connect, Persuade, and Triumph with the Hidden Power of Story, and it delivers. Great storytelling about the power of storytelling. My take: we’re all storytellers, so unlock the Homer within and get some business done. Human beings love stories.

Friends books

I have a few friends that publish books and I grab them and read them cover to cover. These are two that are in my giveaway pile. Both are young person fiction and both happen to be aimed at boys.

Jack and Noah’s Big Day, by Jay Slagle. It takes place in Omaha, close to my neighborhood, and is about the summer adventures of Jack and Noah. My take: if you want your kid to get more than enjoyment out of the story, this book offers some nice lessons on business and accounting. Really. It should be on Fox Business’s must read books for entrepreneurial kids.

The Beef Jerky Gang, Part One, by Daniel Kenney. Dan and I shared a basement office together during a startup phase in our lives. This book finds the protagonist, Peter Mills, in a world where the girls are in control. It cracked me up. My take: a grade school version of Planet of the Apes. “You maniacs! You blew it up!”

Good stuff.