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December 21, 2014
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The Goldfinch
|
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A fantastic work of fiction -- the story will literally carry you along through to a fulfilling ending.
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March 08, 2014
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Lean Analytics
|
|
Excellent book about what you should be measuring at each stage of a startup business. Great addition to the Lean movement.
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January 06, 2014
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In Defense of Food - An Eater's Manifesto
|
|
Good basic book about what to eat and what not to eat with some simple recommendations.
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|
January 05, 2014
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You Are Here - Discovering the magic of the present moment
|
|
Easy to read book about how to incorporate mindfulness into your every day life.
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January 05, 2014
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Running Lean - Iterate from Plan A to a Plan that works
|
|
Fantastic book chronicling how the author applied the principles of Lean Startup and the Four Steps of the Epiphany to launch his startup. Highly recommended.
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|
November 16, 2013
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Man's Search for Meaning
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|
Fantastic book about how a man found meaning in the horror of the concentration camps. The story itself was good and the follow up summary of logotherapy was particularly interesting. It will make you reflect on how fortunate you are.
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September 14, 2013
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The Only way to Win
|
|
A poor imitation of The Seven Habits -- read Habits instead, it is a better version of this book
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September 14, 2013
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Islam - A Short History
|
|
A very detailed history of Islam from its origination to present day. I learned a lot that I didn't know before.
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August 10, 2013
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Uncommon Service
|
|
Fantastic book about customer experience and how company's need to decide what they want to be great at.
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August 10, 2013
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The Upside of Irrationality
|
|
Great follow up to Predictably Irrational - if you liked the first one you will love this one.
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|
August 10, 2013
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The Charge
|
|
Nothing new here that hasn't been written about before - read the 7 habits instead
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|
August 10, 2013
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Steve Job's
|
|
A well written biography about an icon -- read it.
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|
August 10, 2013
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Rise
|
|
Basic but practical book about how to be successful at your career and in life
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|
August 10, 2013
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Predictable Revenue
|
|
Short read about how to create an effective go to market strategy for a SaaS based business.
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August 10, 2013
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More than Good Intentions
|
|
This book is about how not all charitable donations are the same and discusses using a/b testing to validate which acts are more meaningful than others. Really interesting.
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August 10, 2013
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Mike Wallace - A life
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|
Overall it was interesting but not as riveting as some of the other biographies released this year.
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|
August 10, 2013
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Like a Virgin
|
|
I started this book with high expectations and was left disappointed -- very basic without any salient points.
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|
August 10, 2013
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Leaving Microsoft to Change the World
|
|
An interesting book about how a man abandons his professional career to address literacy in Nepal.
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|
August 10, 2013
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How Will you Measure Your Life?
|
|
Interesting book about what really matters.
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|
August 10, 2013
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Great by Choice
|
|
Another fantastic book by Jim Collins
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August 10, 2013
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Good Boss, Bad Boss
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|
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August 10, 2013
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Getting Things Done
|
|
One of the best books ever about task management -- I have integrated this in to how I track actions and plan and have seen great results.
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|
August 10, 2013
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Drive
|
|
Very interesting book about what really motivates us. Extremely well written.
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|
August 10, 2013
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Beyond Wealth
|
|
Interesting book about how success is more than just money -- I wish it went a bit deeper
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|
August 10, 2013
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Another Man's War
|
|
I read this book after seeing the movie Machinegun Preacher (which is based on this book). The book gets a bit spiritual at times but overall I liked it because it shows the difference one person can make if they dedicate themselves to a cause.
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August 10, 2013
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The 360 Leader
|
|
Well written book about how to act as a leader at any level. It gets a bit spiritual at times but the end is worth putting up with these parts.
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|
August 03, 2013
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The Three Musketeers
|
|
I liked this book almost as much as the Count of Monte Cristo -- well written and a great story.
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|
August 03, 2013
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The Road
|
|
It isn't often that I find myself scared reading a book -- this was one of those times. It is definitely worth reading despite the nightmares it may cause.
|
|
August 03, 2013
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The Mayor of Casterbridge
|
|
Another great novel if you like old English literature
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|
August 03, 2013
|
The Beautiful and Damned
|
|
If you liked The Great Gatsby then you will probably also like this, a good follow up
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|
August 03, 2013
|
Tess of the D'urbervilles
|
|
Fantastic work if you like old English literature
|
|
August 03, 2013
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Tender is the Night
|
|
Start with Gatsby and The Beautiful and Damned before moving to this book
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|
August 03, 2013
|
No Country for Old Men
|
|
I read this after reading the Road and was enthralled by the story and societal commentary. Highly recommended - read the book instead of watching the movie.
|
|
August 03, 2013
|
Moby Dick
|
|
I didn't read this book until I was out of school and I am glad I waited. Parts can drag on but overall I really enjoyed the story and was glad I got to read it without the burden of doing it for school.
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|
August 03, 2013
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Men Without Women
|
|
Good example of Hemingway's shorter works
|
|
August 03, 2013
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In Cold Blood
|
|
I read this book based on the hype and several recommendations -- sadly, it was just OK.
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|
August 03, 2013
|
Great Expectations
|
|
The best book to start exploring Dickens -- a relatively easy read and short by Dickens' standards.
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|
August 03, 2013
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All the Pretty Horses
|
|
I bought this on a whim before a long flight and finished it on the plane. Not nearly as disturbing as McCarthy's other works, but a well told story nonetheless.
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|
August 03, 2013
|
A Tale of Two Cities
|
|
This book can be a drag at some points but the overall story is superb -- everyone should read it at least once.
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|
July 21, 2013
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Under the Volcano
|
|
Extremely well written novel that graphically shows the impacts of alcoholism.
|
|
July 21, 2013
|
The Two Towers
|
|
A must read for anyone remotely interested in Fantasy novels. Tolkien does it better than many of the popular present day authors.
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|
July 21, 2013
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The Sun Also Rises
|
|
My second favorite Hemingway book -- extremely well written and an excellent story.
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|
July 21, 2013
|
The Hobbit
|
|
A must read for anyone remotely interested in Fantasy novels. Tolkien does it better than many of the popular present day authors.
|
|
July 21, 2013
|
The Fellowship of the Ring
|
|
A must read for anyone remotely interested in Fantasy novels. Tolkien does it better than many of the popular present day authors.
|
|
July 21, 2013
|
The Catcher in the Rye
|
|
A fantastic book - everyone should read it at least once.
|
|
July 21, 2013
|
The Bridge over San Luis Rey
|
|
Very interesting story that follows the lives of several people from different backgrounds and how they intersect.
|
|
July 21, 2013
|
Suite Francaise
|
|
An extremely well written novel that was written during the second world war by someone going through the experience. Some of the stories are more difficult to follow than others but the sum total is worth perceiving for.
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|
July 21, 2013
|
Jack, Straight from the Gut
|
|
Well written book covering Jack Welch's history and lots of interesting detail of his time at General Electric.
|
|
July 21, 2013
|
Sister Carrie
|
|
Well written novel about a country girl who moves from kept woman to independence. It's hard to believe this was originally written in 1900 (but not released until 1912).
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|
July 21, 2013
|
The Return of the King
|
|
A must read for anyone remotely interested in Fantasy novels. Tolkien does it better than many of the popular present day authors.
|
|
July 21, 2013
|
Lolita
|
|
A book about a taboo subject that is written so well that you try to understand where each character is coming from. Some parts are difficult but on the whole a very well written novel.
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|
July 21, 2013
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Heart of Darkness
|
|
Conrad's most famous work but I don't think it is his best. Check out Victory or Nostromo instead.
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|
July 21, 2013
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For Whom the Bell Tolls
|
|
Another Hemingway classic. I prefer Sun Also Rises and A Farewell to Arms but this one is good, too.
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|
July 21, 2013
|
A Farewell to Arms
|
|
My favorite Hemingway novel -- if you are going to start anywhere with him start here.
|
|
July 21, 2013
|
Darkness at Noon
|
|
I picked up this book because it was on the 100 greatest novels list and was taken in by its simple writing and interesting subject matter. It was different what I expected but highly recommended.
|
|
July 21, 2013
|
Cry the Beloved Country
|
|
An extremely well written book covering a very interesting period of South Africa's history.
|
|
July 21, 2013
|
Catch 22
|
|
It took me several attempts to actually finish this book -- the writing is witty at times but overall was not strong enough to hold my interest.
|
|
July 21, 2013
|
Brave New World
|
|
Extremely well written book about our potential future as a society. Definitely worth checking out if you are remotely interested in sci-fi.
|
|
July 21, 2013
|
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
|
|
Some very good writing (The confession scene is amazing) however overall too long and confusing
|
|
July 21, 2013
|
1984
|
|
A very good book -- read it for the potential picture of the future rather than the writing.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Why Customers don't do what they're supposed to do... and what to do about it
|
|
Good basic read on customer management.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
What they don't Teach you at Harvard Business School
|
|
I got this as a gift from one of my bosses early in my career. A good read on some basics of business.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
What Management Is
|
|
A great book for anyone new or interested in Management. I didn't read it until I was further into my career so I didn't get as much from it.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Tuned In
|
|
A very good precise on Product Management. It is written in an approachable way and breaks down the fundamentals for a layman to understand.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
To Have and Have Not
|
|
One of his best short novels.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
The Short Stories of F. Scott Fitzgerald
|
|
Great collection of stories by an amazing writer.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
The Prince
|
|
A timeless classic - everyone should read it at least once.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
The New Gold Standard
|
|
Good book about the importance of Culture in an organization focused on the Ritz Carlton
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
The Master and Margarita
|
|
A classic that everyone should read once. The story is unique and takes some warming up to but it is a fun ride once you get into it.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
The Invisible Touch
|
|
Decent overview of the importance of branding and customer experience - easy to read.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
The Invisible Man
|
|
I had to read this book twice before I started to get it. I would have scored it a 1 on the first read because it confused me but I score it a 3 on the second read.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
The Greatest Salesman in the World
|
|
Simple and quick read - not a fan of how the story is told but a good primer for anyone starting out in their sales career.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
The Greatest Business Stories of all Time
|
|
Quick and easy read of some notable events in business history.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
The French Lieutenant's Woman
|
|
My second favorite book by Fowles after the Magus. This book is more approachable than the Magus so you may want to start here.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
The First Man
|
|
Albert Camus' final work - he died while the novel was incomplete. This is my least favorite of his works -- the narrative is too disjointed to easily follow
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
The First 90 Days
|
|
I read this book after everyone I knew told me how great it was... I found it to be rather basic and not that useful.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
The Collector
|
|
Creepy story about a man who kidnaps a young girl he is in love with. Well written but not my favorite book by Fowles.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
The Carrot Principle
|
|
Fantastic read about how to really motivate employees. Read this with The Motivation to Work and The Human Side of the Enterprise and you will be knowledgeable about the theories of motivation.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
The Brief History of the Dead
|
|
Interesting best seller. A fun, easy, read.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Switch
|
|
Fantastic book that delves in to what it takes for people to make change. Very well written and extremely interesting.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Super Crunchers
|
|
Really interesting book about the power of data and statistical analysis. Highly recommended for anyone remotely interested in this field.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
SPIN Selling
|
|
One of the best sales books I have ever read. A must read for anyone in a solution based sales role.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Smoke and Mirrors
|
|
Great collection of short stories. If you haven't read anything by Gaiman start here or with American Gods.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Slaughterhouse Five
|
|
By far his most favorite work. It is a good book but I prefer Cat's Cradle or Bagombo Snuff Box.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Silos, Politics, and Turf Wars
|
|
This book is written in a similar narrative to The One Minute Manager. Not my favorite style and a basic premise gets this a low score.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Selling the Invisible
|
|
Very similar to his other book - decent overview of the importance of brand
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
The Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway
|
|
I didn't like his short stories nearly as much as his full length novels. If you are trying to get in to Hemingway do not start here.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Selected Poems
|
|
A fantastic collection of poems by Borges. If you can get a copy that is written in both English and Spanish so you can appreciate the original language. Even if you only speak limited Spanish this makes the collection far more enjoyable.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Ready for Anything
|
|
I was disappointed by this book - I am a devote Getting Things Done follower and this just seemed like a re-hash of the same ideas to make some more money.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Raving Fans
|
|
Similar to One Minute Manager - not a fan of how the story is told but a must read for anyone interested in customer service and motivating employees.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Predictably Irrational
|
|
Fantastic book about why people make the decisions they make. Both this book and the follow up are worth reading.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Only the Paranoid Survive
|
|
Fantastic book about how quickly change can come to an organization written by someone who experienced it first hand. A must read for anyone in a leadership role in a for-profit business.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Now Discover your Strengths
|
|
The follow up to First Break all the Rules. This book helps you understand what your individual strengths are. Definitely worth a read for anyone interested in learning more about how they work.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Made to Stick
|
|
Great book about how to make your ideas be remembered. Highly recommended!
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
The Little Red Book of Selling
|
|
Easy read - anyone interested in sales should read it.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Know-How
|
|
Pedantic and not that many new ideas - not recommended.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
It's not how good you are, it's how good you want to be
|
|
I picked this up on a whim -- very easy read, some ideas that will make you think and some ideas that will make you chuckle. Check it out in the bookstore - you can read the whole thing.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Hug your Customers
|
|
One of the best books on customer service written by someone who has built a business predicated on it. A must read for anyone in a customer facing role.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
How to Develop Self-Confidence and Influence People by Public Speaking
|
|
Not as good as How to Win Friends and Influence People but still worth a read if you do a lot of public speaking.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
High Output Management
|
|
One of my favorite management books early on. Andrew Grove approaches management from an operational perspective which resonated with me.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Green Hills of Africa
|
|
A book about his travels in Africa - supposedly all true and makes you feel like you were there.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Freakonomics
|
|
Similar to the Ariely books interesting delve in to why people make the decisions they make.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
First Break all the Rules
|
|
The most popular book about staffing for strengths. I really enjoyed it but I would recommend The One Thing you Need to Know instead.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Ficciones
|
|
Great collection of short stories by one of the best South American writers
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Execution
|
|
Great - read it if you are in business
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Enough
|
|
A very interesting read by the father of the Index fund. The book discusses the excesses of the Financial institutions.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Ender's Game
|
|
One of the granddaddy's of science fiction. Highly recommended for anyone remotely interested in science fiction!
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Employees First, Customers Second
|
|
Interesting book about the employee driven culture. There are several good ideas in here and it is a quick read.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Crime and Punishment
|
|
This is a dense book and can seem overwhelming at times but it is worth perceiving through. The writing is so good it can make a bright sunny day seem gloomy.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Cat's Cradle
|
|
One of my favorite's by Vonnegut. If you like his style then you will feel right at home with this book.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Career Warfare
|
|
I received this book as a gift -- some interesting concepts but on the whole not worth reading.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Breakfast of Champions
|
|
Decent book by not my favorite by Vonnegut
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Bluebeard
|
|
Classic Vonnegut. Easy to read and biting irony.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Behind the Cloud
|
|
I really wanted to like this book but I couldn't -- it is extremely basic and comes off as self-aggrandizing.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Bagombo Snuff Box
|
|
A collection of short stories by Vonnegut. My favorite collection of his work.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
American Gods
|
|
One of Gaiman's best novels -- it's a quick read and leads to an interesting discussion about religion in a non-threatening way.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Against the Gods. The Remarkable Story of Risk
|
|
Really interesting book that tells the story of managing risk and the impacts on business
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
Veronika Decides to Die
|
|
Quick read that makes you think -- One of his best
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
The Stranger
|
|
Camus' most well known work. It's a great introduction to his style and I highly encourage it.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
The Plague
|
|
Another strong novel by Camus - Not my favorite by him but worth reading. There are some sections that you will not soon forget.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
The Fall
|
|
A quick read that makes you wonder what you would do in a similar situation. Very well written and makes you think.
|
|
July 13, 2013
|
25 Management Lessons from the Customer's Side of the Counter
|
|
Some basic rules and good stories about the importance of Customer Service. Great for anyone starting out in this field.
|
|
June 30, 2013
|
Predictable Revenue
|
|
Simple and easy to read summary of how to create a more effective outbound sales engine based on how the author did it himself at Salesforce. Provides a lot of good examples and practical suggestions. Recommended for any business leader over a SaaS business.
|
|
June 29, 2013
|
Winning the Talent Wars
|
|
Good summary of how you need to look at recruiting and retaining staff differently in the present day
|
|
June 29, 2013
|
Up the Organization
|
|
Excellent advice for the leaders of larger organizations that have allowed bureaucracy and inefficiency creep in. Very well written and a very quick read.
|
|
June 29, 2013
|
The Time Trap
|
|
Fantastic book for anyone looking to manage their time better. This book combined with Getting Things Done and The Effective Executive is all you need.
|
|
June 29, 2013
|
The Start-up of You
|
|
Some interesting ideas about how to look at your career and building your own brand. I was expecting more based on the authors but there were still a few key takeaways worth reading it for.
|
|
June 29, 2013
|
The One Thing you Need to Know
|
|
I found this book to be superior to his others. It contains a lot of the same content but was more approachable and less pedantic (the Gallup statistics weren't beaten into you constantly). Great book for a Manager 1-2 years in to their Management role.
|
|
June 29, 2013
|
The Leadership Pipeline. How to build the Leadership-Powered company
|
|
There are some good concepts in this book but other leadership development books do it better. The core concept of the Critical Career Passages (covered in the Introduction) is the most interesting concept of the book.
|
|
June 29, 2013
|
The Great Gatsby
|
|
Great book - read it for the first time in High School and have read it several times since then.
|
|
June 29, 2013
|
The Delta Model
|
|
A very different view of strategy. I did not find it to be nearly as practical as other books on the topic, however there are some interesting principles worth reviewing. The first third of the book is the best.
|
|
June 29, 2013
|
Pleased but not Satisfied
|
|
Very well written and easy to read book by the ex-number 2 at Berkshire Hathaway. This book is a great summary of management and leadership.
|
|
June 29, 2013
|
One Page Talent Management
|
|
Excellent summary of many of the core concepts of Human Resources. The sections are easy to understand, backed up by scientific research, and extremely relevant to anyone in a Leadership role.
|
|
June 29, 2013
|
Harvard Business Review On Managing People
|
|
Quick and easy read summarizing some of HBR's best articles on managing people. If you aren't a heavy reader of HBR already then this is a great summary of their catalog. Great for a first time manager 3-6 months in to their first management job.
|
|
June 29, 2013
|
Managing Oneself
|
|
Quick (less than 50 pages) summary of some of the core concepts from the Effective Executive. If you have the time read the Effective Executive instead.
|
|
June 29, 2013
|
How to Become a Rainmaker
|
|
Very basic advice that is extremely useful to someone just starting out in business. If you have 5+ years of experience under your belt you probably already know these concepts so not worth the time.
|
|
June 29, 2013
|
How to become a great boss
|
|
Very basic advice that is extremely useful to someone just starting out in business. If you have 5+ years of experience under your belt you probably already know these concepts so not worth the time.
|
|
June 29, 2013
|
How to Become a CEO
|
|
Very basic advice that is extremely useful to someone just starting out in business. If you have 5+ years of experience under your belt you probably already know these concepts so not worth the time.
|
|
June 29, 2013
|
Hardwiring Excellence
|
|
This book summarizes the systems and processes the author put in place to make a high performing hospital system. The concepts are fundamental and applicable to any business with some effort. Well structured and easy to read.
|
|
June 29, 2013
|
Harvard Business Review's Guide to Managing Stress
|
|
There are some decent articles mixed in but the majority of the book is blog posts from their website. Not enough new content to warrant a higher score.
|
|
June 29, 2013
|
Harvard Business Review on Finding and Keeping the Best People
|
|
This is a good collection of articles on recruitment and retaining staff. I didn't come away with a lot of new ideas but several good reminders on things I should be doing. The book can easily be read in one mid-length flight.
|
|
June 29, 2013
|
Everything Counts
|
|
Very basic overview of what to measure / how to measure. There are many better books on the topic
|
|
June 29, 2013
|
Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless
|
|
Extremely easy to read and common sense tactics on how to deal with customers. Great for managers and line staff in a client services role.
|
|
June 29, 2013
|
Customer Loyalty. How to Earn it, How to Keep It
|
|
A good over-arching summary of customer loyalty tactics, processes, and philosophies. A great primer for someone moving in to a client services role.
|
|
June 29, 2013
|
Business Model Generation
|
|
A very simple and easy way to break down a business model into its components parts. I wish there was more content and the associated iPad app (The Business Model Toolkit) is in some ways a superior practical application.
|
|
June 29, 2013
|
Becoming a Strategic Leader
|
|
A great primer on the components of strategy and how to enact them. Not as practical as Balanced Scorecard (which I prefer) but a useful read to help flesh out the definition of what strategy is and isn't.
|
|
June 29, 2013
|
Awaken the Giant Within
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This is a long book - on the whole it is worth reading as there are several great concepts related to goal setting and driving change in your life, however these concepts could have been conveyed in 300 fewer pages.
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June 29, 2013
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Angel Customers & Demon Customers
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The authors present a useful framework for identifying who your best and worst customers are and provide tactics for how to either improve or cut your worst customers. Well written and practical.
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June 29, 2013
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The Buddha's Playbook
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Great book for the practical application of meditation. Detailed descriptions and recommend practice.
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June 18, 2013
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Poor Economics
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Detailed summary of what actually works in alleviating poverty backed up with a wealth of evidence
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February 14, 2013
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The Motivation to Work
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Very short read backed up by a ton of research- highly recommended.
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February 14, 2013
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Coaching for Improved Work Performance
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One of the best practical examples of coaching- strong foundation of theory backed up by lots of practical examples.
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February 14, 2013
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Buddhism: Plain and Simple
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Great overview of Buddhism for a novice. I found it insightful and opened the door to other books on the subject.
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February 14, 2013
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The Balanced Scorecard
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Excellent overview of strategy and a primer on how to integrate strategy into every day decisions and metrics.
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