Connection Kata: 5 + 1 + 1 Business Books I Gave Away in 2007

Every year I invest in the publishing industry by buying in bulk. There are books that are great to read, even better to share. Many of the books I share are new or newer releases, some are just classics for me. The criteria I use to determine what I give away are:

1. I read it and learned something unique that no other book taught me;
2. It contains potentially a life changing methodology or way of thinking;
3. It speaks to trends in a way that is researched and requires some leap in attitude;
4. It provides a great synthesis of insights and stimulates action;
5. It's a new window into the journey of life and mind expanding.

Reading is an activity that begets other activities -- mental exercise that prepares you for practical applications. It is also a gift to your spirit -- it can recharge after a long day as it provides mental fuel to think from a different point of view, that of the author.

The Bow

I have been very fortunate to participate in many book clubs over time. In the early days there were in person meetings, then we switched to online and phone conversations with authors. Of note for their format and success was Fast Company's where you can still find amazing resources, and the MarketingProfs Book Club spearheaded by CK. Fast Company also published a handy guide on why and how you can start a reading group.

By investing in the publishing industry, I also invest in supporting authors, in some cases directly if they self publish. This year I have bought and given the following books:

Mavericks at Work by Bill Taylor and Polly LaBarre.

After reading their columns in Fast Company for years, I was delighted to hear that they were working on a book project and thrilled to participate to their launch at JWT in NYC more than one year ago. Bill and Polly made many of the stories in the book come alive at the party -- many of the characters were at the party, including a surprise visit by Eliot Spitzer who was Bill's college roommate.

We had a follow up event in Philadelphia with a couple of local mavericks.

Citizen Marketers by Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba.

I met Ben and Jackie through Fast Company when they published their first book, Creating Customer Evangelists -- we had an online discussion about that and Ben came to Philadelphia to speak about the book at one of our events. It was right after a terrible hurricane and we appreciated Ben's flexibility with his schedule.

We had a spirited discussion at MarketingProfs Book Club and I did my only Amazon review of this book. Ben presented at an event of our local PRSA in the spring.

Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath.

I got my copy from the publisher, Random House (thank you Deborah), then proceeded to give many more away. We also had the opportunity to discuss what sticks at MarketingProfs Book Club after reading a wonderful summary prepared by Cam Beck.

The six qualities of an idea that is made to stick are: simplicity, unexpectedness, concreteness, credibility, emotional, stories.

The Dip by Seth Godin.

This book introduced me to the concept of strategic quitting. In the back of my mind I have always suspected that giving up is as much a part of success as pursuing -- they both go to focus. Seth did a great job of driving that home and inspired me to write what I still consider one of my timeless posts -- how do you go from start to success?

As well, Seth was in Philadelphia at one of his few live appearances to mingle with local entrepreneurs and speak about ideas, examples, and stories that formed the foundation of his book. Mike Levin from HitTail, originally from this area, came all the way from New York to hear him.

Now is Gone by Geoff Livingston with Brian Solis.

This book is the perfect gift for someone who knows little about social media and wants to get started. That includes agencies that may be recommending social media as a tactic but do not do any of it themselves. When your agency approaches you about pitching to blogs, ask them about their track record of participation, blog URL, etc. I read it with interest, especially the case studies. As Geoff notes in his latest blog post, speed to market was his main deciding factor in going to print. Social media is something we are still very much testing and defining.

The Age of Conversation published by Gavin Heaton and Drew McLellan and co-authored by 103 marketers.

As I announced this past week, the book will be available in regular bookstores soon. I have one whole page in the book where I talk about Conversation @ Work. Having just read the reason why Geoff felt that speed was more important than perfection with his book, I find myself thinking that the book needs a follow up. Many of us talked about what it means to be in the conversation and companies are now paying attention. The sequel should be how to do it.

How to Teach Your Baby to Read by Glenn Doman with Janet Doman.

This is not a business book, per se. Yet, I have always thought that giving your child the gift of learning how to read visually from an early age is a tremendous advantage that can open the doors to a world of opportunities. I wish I had learned that way, I would read faster now. Instead, we were taught to read our loud and from symbols, the letters.

I used this methodology to teach children Italian and I have seen it used successfully to teach brain-injured children how to read. It works even if you decide not to do it after you read the book, which is written for parents. It works because it changes forever the way you look at your child's potential.

The Practice

The deciding factor for who gets which book depends on the person I am thinking about. Are they contemplating a foray into blogging? Are they looking for practical examples of how companies have wowed customers? Are they seeking to figure out what their business is about or how they can take it to the next level?

As for the reading cards in How To Teach Your Baby to Read -- give the list of words to a printing company that produces business cards, let them do the work. You just enjoy the time with your baby while she learns to read in easy steps. I have seen this and a companion on How To Teach Your Baby Math work for hundreds of children and their families. This is my standard gift to couples expecting a child.

While these are the books I gave away, I read many more this year, as you probably saw in the reviews I wrote.

Do you have a list of books you'd give away? If you're planning to give business books, you may want to check out The Ultimate Marketing Bookstore launched by Rohit Bhargava. As he describes in his announcement, all the proceeds from affiliate commissions that this site generates will be donated to DonorsChoose.org on a monthly basis. 

Comments

[Geoff Livingston]

It's an honor to be included in this list. I actually wouldn't have finished Now Is Gone if it weren't for the Dip. That book came when I was trudging through the middle chapters. Made to Stick is also a great book.

[Anne Libby]

Valeria, *What Color is Your Parachute* by Richard Nelson Bolles is one of my favorites. Bolles has repackaged many of his key exercises in a slim (and less daunting) workbook; I've passed this along to many who have approached me with their dreams about starting a small business.

(The point is to know yourself and what you enjoy doing, and make sure that you're signing up for something you'll enjoy...down to the level of every day tasks in your potential business.)

Be well!

[Valeria Maltoni]

@Geoff -- that's an interesting link with The Dip. The books and materials that have that effect of unlocking our potential or inspiring us to push farther are an investment.

@Anne -- I know I own a copy of that book. You made me smile as I recommended it as a case study of successful writing and marketing just last night. Doing the work helps, I agree.

[Kami Huyse]

Considering that I have a 3.5 year old and a 5 month old, How to Teach Your Baby to Read has got to be the one I reach for right now.

I am adding it to my wish list right now. Thanks for a great list of books.

[Ricardo Bueno]

Valeria,

I like the criteria that you've set for yourself in determining which books to gift to others.

"The Dip" is next on my list of books to read.

Some of those I recently read are: "Never Eat Alone" by Keith Ferrazzi & "How to Win Friends & Influence People" by Dale Carnegie. Both books that I enjoyed very much and both books worth sharing!

[Carolyn Ann]

Okay, I give up... This is the umpteenth time I've tried to write this! (Firefox upgraded itself not that long ago, and I've not been able to "do" my blog since! Which is important, because I wanted to look up an author I'd written about. Grammar being a distant second choice to expressing a frustration...)

Anyway: I must admit that I haven't read any business books, this year. I've stuck to Current Affairs, some mediocre thrillers (Stella Rimington, and another woman writer being the only exceptions; the woman writer being the person I was trying to look up!) and atheism - and most of those can be described as 'stating the obvious'. (Mr Hitchins might be brilliant, but he doesn't seem to be able to resist rewording age-old arguments. On the other hand, I've not come across anyone, except maybe William Safire, with such a command of the language!) I delved into some Karen Armstrong for reassurance, and found it.

The book I'd give away (I'm keeping my copy) is Kristen Breitweiser's "Wake Up Call:The Political Education of a 9/11 Widow". This is probably the most important book of the year. In my opinion, of course. :-) Mrs Breitweiser's battles with the White House, with Congress and simply with the inertia of "being seen to be doing something" is quite an inspiration! That she and her friends (generally) succeeeded in their efforts is something that any American can be proud of!

Helen Thomas (always a delight to read!) published "Watchdogs of Democracy", this year. I consider that a very close second, and definitely in the same spirit as Mrs Breitweiser's efforts. We should always question authority; especially when it says "don't look behind the curtain". Too many journalists obey; Ms Thomas, to her credit, swings that curtain aside with a gusto that should inspire us all. Sadly, it doesn't.

"The Nine" by Jeffrey Toobin is a much chatted-about tome to pick up; it tells you more than you might want to know about how the Supreme Court decides its cases. It's a bit like sausage making: you wish you hadn't looked, but you're kind of glad you did. Often enough, anyway.

Of course, Sister Miriam Joseph's 1947 classic "Shakespeare's Use of the Arts of Language" is a perennial; it can be safely, and wisely, contributed to anyone interested in the English language. Writers, for instance. And I'm keeping my copy; I actually keep it by my bed, in case I feel a little uncertain, or something, about my command of this language. :-) (My command of it being somewhat superficial, and not at all obvious.)

Any decent copy of Alan Ginsburg's "Howl"; that should be read on a semi-regular basis by any writer, (just to remind themselves what is possible) is a worthy gift. Maybe not in a business context, though...

Likewise, "Robert Frost, The Complete Poems", and any Walt Whitman. Philip Larkin is a sure-fire hit - I read his poems over and over, and I discover something new just about every time! Whitman never fails to inspire; all of these can inspire a conversation, if allowed to. (So many poets, so little time!)

Paul Frére writes an ongoing review of the Porsche 911; it's an excellent book, and if you think about it: he writes as much about the pursuit of "product" excellence as he does about the engineering that goes into the 911. The way Porsche waits, and develops an understanding of a trend is quite marvelous; if it's a fad: they ignore it. If it's a true trend, and it has usefulness: they embrace it, enhance it and charge lots of money for it... (I wanna Porsche 911!) He shows how that whole "good enough" philosophy is counterproductive; not that he states this explicitly, but even a simple reading will show that Porsche considers "good enough" to be somewhat inadequate. It also demonstrates how mistakes can be used as learning experiences; so many of us are frightened of mistakes that it seems cultural. No one can get it right all the time, but we expect that of ourselves and others;it really is quite an inhuman response. We aren't machines, and we can be expected to screw up on the odd occasion. It's how we deal with those errors that's important.

Oh, business related books that I can recommend for this year include "Supercrunchers". (Its more of a "this is a trend we should pay attention to" book.) Actually, that's the beginning and end of my list. The author, Ian Ayres, provides so much information you either decide to move to the Scottish Highlands and sever all contact with the outside world, or you use it influence *how you think about the conversation* you can have with your customers. I'm vacillating.

All in all, I thought this year quite disappointing for books. Although I doubt you'd be able to tell, considering that I go to a bookstore 3 or 4 or more times a week, and invariably end up walking out with something that contains words printed on paper. I can't help but think that publishers are being influenced by the big-box stores (the ones I go to, I'll admit), and are publishing what they think will sell, not necessarily what "we" want, or need, to read. I just can't imagine "All The President's Men" being published, today. Such a sad thing to consider, in my opinion. Of course. :-)

Carolyn Ann

PS Apologies, Valeria: I wrote something that amounts to a blog post! But you did get me thinking... :-) /CA

[Valeria Maltoni]

@Kami -- let me know if you intend to work with the book. I have a ton of material from providing encyclopedic knowledge that begs to be used by a smart couple. And you could be teaching French as well!

@Ricardo -- along the lines of your recent readings, I also enjoyed "The Psychology of Persuasion" by Dr. Cialdini and "Are you Ready to Succeed?" by Srikumar Rao.

@Carolyn Ann -- taking notes... I read a lot of poetry as well, Rilke by far my favorite; it must have been my studies of German or perhaps the fact that he expresses feeling the same way I do. Somehow I never took to American poets, perhaps their reality and experiences are too far from the environment in which I grew up. A Porsche 911, now that is a thought! I will need to point many friends writers to your suggestions. I used to read a lot of fiction, now sometimes I write of it in my blog ;-)

[Rohit]

Hi Valeria,

Thanks for mentioning the Ultimate Marketing Bookstore in your post! I wanted to let you and your readers know that your reading list is now published as part the effort and you can check it out here:

http://tinyurl.com/2ac4hx

Also, I think your list of books is great, and I will definitely be picking up the one on teaching your baby to read given we just had our second!

[Valeria Maltoni]

Thank you for posting that so quickly, Rohit! Let me know if I can help in any way with the methodology or any other resources. I know you and your baby will have a ton of fun.

[Carolyn Ann]

Karna Bodman's "Checkmate" was the one I couldn't remember. Excellent writing, and a thoroughly enjoyable plot!

Carolyn Ann

[Flash, aka Peter Jones]

I think one of the best business books of the year is Book Marketing DeMystefied. I read a review of it on the New Great Books blog and bought it. If you want to learn about how to market your book, this is it in terms of giving a clear picture of the busienss end of the whole endeavor.