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Brick No93: A holiday reading list
By Matt Weston, Friday 27 August 2004 As mentioned last Friday, later today I'm leaving on a jet-plane for a fortnight of sun, sea and sandcastles . . . my first break in transmission since I started writing these missives, 93 bricks ago. But, as I planned my escape, I couldn't help but feel slightly guilty. So I've saved you something back, a glowing act of pre-hols generosity to help you fill the two-week gap . . . a holiday reading list. Now, I'm not talking about MY holiday reading list. I'm talking about a business-book reading list for YOU whilst I'm sunning it on a hammock somewhere (or sheltering from the rain trying to finally finish "The Corrections"). As Stephen King puts it: " If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There's no way around these two things that I'm aware of, no shortcut. " And I'm in the lucky position that I do bucket loads of both. I reckon I've read over 30 business books in the last 6 months, and it's rare for me not to have at least 5 books"on the go" at any one time . . . I figure that makes me an expert (albeit a self-proclaimed one) in the realm of What's Worth Reading and What's Not. The point? The very best books give ME a jolt, a flash of fresh inspiration, and help me firm up MY ideas (that I pass on to you). The idea today isn't - by any means - to give you a definitive All Time Top Ten list. It's just to give you access to what I have "on the go" right now, so that you can fill the gap whilst I'm away. So, without further ado: (1) "Free Prize Inside!" by Seth Godin Nobody should be allowed to have anything to do with marketing until they read pages 131 to 172 of this book (seriously). Seth's latest is all about taking your business to an "edge" . . . figuring out what some people really want to buy, what they want to talk about, and then giving it to them. (2) "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell This wasn't meant to be a business book, so everyone says. Fascinating reading, and dense with examples (from Sesame Street to the Rise and Fall of New York Crime). All about the way that ideas, businesses, and ways of behaving magically "tip", hit the critical mass, and take off. IMHO, there's no better read if you want to create "Buzz". (3) "Anyone Can Do It: Building Coffee Republic From Our Kitchen Table" by Sahar Hashemi & Bobby Hashemi I reckon I've read as many paperbacks on starting a business as anyone. They tend to be dry, factual affairs. This (and Caspian Woods' great "From Acorns" breaks the mould. My highlight? The chapter on business plans (including the authors' own flawed first-effort). (4) "Tested Advertising Methods" by John Caples I'm always happy to help when readers ask me for my specific book recommendations. Most often it's books on advertising and copywriting that you ask for. For me, Caples' book is the daddy. John Forde calls it "an encyclopaedia of what works". I owe my headlines and subject fields to John Caples. (5) Better Business Magazine Okay, so this is a non-book. But this is a reading list, not a book list, right? And, like I've said before, I think Better Business Magazine is the small business world's best- kept secret. I know the editor-publisher team personally, and they've agreed a 33% discount for business bricks readers. To subscribe call the subscriptions hotline on 0845 458 9485 Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Quote "brick93" for your special £48 rate (a 33% discount). Or sign-up online. That's all folks. I've got to go pack my toothbrush and enough pairs of shoes to make Imelda Marcos green with envy . . . two pairs trainers, football astroturf boots, football moulded studs, flips flops . . . see you Tuesday 12 September! Remember to sign up: back to top |
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