Reading list for the last year
I originally started this blog as a way to save money.
I would take books out of the library, read them, and capture my learnings via the blog. In this way, I'll always be able to go back to what I learned, plus, share my learnings with others.
I've noticed that the more and more I read, the more and more my thoughts start to shift. And, sometimes what I end up posting is a result of my own original thinking as well.
Well, today, as requested by your fellow subscriber, Chris, here are the books I've read since starting the blog:
I started off reading Seth Godin's, Tribes. If you know my work, you know I'm heavily influenced by his, and Simon Sinek's work. This book introduced me to the concept of giving the team I lead (700+ people) a north star.
Measure What Matters joined the bookshelf when I was trying to understand why my last employer was embracing "Objectives and Key-Result" oriented thought. It felt like an affront to my "agile/creative" mindset, and what better way to understand what you're trying to do than read the book!
Big Red Fez, is the Seth Godin treatise on website design. The examples are dated, but theories on design are still relevant.
Steven Pressfield's classic, The War of Art, is a must-have if you're hitting a block between what you believe yourself to be capable of, and what you're actually doing now.
In general, I hate meetings of all kinds that are "updates" or "check-ins." However, Priya Parker's generous work offers a new way to think about meetings, The Art of Gathering.
How do you make decisions when you don't have all the facts in front of you? You start Thinking in Bets.
There's much more to comics than meets the eye. Scott McCloud can help you understand not just how to "Understand Comics" but also how to create art.
We are short on attention these days. If you want to share your work with the others, you need their attention. Herschel Gordon Lewis' thoughts on copywriting and direct-response mail can help - Direct Mail Copy That Works.
Bernadette Jiwa, her blog, and her work have influenced my thinking in stories. To learn more, check out works such as Story Driven, Difference, and Make Your Ideas Matter.
Michael Stanier has offered a humorous, concise, and effective way to genuinely learn from and help others through The Coaching Habit.
This is my go-to book when I'm stuck and need ideas - A Beautiful Constraint. The print-version makes an excellent coffee table book.
Artists steal from one another, and it's okay. We build off each other's ideas. Here's a book about ethical stealing and why it matters - Steal Like an Artist.
The multi-page business plan is dead, long live the business plan. Now, check out a more effective one-page alternative. The paper version is rich with graphics. Business Model Generation.
Humorous, batty, bonkers, and wildly out-of-the-box, Rory Sutherland's Alchemy offers an alternative way of looking at brands and communicating with others.
Malcom Gladwell's Tipping Point is a classic for anybody that wants to spread a message.
Seth's bestseller, This is Marketing, has a permanent place on the desk.
I love to read. I'm sure there are other books that I have not mentioned. I'm not one for "I read 35 books last year" kinda statements. Instead, I'm one for learning as much as I can from anywhere I can - even if it's from my mistakes.
For you, I hope the book list offers some insights and inspiration.
