The Library
I am currently waiting to read the following and will post reviews when I do:
Every Single One Of Us: The Communication Ideal – Jonathan MacDonald
The Power Of The Network – David Cushman
Here is a list of books I have read recently:
Briniging nothing to the party – Paul Carr
This book is SUPERB. Paul Carr shamelessly recites how he chased fame even harder than he chased money by launching his own social network, ultimately resulting in humiliation (failure would be the wrong word). This is without a doubt my top read of the year. If you work in new media then you will laugh out loud aftre almost every page… probably because you have done most of the same stupid shit Paul has done. Brilliant.
Here Comes Everybody – Clay Shirky
Clay Shirky has written a book which talks about harnessing the power of digital to unite/market to people with shared interests and made it interesting by relating to real life situations. Plus it has one of the coolest covers ever!
Solid read, nothing too inspiring but interesting nonetheless. If you like to see how maths or more to the point, economics affects every-day situations then this is the book for you.
iCon: Steve Jobs - Jeffrey S. Young & William L. Simon
Great book. Loads of stories and interviews from the beginning until nearly present day if you get the updated version. Really good value for money – The book is bloody massive!
The Google Story – David Vise
Probably the most accurate account of the rise and rise of Brin, Page, Schmidt and Google. A good read that documents all the major events from the very beginning. Everyone should know the background on this company, I would bet money that our kids will learn about it in their history classes.
Losing My Virginity – Richard Branson
Branson can do just about everything… apart from write books. I was so disappointed with this offering.
Don’t buy it from Amazon, or anywhere else for that matter, hence no link.
How To Get Rich – Felix Dennis
Anyone who knows anything about media knows that Felix Dennis is the Daddy of old skool advertising. Worth approximately $900M and possesing a streak of lunacy he decided to deliver this book to help those less fortunate than himself and I am so glad he did. I find this book the single most inspiring read in my collection partly because it was given to me by my father and partly because is it outrageously clear that if Felix can do it then so can you!
Communities Dominate Brands – Alan Moore & Tomi Ahonen
A superb attempt at explaining the value of con/prosumers in the overall commerce value-chain. Message to brands: Consumers are not part of your product/service, they are it in the entirety, if you do not listen you will not survive.
Heavy going in parts but a nontheless fantastic resource for anyone doing anything even remotely related to connecting with an audience.
boo hoo – Ernst Malmsten
Anyone who has ever started or been involved with starting a business will be able to relate to this book in one way or another. Ernst Malmsten is an incredibly confident, articulate and entrprenurial individual who had the balls to really Go Big, raising tens of millions of dollars from some of the biggest investors in the world and subesquently blew the cash on expanding the business, buying tailor made suits and hiring private jets – First rule of business: ‘Profit is sanity, expansion is vanity’ as said by Felix Dennis.
The Tipping Point – Malcolm Gladwell
A collection of insightful real-life examples of hockey stick growth, rapid change and infectious communications. Anyone who says they want their next ad campaign to ‘go viral’ obviously hasn’t read this book – IT’S NOT YOUR CHOICE, IT’S UP TO YOUR AUDIENCE. AT BEST YOU CAN ONLY EVER BE A FACILITATOR, YOU WILL NEVER BE AN EXECUTOR. Got that? Good.
Blink: The Power of thinking without thinking – Malcolm Gladwell
Totally blows apart the old addage ‘never judge a book by its cover’ – If anything this book encourages to trust your instincts and that first impressions are outrageously important.
A good book to strech and encourage thought process. This book was recommended to me by a colleague and although I found it tedious in parts, there are definitely tangible benefits I use regularly.
Bringing Down The House – Ben Mezrich
A great (allegedly) true story about a group of students from MIT and their professor who play big-money blackjack and win, using their maths ability to get an edge on the casino then betting big.
I read this book during my first trip to Atlantic City, it gave me the confidence needed to play for higher than usual stakes which paid off….. for a day and I subsequently lost any money I had won by the second night. Still a great read though.
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