Books

All the educational books I've finished recently. Tiny summary but detailed notes for each. Use the ISBN number to find it from your local library, bookmooch, or anywhere else. Clicking the title goes to Amazon, which pays me a little affiliate fee, which goes to buying more books. But no need to buy it from there. That's not the point of this page. This page will constantly update as I read more, so bookmark it if you want to check back in a few months.

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The Time Paradox - by Philip Zimbardo and John Boyd

ISBN: 1416541993 READ: 2009-04-03 RATING: 10/10

See my in-depth article about this book at sivers.org/time

Personal Development for Smart People - by Steve Pavlina

ISBN: 1401922759 READ: 2008-12-27 RATING: 10/10

A surprisingly great broad and unflourished look at all different aspects of self-improvement. Really great insights from someone who's read them all.

Predictably Irrational - by Dan Ariely

ISBN: 006135323X READ: 2008-08-11 RATING: 10/10

My favorite type of book: pointing out and understanding all of the counter-intuitive things people do.

The Ultimate Sales Machine - by Chet Holmes

ISBN: 1591842158 READ: 2008-06-12 RATING: 10/10

After reading E-Myth Revisited, this is the best book I’ve seen on how to turn it into real results, step-by-step. Not ambiguous. Very “do it like this”.

The 4-Hour Work Week - by Tim Ferriss

ISBN: 0307353133 READ: 2008-05-15 RATING: 10/10

Brilliant reversal of all of the “how to manage all your crap” books. This one tells you how to say “no” to the crap, set expectations on your terms, and be just as effective in a fraction of the time. This is perfect for musicians with other responsibilities (day jobs) that need more free time to actually make music!

The Wisdom of Crowds - by James Surowiecki

ISBN: 0385721706 READ: 2008-04-16 RATING: 10/10

Mind-blowing examples of how groups of diverse people acting independently are smarter than any one person in the group. Has huge implications for management, markets, decision-making, and more.

The Paradox of Choice - Why More is Less - by Barry Schwartz

ISBN: 0060005688 READ: 2007-07-11 RATING: 10/10

Faced with many options or decisions in your life? This will change the way you look at them. We feel worse when we have too many options.

Stumbling on Happiness - by Daniel Gilbert

ISBN: 1400077427 READ: 2007-07-11 RATING: 10/10

Not at all new-agey, as the title might suggest. Harvard professor of psychology has studied happiness for years, and shares factual findings that will change the way you look at the world.

Made to Stick - by Chip Heath and Dan Heath

ISBN: 1400064287 READ: 2007-03-12 RATING: 10/10

Actually analyzing what makes certain ideas or stories more memorable than others! Fascinating. Apply this wisdom to your songs, bio/story, communication with fans, etc.

The Innovator's Solution - by Clayton Christensen

ISBN: 1578518520 READ: 2006-09-21 RATING: 10/10

Required reading for business-owners and investors. Shows how technology improves faster than people's ability to use it, so when someone says a technology is “not good enough”, add “yet” and prepare for disruption.

Small is the New Big - by Seth Godin

ISBN: 1591841267 READ: 2006-09-08 RATING: 10/10

My favorite author, by far. I’m a massive fan and disciple. A collection of his short insightful posts from his blog, all thought-provoking and inspiring for anybody marketing anything, even music. (Seth was a CD Baby client and fan.)

The Art of Profitability - by Adrian Slywotzky

ISBN: 0446692271 READ: 2005-12-02 RATING: 10/10

25 different models of profitability presented in examples you can relate to your own business, making you realize profit-sources you’d never thought of before.

E-Myth Revisited - by Michael Gerber

ISBN: 0887307280 READ: 2004-02-26 RATING: 10/10

Everything needs to be a system. Think of your business as a franchise prototype. You should be able to hand the “how-to” manual to just anyone, to do it as good as you.

What Would Google Do? - by Jeff Jarvis

ISBN: 0061709719 READ: 2009-03-05 RATING: 9/10

Great think-piece about lessons learned from Google's approach to things, and how they might approach different industries like airlines, real estate, education, etc.

CrowdSourcing - by Jeff Howe

ISBN: 0307396207 READ: 2008-08-27 RATING: 9/10

Great look at a different way of getting a project done: not outsourcing it to a person, but developing a system where thousands of people can contribute a little bit.

The Smartest Investment Book You'll Ever Read - by Daniel R. Solin

ISBN: 0399532838 READ: 2008-05-14 RATING: 9/10

An itty-bitty quick-read no-fluff book with the wisest succinct advice to investors: You can't predict the future, and neither can anyone else. Determine your asset allocation, stick with cheap broad indexes, and rebalance occasionally.

Wikinomics - by Don Tapscott and Anthony Williams

ISBN: 1591841933 READ: 2008-04-23 RATING: 9/10

Lessons learned from Wikipedia can be applied to most other businesses. How can you harness the spare-time or self-interest of thousands to build something better for everyone?

What Got You Here Won't Get You There - by Marshall Goldsmith

ISBN: 1401301304 READ: 2008-03-08 RATING: 9/10

Stinging counter-intuitive insights into how most of us are dealing with co-workers completely wrong. Great specific suggestions for how to do it better.

Meatball Sundae - by Seth Godin

ISBN: 1591841747 READ: 2007-12-30 RATING: 9/10

Instead of asking how to use the new internet tools to support your existing business, ask how you can change your business to take best advantage of the new tools.

Execution - by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan

ISBN: 0609610570 READ: 2007-02-12 RATING: 9/10

Great in-depth look at the dirty discipline of getting things done in a large organization.

Getting Things Done - by David Allen

ISBN: 0142000280 READ: 2005-04-30 RATING: 9/10

Classic book with near-cult following. How to manage every last itty bitty tiny thing in your life. Keep your inbox empty.

The 48 Laws of Power - by Robert Greene and Joost Elffers

ISBN: 0140280197 READ: 2003-05-06 RATING: 9/10

Warning: some think this book is pure evil. But power exists, so it can only help to understand it better, even if you choose not to wield it.

Reality Check - by Guy Kawasaki

ISBN: 1591842239 READ: 2009-03-08 RATING: 8/10

Great collection of essays about entrepreneurship from his blog at blog.guykawasaki.com

You, Inc - The Art of Selling Yourself - by Harry Beckwith

ISBN: 0446578215 READ: 2008-07-26 RATING: 8/10

One of my favorite authors, and a massive inspiration for my e-book. This is his newest, but read anything he’s done. It’s all top-notch insights on making life easier by being more considerate, whether you call that marketing or just life.

The Four Pillars of Investing - by William Bernstein

ISBN: 0071385290 READ: 2008-06-07 RATING: 8/10

If you've already read and loved The Smartest Investment Book You'll Ever Read, above, then read this more in-depth book next.

The Art of Learning - by Josh Waitzkin

ISBN: 0743277457 READ: 2008-05-30 RATING: 8/10

Chess master becomes Tai Chi master, realizes his real genius is learning, and shares his insights and stories.

Here Comes Everybody - by Clay Shirky

ISBN: 1594201536 READ: 2008-04-06 RATING: 8/10

Like Wikinomics and Crowdsourcing, required reading if interested in harnessing the collective power of people online.

Maximum Achievement - by Brian Tracy

ISBN: 0684803313 READ: 2006-11-12 RATING: 8/10

A classic self-help book. Exactly what you'd expect. But very good.

The China Study - by Campbell and Campbell

ISBN: 1932100660 READ: 2009-04-23 RATING: 7/10

Biggest study ever on the effects of diet on health. The multiple health benefits of plant-based foods, and dangers of animal-based foods, including all types of meat, dairy and eggs.

Outliers: The Story of Success - by Malcolm Gladwell

ISBN: 0316017922 READ: 2009-04-23 RATING: 7/10

Deep study of why some people are so much more successful. Often due to circumstances and early opportunities, but really comes down to the fact that it takes about 10,000 hours of hard work to master something.

Lucky Or Smart? - by Bo Peabody

ISBN: 1439210101 READ: 2009-04-23 RATING: 7/10

Tiny book by an incredibly successful serial entrepreneur telling his tales and lessons learned.

The Power of Less - by Leo Babuta

ISBN: 1401309704 READ: 2009-01-21 RATING: 7/10

Identify the essential. Eliminate the rest. Set limitations. Become incredibly effective. Written by someone who's been successfully living this way for years.

Tribes - by Seth Godin

ISBN: 1591842336 READ: 2008-11-17 RATING: 7/10

Inspiring look at what it takes to organize and mobilize groups of people.

How to Talk to Anyone - by Leil Lowndes

ISBN: 007141858X READ: 2008-09-12 RATING: 7/10

Wonderful considerate book about conversational people skills.

Brain Rules - by John Medina

ISBN: 0979777704 READ: 2008-08-26 RATING: 7/10

New scientific insights into why our brains work this way, and how to use what we now know to learn or work better.

The Magic of Thinking Big - by David Schwartz

ISBN: 0671646788 READ: 2008-07-26 RATING: 7/10

A classic self-help book. Exactly what you'd expect. But very good.

Cut to the Chase - by Stuart Levine

ISBN: 0385516207 READ: 2008-07-26 RATING: 7/10

Tips on more effective communication.

How to Get Rich - by Felix Dennis

ISBN: 1591842050 READ: 2008-06-18 RATING: 7/10

Shockingly honest thoughts from a filthy rich bastard.

The Culting of Brands - by Douglas Atkin

ISBN: 1591840961 READ: 2008-02-08 RATING: 7/10

Unique fascinating dissection of cults and why they work. Then how to apply those lessons to marketing your business.

Don't Make Me Think - by Steve Krug

ISBN: 0321344758 READ: 2007-08-08 RATING: 7/10

The classic book of web usability. Required reading for anyone who makes websites.

Know-How - by Ram Charan with Geri Willigan

ISBN: 0307341518 READ: 2007-02-12 RATING: 7/10

Acquired expertise in big business. Subtitle: 8 Skills That Separate People Who Perform from Those Who Don't.

The Art of Project Management - Scott Berkun

ISBN: 0596007868 READ: 2006-11-19 RATING: 7/10

The best book on how to oversee projects to completion.

The Culture Code - by Clotaire Rapaille

ISBN: 0767920570 READ: 2008-11-01 RATING: 6/10

Weird look at how different cultures (mostly Europe versus U.S. in this book) see things differently. Example: British luxury is about detachment whereas U.S. luxury is about rank.

Speaking of India - by Craig Sorti

ISBN: 1931930341 READ: 2008-09-30 RATING: 6/10

Required reading for anyone doing business in India, with detailed analysis of cultural and communication differences. Example: in India a lack of emphatic “yes!” means “no”. Teaches Westerners to adapt to this.

Richard Branson - Losing My Virginity

ISBN: 0812932293 READ: 2008-06-01 RATING: 6/10

Autobiography of his life from childhood through 2004. Interesting how he was always over-leveraged and how that drove him forward. Amazing how he negotiated Necker Island from £3 million down to £180k.

How to be a Billionaire - by Martin Fridson

ISBN: 0471416177 READ: 2009-04-23 RATING: 5/10

Biographical look at billionaires from the last 200 years, and lessons learned from how they did it. Some lessons aren't really applicable to the rest of us, like changing government laws to protect your monopoly. But some are.

Enough - by John Bogle

ISBN: 0470398515 READ: 2009-04-23 RATING: 5/10

Legendary investor, now 80, looks back with long-view wisdom on investing, living, and giving.

Management of the Absurd - by Richard Farson

ISBN: 0684830442 READ: 2009-04-14 RATING: 5/10

Counter-intuitive lessons about management. Highly recommended for managers and leaders, but also teachers and parents.

Fooled by Randomness - by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

ISBN: 1400067936 READ: 2008-04-05 RATING: 5/10

Mr Black Swan sure does love the sound of his own voice. Interesting thoughts on investing and misjudging randomness inside lots of blather.

The Obsolete Employee - by Michael Russer

ISBN: 0966248465 READ: 2007-10-01 RATING: 5/10

How to run a company without employees, but with a loose network of work-from-home freelance agents. Very instructive, but also good perspective like how until the industrial revolution, there were no employees: everyone was freelance.

Secrets of the Millionaire Mind - by T. Harv Ecker

ISBN: 0060763280 READ: 2007-06-12 RATING: 5/10

If you suspect that your mindset is holding you back from making more money, read this. Identifies and dissolves the mental baggage we've built up that believes money is evil and those who have it are greedy.

The Great Formula - by Mark Joyner

ISBN: 0471778230 READ: 2009-06-06 RATING: 4/10

Create an irresistable offer. Present it to people who need it. Sell them more afterwards. Lots of examples of this.

China Road - by Rob Gifford

ISBN: 0812975243 READ: 2009-06-02 RATING: 4/10

Not a business book, unless you want to understand China a bit more. Journalist who's worked in China for 10 years decides to move back to London, but takes one last cross-country trip and gets first-time insights into rural Chinese life and how the country has changed.

Hot Commodities - by Jim Rogers

ISBN: 0812973712 READ: 2008-08-11 RATING: 4/10

Very specific book about understanding the commodity markets.

A Bull in China - by Jim Rogers

ISBN: 1400066166 READ: 2008-08-06 RATING: 3/10

Very specific book about investing in China's stock market.

Founders at Work - by Jessica Livingston

ISBN: 1430210788 READ: 2008-02-12 RATING: 3/10

Long in-depth interviews with company founders, telling their tales of how they started. Lots of stories with a few usable gems.

The How of Happiness - by Sonja Lyubomirsky

ISBN: 159420148X READ: 2009-06-01 RATING: 2/10

Since I loved Stumbling on Happiness, I was prepared to love this, but the big difference is that Stumbling on Happiness showed tests and experiments to prove their points, whereas this book only presents conclusions. Maybe equally accurate but less convincing.

The Think Big Manifesto - by Michael Port and Mina Samuels

ISBN: 0470432373 READ: 2009-05-12 RATING: 1/10

One of the few books I've actively disliked. Ever read the introduction to a book? Where they say “what you hold in your hands here is something that could change the world”, and blah blah blah? I kept reading, wondering when the introduction was going to be over. Over halfway through the book, I realized this was it: just broad general encouraging unuseful nothings for the entire book.