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Guy Kawasaki: Great writers are great readers

December 29th, 2008 · 2 Comments · Entrepreneurs

Guy Kawasaki is a voracious reader. Not only because he wants to remain a great schmoozer (one of the reasons why he tells us to “read voraciously”), but mostly also because he adores books, loves to write, and looks at other writers as sounding boards, sources of inspiration, or thought-provoking agents. His latest book, a must-read, Reality Check: The Irreverent Guide to Outsmarting, Outmanaging, and Outmarketing Your Competition, mentions multiple books either directly or through the authors that he interviews. Here is a list of these books:

Berkun, Scott:   The Myths of Innovation (O’Reilly Media, Inc. 2008); The Art of Project Management (Theory in Practice (O’Reilly)) (O’Reilly Media, Inc. 2005). See Reality Check: Chapter 27: The Myths of Innovation.

Bornstein, David How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas, Updated Edition (Oxford University Press, updated 2007). See Reality Check: Chapter 91: Social Entrepreneurship.

Branch, Shelly & Callaway, SueWhat Would Jackie Do?: An Inspired Guide to Distinctive Living (Gotham, 2006). See Reality Check: Chapter 63: Ten Questions “With” Jackie Onassis.

Christensen, Clayton: The Innovator’s Dilemma: The Revolutionary Book that Will Change the Way You Do Business (Collins Business Essentials) (Harvard Business School Press, 1997). See Reality Check: Chapter 17: The Zen of Business Plans.

Cialdini, Robert: Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (Collins Business Essentials)(Allyn & Bacon, 2000); with Noah Goldstein & Steve J. Martin: Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive (Free Press, 2008). See Reality Check: Chapter 53: The Psychology of Influencing People.

DePaola, Tomie: The Knight and the Dragon (Putnam Juvenile, 1980). See Reality Check: Chapter 66: The Art of Driving Your Competition Crazy.

Dweck, Carol: Mindset: The New Psychology of Success (Random House, 2006). See Reality Check: Chapter 76: The Effort Effect of Carol Dweck.

Feinberg, Mortimer: Why Smart People Do Dumb Things: Lessons from the New Science of Behavioral Economics (Fireside, 1995). See Reality Check: Chapter 83: Why Smart People Do Dumb Things.

Gladwell, Malcolm: The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference (Back Bay Books, 2002). See Reality Check: Chapter 28: The Sticking Point.

Heath, Chip & Dan Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die (Random House, 2007). See Reality Check: Chapter 28: The Sticking Point.

Kidder, TracyThe Soul Of A New Machine (first published in 1981- Back Bay Books, 2000). See Reality Check: 

LaBarre, Polly & Taylor, WilliamMavericks at Work: Why the Most Original Minds in Business Win (Free Press, 2008). See Reality Check: Chapter 81: Mavericks in the Workplace.

Lakoff, George Don’t Think of an Elephant: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate–The Essential Guide for Progressives (Chelsea Green, 2004). See Reality Check: Chapter 35: Frame or Be Framed.

Livingston, JessicaFounders at Work: Stories of Startups’ Early Days (Apress, 2007). See Reality Check: Chapter 1: Flounders (sic) at Work.

Marcum, David & Smith, Stevenegonomics: What Makes Ego Our Greatest Asset (or Most Expensive Liability).  (Fireside, 2007). See Reality Check: Chapter 86: Are You an Egomaniac.

May, Matthew The Elegant Solution: Toyota’s Formula for Mastering Innovation (Free Press, 2006). See Reality Check: Chapter 26: The Seven Sins of Solutions.

Prosen, BobKiss Theory Good Bye: Five Proven Ways to Get Extraordinary Results in Any Company (Gold Pen Publishing, 2006). See Reality Check: Chapter 18:The Art of Financial Projections.

Raynor, Michael:   The Strategy Paradox: Why committing to success leads to failure (and what to do about it) (Broadway Book, 2007). See Reality Check: Chapter 16: The Paradox of Strategy: How Apple Blew It and Microsoft Got Lucky.

Reynolds, Garr Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery (Voices That Matter) (New Riders Press, 2008). See Reality Check: Chapter 45: The Zen of Presentations.

Rezac, Darcy The Frog and Prince: Secrets of Positive Networking To Change Your Life (Frog and Prince Networking Company, 2003). See Reality Check: Chapter 57: The Art of Schmoozing.

RoAne, Susan How to Work a Room, Revised Edition: Your Essential Guide to Savvy Socializing (Collins Living; Revised edition, 2007). See Reality Check: Chapter 57: The Art of Schmoozing.

Rogers, EverettDiffusion of Innovations, 5th Edition (Free Press, 2003). See Reality Check: Chapter 27: The Myths of Innovation.

Sutton, BobThe No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn’t (Business Plus, 2007). See Reality Check: Chapter 87: The No Asshole Rule.

Trunk, Penelope: Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success (Business Plus, 2007). See Reality Check: Chapter 71: Career Guidance for This Century.

White, JerryI Will Not Be Broken: Five Steps to Overcoming a Life Crisis (St. Martin’s Press, 2008). See Reality Check: Chapter 93: The Art of Surviving.

Wozniak, Steve & Smith, GinaiWoz: Computer Geek to Cult Icon: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It (W. W. Norton, 2006). See Reality Check: Chapter 31: The Purest Form of Engineering: Woz.

Zimbardo, Philip G.: The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil (Random House, 2008). See Reality Check: Chapter 79: Work as a Prison.

As if this list were not long enough, let me remind you of another major author mentioned by Guy: Peter Drucker (1909-2005). You can read virtually all his books. He is the father of the modern enterprise. For an overview of his works: The Essential Drucker: The Best of Sixty Years of Peter Drucker’s Essential Writings on Management (Collins Business Essentials)

Also: Guy gave a list of his ten favorite books in 2006: http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2006/04/my_ten_favorite.html

Personal remark: As is customary in his books, Guy always adds a quote under the title of each chapter. He has a knack for selecting them, most of the times from great authors. You may really enjoy one of them, Ambrose Bierce. You can read The Devil’s Dictionary, a hilarious interpretation of common English terms, which is available at: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/972  

My quote of the day: “Altogether, I think we ought to read only books that bite and sting us. If the book does not shake us awake like a blow to the skull, why bother reading it in the first place?” Franz Kafka (Letter to Oskar Pollak, January 27, 1904).

Marylene Delbourg-Delphis

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