Comments

Tom - can you recommend which rapid reading course you went on? We’re only half way through June and there are 17 books to read in that list alone!

My main problem is ….. I START loads of books!

I currently have at least 15 books in my ‘unfinished pile of books’ … Pleeeeeeease tell me the secret!!! :- )

Posted by Trevor Gay at June 9, 2010 3:55 PM

Thanks for the list. I will share it with my students.

Posted by Gobi at June 9, 2010 8:51 PM

"Choosing Civility" - this book should be compulsory reading for Congressional candidates, especially #25: "Don't shift responsibility and blame"

Posted by Mike L. at June 10, 2010 1:09 AM

Tom-you forgot the bible-no I am not a religious freak-but Christianity is in our blood and psyche-or to say, part of what we are. I am a former journalist/intelligence officer and the stories in the bible never cease to surprise me. But yes, I like to read your books second only to the Bible that is-and so you can forget me reading your must read list-because your books has it all-and they never failed to surprise me too.

Posted by Terry Chulavachana at June 10, 2010 7:35 AM

Trevor, I'm a slow reader (true!) and a member of the book starter club, too. I leave my piles around and sample here and there-works great for non-fiction. (I literally dive into the middle sometimes, read 30 pages, leave it for 4 months, etc.)

Posted by tom peters at June 10, 2010 7:57 AM

I'm now PROUD to be known as a BS (Book Starter) – I have sometimes been called a ‘BS’ but not until today did I realise it stood for Book Starter :- )

Have a great day Tom – we’re about to set out to watch the Shakespeare comedy Twelfth Night this evening - an open air performance of one of the great William’s most popular pieces of work.

Posted by Trevor Gay at June 10, 2010 8:28 AM

Terry - I'm not "a religious freak" either ..... though I am a Christian and very proud of that fact. I thoroughly endorse your words. In my opinion there is no book more beautifully written; no book containing such powerful stories than contained between the covers of The Bible. Speaking personally (I know The Bible is not for everyone the words therein often make a bad day a good day for me. Thanks again Terry for mentioning the greatest book of all.

Posted by Trevor Gay at June 10, 2010 8:39 AM

My name is Paul and I am a book starter. There I have said it - that feels better already!

I do like the fact that you put your books lists here Tom. Sometimes just trying something you wouldn't normally choose gives a different perspective on things

Enjoy the play Trevor - hope the weather behaves!

Thanks also to Barton - My life has been really lacking without Guitar Hero III - now I know where to down load it.......

Posted by PaulH at June 10, 2010 12:07 PM

The Cellist Of Sarajevo is a great book. Moving and sad, a tale of the war and seige of Sarajevo. A good story, also a good history lesson.

Posted by Ian Sanders at June 10, 2010 1:44 PM

Tom, thank you for including our book on your list. We believe just as strongly today that being nice has the power to transform your career and by "thinking small" you can go even further. Can't wait to check out some of the books you've suggested here.

Posted by Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval at June 10, 2010 2:05 PM

Great list and I'm glad you included Nick Kristof, whom I think doesn't get enough notice for the issues he takes on.

Also, a way I reduce the BS syndrome is to check the books out of the local public library! It saves trees (not to mention you money) and you have a deadline built in! You can always go buy it later if you want to keep a copy.

Posted by Cathy Carmody at June 10, 2010 2:20 PM

I sense a theme to these books :-).

I'm totally ADD when it comes to books; I can't get enough of them.

For example...
I just bought Brogan's "Trust Agents", and Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov.

I'm currently reading "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks," "The New Psycho-Cybernetics" and "Branding Basics for Small Business".

And I just finished reading "The Little BIG Things" (loved it!), "I, Alex Cross", and a few boring books on PHP and Drupal.

Eclectic? Hell yeah. Fun? That too. Crazy? Sure. But I wouldn't feel want it any other way.

BTW, can I say again how much I LOVED The Little BIG Things? I bought the audible version, your narrative makes it that much better.

Thank you for inspiring me.

Anyway, my point is I don't think I'll get to your entire list this year. How would you prioritize it? I'm an entrepreneur seemingly stuck in perpetual start up mode. Would love some help getting out of it. Thoughts?

Didn't mean for this post to be so long :-/.

Thanks Tom. You rock.

- Lisa

Posted by Lisa Pecunia at June 10, 2010 8:31 PM

Enough by Bogle gets my vote...quick read, big impact.

Posted by Sally Petersen at June 10, 2010 9:25 PM

Paul – you see - once I’d come out of the closet and admitted to BS - loads of others admit the same condition …. Maybe you and I need to launch a UK branch of a BS Support Group :- )

Magnificent performance of Twelfth Night last night - it was in Beaconsfield - do you know it? - Awesome setting in a massive country estate and spectacular floodlit backdrop to the open air theatre itself.

Only problem was traffic on M25 which meant we got home at 2 am in the morning – not fun when I had to be up at 6 this morning for the early morning run!!!

Posted by Trevor Gay at June 11, 2010 3:10 AM