Business Advice Books, so what? (or better: which ones?)

In my living room there is a large (slowly growing) pile of Business Advice Books (I read a lot, have to have a book in front of me early mornings when I'm enjoying my first - of many - cups of coffee.)
Some I only read only once, others I read again (and again and again.) What makes me re-read? To answer that I will give you my personal definition of a good Business Advice Book.

A book that you constantly have to put down, one that constantly makes you stop reading, because you just have to jot down 'sudden' ideas for your business triggered by what you are reading.
Those are also the books I like to re-read sometimes, because they keep on giving you new ideas (or additions to other 'sudden' ideas you've found reading other books): those books keep Advising you.

At the moment I'm reading The Jelly Effect - How to make your Communication Stick - by Andy Bounds and boy, I can't seem to read two pages after each other without having to put it down!

Stay tuned, book-review will follow soon (and a page with all the books I read that pass my definition of a proper Business Advice Book).

Comments

[Kent Blumberg]

I had a growing pile of books "to be read" in my office until about a month ago. I finally decided that I would pass all of them along to other folks, and just buy what I need when I need it. I'm finding far fewer business books that tempt me now - the feeling of freedom from that pile is en-lightening.

[Karin H.]

Hi Kent

That's one way of 'dealing' with it ;-)
It does get harder over time to find 'new' advice books that aren't in fact a repeat or slight adjustment of others, but I like my growing pile of business advice books. Could be that I'm still 'catching up' - I only started reading these books roughly three years ago. Building my 'business library' so to speak.

(And as for being tempted by new purchases, you're the one always recommending books! ;-))

Karin H.

[Jamie O'Connell]

Hi Karin,

Like you, I too read lots of business type books - It is odd, I used to be dead against reading this type of book, but in the last 4/5 months most of the books I buy and read are business books. I particularly like Auto-Biographies. recently, I have Read:

"Tycoon" (Peter Jones)

Richard Bransons' Autobiography (Superb Book)

Gordon Ramseys' Autobigraphy (Again, superb!)

Anita Roddicks Autobigraphy (A bit hard going this one - full of "save the world type stuff" - which is good, but, I think she over does the message in her book)

The Apprentice - Series 1 & 2 (good book with lots of tips from Alan Sugar)

I am waiting for Alan Sugar to do his autobiography - he is an icon so far as I am concerned - he came from very humble beginnings, but ended up making it big through his own hard work and efforts. I am not a big fan of business people that inherit a business from Mummy or Daddy, or, start up a business with a large injection of cash from Mummy or Daddy - in my view because they have not had to work for it, they tend to not do very well and are not "genuine" poepl on the whole (Controversial, I know and no doubt, others out there will have a different opinion - I would like to make it clear that I am very open-minded and take people at face value - I do not judge anyone until I get to know them)

Maybe, we should do a book swap or two?

Cheers,

Jamie O "Making Your Cash Flow"
My Blog: www.ccssolutions.typepad.com/ccs

[Karin H.]

Hi Jamie O

I'm not much into autobiographies myself (although, come to think of it, The Kiss Business is partly that ;-)), but swapping books is a great idea.
Sure we'll discuss that during another BNI-meeting, if we're awake that is.

Karin H.