3. SHELF it · Book Review Actions · Book Reviews · Business · Entrepreneurship

BR 25: The Art of Profitability by Adrian J Slywotzky

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Category: 3 – SHELF it (All Categories are 1 – Read ASAP!, 2 – BUY it!, 3 – SHELF it, 4 – SOMEDAY it)

Comments: More like an academic look into businesses and profitability. Good in terms of the various profitability models discussed, decent in terms of linking it up into a story but I wouldn’t rate it very high on impact. The paperback could offer a better experience though as it was difficult to follow a few of the numbers and calculations on audio.

What to expect: A detailed look at about 20 (if I remember right) profit models weaved into a moderately engaging story. If you are looking to start your own business, this could be a good book to read to get you thinking about profitability.

3. SHELF it · Book Reviews · Novel Concepts and Interesting Research

BR 24: The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

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Category: 3 – SHELF it (All Categories are 1 – Read ASAP!, 2 – BUY it!, 3 – SHELF it, 4 – SOMEDAY it)

Comments: Very good book in terms of the concept. I liked the book for the most part and the only reason it is not a ‘BUY it!’ is because while I understood how many ideas made it big, I felt a big part of it was beyond my control and hence, less actionable.

What to expect: Gladwell is the business and self-help lover’s  Dan Brown in my opinion – he puts together a whole lot of data and presents it VERY well. Hence, The Tipping Point is an example of many good facts put together to bring forth some good insights.

Book Reviews · Fiction

BR 23: The Godfather – Mario Puzo

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Category: 2 – BUY it! (All Categories are 1 – Read ASAP!, 2 – BUY it!, 3 – SHELF it, 4 – SOMEDAY it)

Comments: Who said you can learn from management books alone? This book, to me, is not the story of the Italian mafia don, nor is it the story of how the famed five families of New York controlled a big part of the city.

To me, this is the story of a man with a very strong will, value system (albeit with some values being questionable) attained power and despite being knocked down, masterminded his opponents by thinking many moves ahead. It is also a story of how vices can be our greatest enemies and what was most astounding was the importance of making sure every move is right one. One wrong mistake would lead to the loss of a life..

That’s a tough job.

A thrilling (and sometimes long winded) story of a Mafia Don and his family’s fight for survival and supremacy in the city of New York.

Add on Mar 16, 2016: I have no idea why I reviewed The Godfather here. I guess it was a special nod to one of my favorite works of fiction.

3. SHELF it · Book Review Actions · Book Reviews · Business · Psychology

BR 22: The 48 laws of Power by Robert Greene

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Category: 3 – SHELF it (All Categories are 1 – Read ASAP!, 2 – BUY it!, 3 – SHELF it, 4 – SOMEDAY it)

Comments: Take this book with a pinch of salt.  I tried reading the book as a 19 year old and found it a touch too dark. It has interesting insight on games of power.

Add on Mar 16, 2016: I read this book again a few years later and would stick to my original note – take it with a pinch of salt as you can start seeing power games everywhere. Robert Greene is an artful writer, though, and this book was understandably very popular when it came out.

4. SOMEDAY it · Book Review Actions · Entrepreneurship

BR 21: How to make big money in your small business – Jeffrey J Fox

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Category: 4 – SOMEDAY it (All Categories are 1 – Read ASAP!, 2 – BUY it!, 3 – SHELF it, 4 – SOMEDAY it)

Comments: This was my final Jeffrey J Fox book. The issue I have with it is that it makes it look too easy, when it is not in reality..

What to expect: Many good bite sized learnings and short stories. Not short on learnings, but a tad short on the real difficulty level..

2. BUY it! · Book Review Actions · Book Reviews · Philosophy

BR 20: Stillness Speaks – Echkart Tolle

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Category: 2 – BUY it! (All Categories are 1 – Read ASAP!, 2 – BUY it!, 3 – SHELF it, 4 – SOMEDAY it)

Comments: This is a book I read typically during one of the following 3 situations –

1) When I’m struggling to sleep and need to make sure I get rest before morning..
2) When I’m feeling restless on a flight..
3) When I need something calming..

And in all 3 of the above times, this book is simply brilliant. It is deep, extremely thought provoking and narrated in Eckhart Tolle’s calm and sleep-inducing voice..

What to expect: The following –

1) A book that cannot be read or understood in 1 sitting.
2) A book that can be read and re-read many times and still enjoyed..
3) A brilliant book for relfection..
4) Lot’s of silence and pauses during the book ..
5) Tons of insight..

3. SHELF it · Book Review Actions · Book Reviews · Psychology · Self Improvement

BR 19: Get Anyone To Do Anything by David J Lieberman

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Category: 3 – SHELF it (All Categories are 1 – Read ASAP!, 2 – BUY it!, 3 – SHELF it, 4 – SOMEDAY it)

Comments: Fun book that dives into human psychology and what makes people and relationships tick. It’s an entertaining read for sure.

What to expect: Lots of small tips and tricks to establish rapport that are definitely useful. I always feel the biggest use of books like this that deal with personality shifts is they help us think from the point of view of the other person, to actually listen and pay attention.

3. SHELF it · Book Review Actions · Book Reviews · Sales

BR 18: Advanced Selling Strategies – Brian Tracy

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Category: 3 – SHELF it (All Categories are 1 – Read ASAP!, 2 – BUY it!, 3 – SHELF it, 4 – SOMEDAY it)

Comments: Brian Tracy’s books promise you a clear narrative, lots of tips and tricks and clear structure and clarity. This book rates very high on the impact front with very clear tips that I still use today. For example – he gives a very simple tip when making a cold call – ‘Start by asking for a minute of the other person’s time’.  Other small tips such as starting the day by reading 30 mins a day have all made a difference.

What to expect: A full on sales book whose impact is best felt if it is ‘studied’ rather than read. If you have never read a sales book, it could possibly be a tad boring as the book is full of step by step processes from the beginning to the end of the sale with a focus on personal development at certain points.

Add on Mar 16, 2016: Sales was part of the job at the start-up I worked for during my undergrad years. As a result, you see many a sales book making an appearance. :)

4. SOMEDAY it · Book Review Actions · Book Reviews · Self Improvement

BR 17: Simplify your life – Elaine St James

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Category: 4 – SOMEDAY it (All Categories are 1 – Read ASAP!, 2 – BUY it!, 3 – SHELF it, 4 – SOMEDAY it)

Comments: The issues I had with the book –

1) The narrator sounded very ‘low’ and monotonous
2) I had read this one after reading ‘How to stop clutter from stealing your life’ which was simply fantastic! (review coming soon..)
3) This was more applicable to folks who had been leading more ‘complicated’ lives thanks to big houses, too much ‘stuff’ etc..

3. SHELF it · Bio/Autobiographies · Book Review Actions · Book Reviews · Management

BR 16: Iacocca – An autobiography by Lee Iacocca

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Category: 3 – SHELF it (All Categories are 1 – Read ASAP!, 2 – BUY it!, 3 – SHELF it, 4 – SOMEDAY it)

Comments: Nice book without being great. Iacocca tells us his life story and keeps us engaged.

What to expect: Iacocca did very well at Ford, rising up the ranks till he had an ego battle with the owner Henry Ford II and that obviously ended only 1 way. Iacocca then joined Chrysler and CEO and turned the company around in remarkable circumstances. Story of a very popular Italian American CEO.