Good Reading

Somehow, I’ve managed to knock off a couple of books on my reading list in the last couple of months, dispite the fact that I’m always busy with homework and projects for the three classes I’m taking. Thankfully, the end is in sight: Only one test, one presentation, and two papers left until my semester is over!

One of the absolute best business books I’ve ever read is one I finished just last week: Jump Start Your Business Brain: Scientific Ideas and Advice That Will Immediately Double Your Business Success Rate, by Doug Hall, founder of the Eureka! Ranch. This book isn’t provocative like some other business books, but it is grounded in tons of research and data proven business truths. It will teach you the three most important things to consider in creating or revamping your product or service. My current class with Dr. Jeffrey Stamp, formerly of the Eureka! Ranch, introduced us to the exact system layed out in this book. If you want to come up with more ideas, better ideas, and ideas that will tip the odds in your favor, you absolutely must buy this book! You won’t regret it!

One book I picked up on Friday and am currently reading is called Freakonomics : A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything, by Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner. Let me just say that if you enjoyed Malcom Gladwell’s books, The Tipping Point and Blink, you will really get into Freakonomics. Steven Levitt actually makes the topic of economics interesting and fascinating. They stories the authors have collected are great!

Finally, I’m about 15 hours into the 19 hour unabridged audio version of Thomas L. Friedman’s “The World is Flat”. If you’re interested in learning about globalizaion and the challenges and opportunities it presents the United States, this is a must read. Mr. Friedman isn’t a technologist, but he also does a very good job in talking about the trends in technology that are “flattening the world”. He also manages to do a great analysis of Al Qaeda and what he calls the “suicide supply chain”

And now, back to work. Have I said yet that I will be extremely happy once this semester is over? Just two more weeks to go…

Flat World Update [4/29/2005 @ 2:30 pm] Last night Minnesota Public Radio hosted a speech by Thomas Friedman from the Fitzgerald Theater in downtown St. Paul Minnesota. In it, he discussed the major thesis of his new book, The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century. MPR has an audio and video stream available as a part of their Think Global collaboration series. Give it a listen!