Categories: Articles

10 New Books Worth Checking Out

There is a ton of great stuff that you should be reading.

The first quarter of this year is coming to an end, and there has been a plethora (yes, big word!) of great books for you to read and enjoy.

10 New Books Worth Checking Out (in alphabetical order):

Abundance – The Future Is Better Than You Think by Steven Kotler and Peter H. Diamandis. In a world of doom and gloom, Kotler and Diamandis take us on a bullish ride about technology, the environment and humanity’s ability to not only survive, but to thrive, in a world where we should be able to not only solve – but overcome – some of the challenges that have held us back for centuries.
Gutenberg the Geek by Jeff Jarvis. It’s an Amazon Kindle Single… no reason not to read the latest thinking from the always poignant (and credible), Jeff Jarvis (What Would Google Do? and Public Parts). This one is short, fun and to-the-point. It’s $0.99… don’t be cheap 🙂
Inside Apple – How America’s Most Admired – and Secretive – Company Really Works by Adam Lashinsky. If you have yet to read the Steve Jobs Biography by Walter Isaacson, you really should. Inside Apple is another side to a company that most of us marvel and lust after. It’s not always pretty, but it is a specimen and testament to entrepreneurship.
The Power of Habit – Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg. As human beings, we resist change. It’s a fact. The question then becomes, why do we need habits and why do we follow them?
Quiet - The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain. Believe it or not, I am extremely shy. I’m much better alone with a book than I am standing in a crowd trying to make small talk. Until I read Quiet, I didn’t understand why I was so introverted. After reading Quiet, I still don’t know why, but I’m much better at being able to accept who I am… and embrace it.
Return On Influence – The Revolutionary Power of Klout, Social Scoring, and Influence Marketing by Mark W. Schaefer. You know Mark. He’s frequently a guest on the Six Pixels of Separation Podcast. We often don’t agree and we often debate, but with his latest book, I can credibly state that: we’re on the same page. Individuals are now being indexed like brands and companies. Not only is it important to know where you stand, but it’s equally important to know who, exactly, your customers are, what they’re talking about… and how much influence they really have.
Social TV – How Marketers Can Reach and Engage Audiences by Connecting Television to the Web, Social Media, and Mobile by Mike Proulx and Stacey Shepatin. I often make the argument that TV is a passive media and as media and technology companies try to make it more social, they may uncover a bigger challenge: how do we make a passive media an active one? In Social TV, you will begin to uncover the many ways that technology and social media re making TV a much more social type of media.
Stop Stealing Dreams (What Is School For?) by Seth Godin. Seth Godin wrote a book about education. Once again, Godin nails it. The reason we invented school is no longer the reason why we need school. So, what is school for? Read this short book and find out. It’s especially a gem if you have a young family… oh, did I mention that it is free?
Too Big to Know – Rethinking Knowledge Now That the Facts Aren’t the Facts, Experts Are Everywhere, and the Smartest Person in the Room Is the Room by David Weinberger. People often ask me who I turn to when I need to learn more about these new digital media channels and platforms. The answer is, naturally, David Weinberger. Most know him as one of the co-authors of The Cluetrain Manifesto, but I prefer to think of him as a modern day technology philosopher. Like Clay Shirky, Weinberger’s books are meaty, insightful and take a lot of time and thinking to get through.
Uprising – How to Build a Brand – and Change the World – By Sparking Cultural Movements by Scott Goodson. I’ve been a fan of Goodson’s agency, StrawberryFrog, for some time. Ads, a great Facebook page or a smart sponsorship won’t mean anything unless your consumers become part of a movement. While you may have heard that notion before, Uprising breaks it down into a strategic plan. If you don’t have people behind your brand, then this is the book for you.

What new and noteworthy books are reading or interested in reading?

Mitch Joel

Mitch Joel lives at the intersection of technology, business transformation and consumer culture. He is the Executive Director of Next Era Institute, a strategic intelligence platform helping leaders understand the forces reshaping business, technology, culture and society. The Institute identifies which shifts matter, explores their wider significance and translates them into strategic direction and momentum. Mitch is also a globally recognized keynote speaker. He has delivered thousands of presentations across both B2B and B2C industries to organizations including Google, Walmart, LEGO, Shopify, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble and Unilever. Strategy Magazine has called him “one of North America’s leading visionaries.” Mitch built his career by working directly inside the waves of change that reshaped modern business. He founded and built a digital marketing agency that worked with some of the world’s largest brands and was later acquired by WPP, where he served as President of a firm operating in 25 countries with almost 3,000 employees. Mitch is the bestselling author of Six Pixels of Separation and CTRL ALT Delete, and the host of Thinking With Mitch Joel, one of the longest-running business podcasts in the world. His writing and commentary appear in outlets including Harvard Business Review, Fast Company and Inc. Magazine. He is a member of Dr. Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches and was named to the Thinkers50 Radar. Mitch also hosts Groove – The No Treble Podcast, documenting the oral history of electric bass players. Mitch is also Co-Founder of ThinkersOne, a platform that enables companies to bring personalized thought leadership from world-class experts into meetings, events and off-sites in focused 15-minute bursts.