Currently reading:

Unlimited Power by Anthony Robbins (The New Science of Personal Achievement)

June ‘07

Blink by Malcolm Gladwell - Gladwell speaks the entire way through about “thin cutting” which is using your internal instinct to make quick decisions.

Sometimes these decisions are right, (such as knowing a statue in a museum is a fake) and sometimes wrong (when 4 cops shot an innocent man 41 times).

It got a little repetitive around half way, but I carried on reading, and was glad I did - the chapter on FACS (facial expressions) is FASCINATING reading - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

The Majestic Way by Scott Cundill - Scott’s a good mate of mine and I use his “ACS” - just made it up - stands for Advanced Communication System on eSquared.

The first half of The Majestic Way is getting your mindset right about how to communicate effectively with your customers, partners and anyone else you need to speak to.

The 2nd Half of the Majestic Way is how to use Majestic once you have got your mindset right. Maybe because I already use Majestic, but I think Scott’s book is BRILLIANT (and that’s not because he mentions me a NUMBER of times through the book!) and I’ve got ideas rotating at the speed of light how to improve the communication through Majestic with our eSquared customers.

If you haven’t read this new book of Scott’s you’re missing out. If you’re a micro business (below 20 people) and you’re not using Majestic yet to communicate with your customers, you’re CRAZY! - Nice one Scotty!!!

Blackboards Bubbles & Cappuccinos by Ruth Tearle - I was at a business breakfast a few months back, and won this book. It’s fictional, but has a different style of writing to most other books I read (lots of inspirational quotes scattered throughout). The quote at the back of the book sums up nicely the message Ruth tries to bring across although it is wrapped up in a fictional story - “This book will help you to discover your purpose and provide you with the courage to follow your own unique life path.” - ENJOYABLE READ

iWoz by Steve Wozniak with Gina Smith - I’ve always had the idea that Apple Computers was started by Steve Jobs. Well, the concept for the original Apple was actually designed by Steve’s partner Steve Wozniak (they each took 45% of the company, and a 3rd partner got 10%). Wozniak is an engineer, not a business person, and it is fascinating reading this autobiography (he lost $12 Million on setting up a Music Festival and was so happy about it he did it again) - EXCELLENT READ (for those interested in computers as it goes incredibly technical in many places)

May ‘07

Air Babylon by Imogen Edwards-Jones - suppose to be a behind the scenes look at what happens in the airline industry. A couple of interesting facts about the airline industry are thrown in throughout the book, but reads as a fiction book with a weak story line. It feels like Edward-Jones researched a list of facts about the airline industry and then created a story around them, and tried to find a place in the book to throw each of them in. DISAPPOINTING

April ‘07

The Choice: The Gayton McKenzie Story as told to Charles Cilliers - This is the extraordinary story of a man who led one of the biggest prison exposes in the world. - BRILLIANT READ (autobiography - INSPIRATIONAL). I was so inspired by The Gayton McKenzie story that I wrote a comment on it…

The Seven-Day Weekend by Ricardo Semler - Semler’s company SEMCO is one of the fastest growing company’s in South America, yet works in a way that nearly no other company does - trying to have as much democracy as possible throughout the entire company - BRILLIANT READ (for business people)

Mosaic by Diane Armstrong - A family tree going back to the 1890’s to Diane’s great grandfather. Describes each of the members of her family, with a lot of detail around how they were affected by the holocaust - BRILLIANT READ (for people interested in history, or a good story)
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I’ll try jot a few lines about the books i’ve finished reading on this page. Many of the books will hopefully receive a “brilliant read” from me - the reason is that i seldom pick up a book in a shop on a random basis. Most books I’ve read have been highly recommended to me.