January 2015 Bookshelf
I'm sure you've heard it said that leaders are readers. I believe this to be true and actively engage in the habit of reading. Each month, I will provide a summary of the books I've read and which ones I think you would find engaging.
Rockefeller did more for this country and the way we conduct business than almost any other person in history. He was an instrumental person in sparking large scale philanthropy. He founded The University of Chicago and provided the basic framework for today’s trusts and foundations. Yet, he was remarkably stingy with his money and kept meticulous records of every penny spent. Some speculate he acted this way to try and make up for the misdeeds of his father who was a swindler and did not have a good reputation. This book is intriguing, but it is a long read. I suggest listening to it on Audible.
For the business minded, this is one of the best books about business I have ever read. I would highly recommend it to others. It walks through steps and stages of strategy development. This is a reference guide to use for decades to come.
In March, I will be in Beijing for 2 weeks. I picked up this book as a way to introduce myself to the culture and business climate. What I appreciated about the book was it's connection with Chinese history and the current environment. If you are traveling to China or have an interest in learning more about the largest economy in the world, this is a good book to read.
Change rarely happens all at once. It is usually a combination of small steps over time that lead to large change. This is true in business formation and in our personal habits. This book does a good job of breaking down how breakthroughs happen. If you are a fan of The Lean Startup, this is a good book that takes some of those ideas further.
The world we live in today is a result of decades of actions to alter our economic, political, and social structure. The result of those actions has created an ever-widening divide between those with resources and true opportunity and those who lack the ability to climb up the ladder of society. If you want a better understanding of how we got to where we are today and what the future looks like because of it, pick up this book.
We've all heard about our connectedness to Kevin Bacon. This book examines the underlying networks that lead to our connected society. It is more of an academic read, but if you are into that sort of thing, you will enjoy it.