Experts > Seth Godin

Seth Godin's Top Book Recommendations

Author, Marketer, Entrepreneur

Want to know what books Seth Godin recommends on their reading list? We've researched interviews, social media posts, podcasts, and articles to build a comprehensive list of Seth Godin's favorite book recommendations of all time.

1

Everything is Figureoutable

Do you ever have trouble finishing what you start? Do amazing ideas come to you all the time but after the initial excitement wanes you struggle to follow through? If you're creative and ambitious, the answer is likely yes.

The problem isn't you. It's not that you're not hardworking, intelligent or deserving, but that you haven't yet installed the one key belief that will change everything: Everything is figureoutable.

Whether you want to leave a dead-end job, heal a relationship, grow a business, master your money, or just find two free hours in your day, Everything is...
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Tony RobbinsMaking the impossible possible has little to do with talent and almost everything to do with massive action. Everything Is Figureroutable turns you into the powerhouse you were born to be. This book will make you think, laugh and leap into action — often on the same page. If you ever wonder what separates those who dream from those who achieve, this book is your answer. (Source)

Oprah WinfreyMillions of young women look to Marie Forleo as their inspiration for empowerment and achievement. (Source)

Arianna HuffingtonIf you’re stuck or frustrated with any aspect of your life, take heart. With her trademark mix of warmth, intelligence and insightful advice, Marie Forleo shows us how, as the title says, everything is figureoutable. (Source)

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2

Just Kids

In Just Kids, Patti Smith's first book of prose, the legendary American artist offers a never-before-seen glimpse of her remarkable relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe in the epochal days of New York City and the Chelsea Hotel in the late sixties and seventies. An honest and moving story of youth and friendship, Smith brings the same unique, lyrical quality to Just Kids as she has to the rest of her formidable body of work--from her influential 1975 album Horses to her visual art and poetry. less

Malcolm GladwellI finished it in one sitting, then wept. It's that good. (Source)

Seth GodinThis is the single best audiobook ever recorded by Patti Smith. It is not going to change the way you do business, but it might change the way you live. It's about love and loss and art. (Source)

Academic BatgirlThis book helped me to see how my life as an academic is artful and creative, and gave me renewed faith in embracing risks, innovation, and taking on art with love and strength even when it’s frustrating or “success” is not assured. Recommend! 8/end https://t.co/tkWtSVY6b9 (Source)

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3
From one of today's foremost innovation leaders, an inspiring and practical guide to mastering change in the face of uncertainty.

The world will never be slower than it is right now, says Beth Comstock, the former Vice Chair and head of marketing and innovation at GE. But confronting relentless change is hard. Companies get disrupted as challengers steal away customers; employees have to move ahead without knowing the answers. To thrive in today's world, every one of us has to make change part of our job.

In Imagine It Forward, Comstock, in a candid...
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Susan CainBeth Comstock is just as creative and bold in her approach to writing a business book as she is in running a business. Unafraid to get candid and personal, unusually generous in sharing her insights, this is a book for anyone who wants to see around corners — and to vanquish the fear that holds them back from acting on what they see. (Source)

Simon SinekIf there is one skill that more individuals and companies need to hone it's imagination. And if there is one person who can teach us how to do it, it’s Beth Comstock. Woven together through her own journey, Comstock offers us simple and practical steps on things we can all do to prepare ourselves for the future…or even invent it. (Source)

Gary VaynerchukBeth is a true force of smart, practical, and most of all, inspiring executions in the new business world. There are few people who I think 'get it,' and she’s at the top of that list. (Source)

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4
In Super Bowl XLIX, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll made one of the most controversial calls in football history: With 26 seconds remaining, and trailing by four at the Patriots' one-yard line, he called for a pass instead of a hand off to his star running back. The pass was intercepted and the Seahawks lost. Critics called it the dumbest play in history. But was the call really that bad? Or did Carroll actually make a great move that was ruined by bad luck?

Even the best decision doesn't yield the best outcome every time. There's always an element of luck that you can't control, and...
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Charles DuhiggThrough wonderful storytelling and sly wit, Annie Duke has crafted the ultimate guide to thinking about risk. We can all learn how to make better decisions by learning from someone who made choices for a living, with millions on the line. (Source)

Marc AndreessenCompact guide to probabilistic domains like poker, or venture capital. Best articulation of "resulting", drawing bad conclusions from confusing process and outcome. Recommend for people operating in the real world. (Source)

Seth GodinBrilliant. Buy ten copies and give one to everyone you work with. It's that good. (Source)

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5
The bible for bringing cutting-edge products to larger markets--now revised and updated with new insights into the realities of high-tech marketing

In Crossing the Chasm, Geoffrey A. Moore shows that in the Technology Adoption Life Cycle--which begins with innovators and moves to early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards--there is a vast chasm between the early adopters and the early majority. While early adopters are willing to sacrifice for the advantage of being first, the early majority waits until they know that the technology actually offers improvements in...
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Drew HoustonIt’s [about] how do technology products make their way from early adopters t the mainstream. (Source)

Ron ConwayBestselling guide that created a new game plan for marketing in high-tech industries. (Source)

Seth GodinThis is a key component in my Purple Cow thinking, but with a twist. I'm not as worried about the chasm as I am about the desire of marketers to go for the big middle. (Source)

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6

Rework

Most business books give you the same old advice: Write a business plan, study the competition, seek investors, yadda yadda. If you're looking for a book like that, put this one back on the shelf.

Rework shows you a better, faster, easier way to succeed in business. Read it and you'll know why plans are actually harmful, why you don't need outside investors, and why you're better off ignoring the competition. The truth is, you need less than you think. You don't need to be a workaholic. You don't need to staff up. You don't need to waste time on paperwork or meetings. You...
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Recommended by Jeff Bezos, Mark Cuban, Tony Hsieh, and 33 others.

Jeff BezosUnperturbed by conventional wisdom, [the authors] start fresh and rewrite the rules of business. Their approach turns out to be as successful as it is counter-intuitive. (Source)

Mark CubanIf given a choice between investing in someone who has read Rework or has an MBA, I'm investing in Rework every time. This is a must read for every entrepreneur. (Source)

Tony HsiehThe wisdom in these pages is edgy yet simple, straightforward, and proven. Read this book multiple times to help give you the courage you need to get out there and make something great. (Source)

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7

Positioning

The Battle for Your Mind

A dynamic new cover heralds the reissue of this bestselling business classic, which Spencer Johnson, M.D., co-author of The One Minute Manager praised as "One of the most important communication books I've ever read. I recommend it highly!" less

Tim O'ReillyPositioning, and The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Ries and Jack Trout. Anyone who wants to start a business with impact needs to read these books. (Source)

Seth GodinThis book is built around the brilliant insight that your prospect doesn't care nearly as much about what you do as you do, and thus you must boil down your offering into a unique slot that repositions the competition. (Source)

Marvin LiaoMy list would be (besides the ones I mentioned in answer to the previous question) both business & Fiction/Sci-Fi and ones I personally found helpful to myself. The business books explain just exactly how business, work & investing are in reality & how to think properly & differentiate yourself. On the non-business side, a mix of History & classic fiction to understand people, philosophy to make... (Source)

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8
Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1917. Excerpt: ... Chapter Seventeen SCIENTIFIC ADVERTISING THROUGH a book I wrote my name has become connected with "Scientific Advertising." That is, advertising based on fixed principles and done according to fundamental laws. I learned those principles through thirty-six years of traced advertising. Through conducting campaigns on some hundreds of different lines. Through comparing on some lines, by keyed returns, thousands of... more

Seth GodinVery old, very good. If you're doing any advertising, you have a professional obligation to read this. (Source)

Garrett MoonOgilvy On Advertising by David Ogilvy and My Life In Advertising by Claude Hopkins for old-school marketing smarts. (Source)

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9
In this age of an open Internet, it is easy to forget that every American information industry, beginning with the telephone, has eventually been taken captive by some ruthless monopoly or cartel. With all our media now traveling a single network, an unprecedented potential is building for centralized control over what Americans see and hear. Could history repeat itself with the next industrial consolidation? Could the Internet—the entire flow of American information—come to be ruled by one corporate leviathan in possession of “the master switch”? That is the big question of Tim Wu’s... more

Andrew ChenNow starting the section now these information empires eventually got dismantled, by the internet, cable, and the government antitrust efforts on the 1950s! Awesome book so far (Source)

Seth GodinThis one really stuck with me--a top level analysis of how changes in media change the culture and change the structure of industry. (Source)

Nicholas CarrIf The Information is a sprawling, sweeping story of how information has changed over time, one thing it doesn’t get into is the commercial nature of information as a good that is bought and sold. That’s the story Tim Wu tells in The Master Switch. His basic argument is that whenever a new communication medium arises, a similar pattern occurs. The technology starts off as a hobbyist’s passion,... (Source)

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10

The War of Art

The Art of War meets "The Artist's Way" in this no-nonsense, profoundly inspiring guide to overcoming creative blocks of every kind. less

James AltucherWhen a writer or an entrepreneur, or a manager, or an employee, or a…whatever…sits down to get to work, he or she is often met by “the resistance”. The excuses that come up: I can’t do this. I am too old. I don’t have enough money. I’m scared. “The War of Art” is the guide to getting through that block. The comfort zone is papered up and cemented shut by our excuses. Learn to blast through that... (Source)

Seth GodinAlso hard to find on audio. I find Steve's voice to be fascinating, and even before I knew him, I was fascinated by listening to him speak his own work. The War of Art is one of those books, at least for me when I finally was exposed to it, I said, 'Why wasn't I informed? Why did it take this long for this book to land on my desk?'... You need to be clear with yourself about what you are afraid... (Source)

Brian KoppelmanTalks about resistance. (Source)

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Don't have time to read Seth Godin's favorite books? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
11
The groundbreaking NEW YORK TIMES and WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER that taught a generation how to earn more, save more, and live a rich life—now in a revised 2nd edition.
 
Buy as many lattes as you want. Choose the right accounts and investments so your money grows for you—automatically. Best of all, spend guilt-free on the things you love.
 
Personal finance expert Ramit Sethi has been called a “wealth wizard” by Forbes and the “new guru on the block” by Fortune. Now he’s updated and expanded his modern money classic for a new...
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Seth GodinThe easiest way to get rich is to inherit. This is the second best way—knowledge and some discipline. If you’re bold enough to do the right thing, Ramit will show you how. Highly recommended. (Source)

Bj FoggThe new edition of Ramit Sethi's book is smart, practical & FUNNY. Really. I laughed out loud about every other page. Great work, @ramit. https://t.co/WPUiZdsiM2 (Source)

Patrick Mckenzie@visakanv @Austen "Why not?" Because while there was interesting sociological work the book doesn't have a comparative advantage over Ramit's I Will Teach You To Be Rich for people working in the tech industry, and you *probably* have more interesting goals. (Source)

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12
In an unorthodox approach, Georgetown University professor Cal Newport debunks the long-held belief that "follow your passion" is good advice, and sets out on a quest to discover the reality of how people end up loving their careers.

Not only are pre-existing passions rare and have little to do with how most people end up loving their work, but a focus on passion over skill can be dangerous, leading to anxiety and chronic job hopping. Spending time with organic farmers, venture capitalists, screenwriters, freelance computer programmers, and others who admitted to deriving great...
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Reid HoffmanEntrepreneurial professionals must develop a competitive advantage by building valuable skills. This book offers advice based on research and reality--not meaningless platitudes-- on how to invest in yourself in order to stand out from the crowd. An important guide to starting up a remarkable career. (Source)

Seth GodinStop worrying about what you feel like doing (and what the world owes you) and instead, start creating something meaningful and then give it to the world. Cal really delivers with this one. (Source)

Daniel PinkDo what you love and the money will follow' sounds like great advice -- until it's time to get a job and disillusionment quickly sets in. Cal Newport ably demonstrates how the quest for 'passion' can corrode job satisfaction. If all he accomplished with this book was to turn conventional wisdom on its head, that would be interesting enough. But he goes further -- offering advice and examples that... (Source)

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13
You don’t need to be a genius, you just need to be yourself. That’s the message from Austin Kleon, a young writer and artist who knows that creativity is everywhere, creativity is for everyone. A manifesto for the digital age, Steal Like an Artist is a guide whose positive message, graphic look and illustrations, exercises, and examples will put readers directly in touch with their artistic side. less

Seth GodinBreezy and fun and yes, scary. Scary because it calls your bluff. (Source)

Ryan HolidayPart of ambition is modeling yourself after those you’d like to be like. Austin’s philosophy of ruthlessly stealing and remixing the greats might sound appalling at first but it is actually the essence of art. You learn by stealing, you become creative by stealing, you push yourself to be better by working with these materials. Austin is a fantastic artist, but most importantly he communicates... (Source)

Chase JarvisSuper small, fast read. (Source)

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14
"Bernadette's back, and just in time. This is her finest work, a book that ought to be read by everyone on your team, and somehow hidden from your competitors."-SETH GODIN

One of the biggest challenges we face as entrepreneurs and innovators is understanding how to make our ideas resonate. We tend to have no shortage of ideas, but we struggle to tell the story of how they are going to be useful in the world and why they will matter to people. Marketing is the way we communicate how our ideas translate to value for people in a marketplace.

Marketing has become a...
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Recommended by Seth Godin, David Cancel, and 2 others.

Seth GodinBernadette helped modern marketers see that stories are a choice. That’s a huge leap. Of course it’s true, but it means that we have to spend as much time and energy building and living a story as we do creating the products and services that match that story. (Source)

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15
Real marketing isn't about racking up clicks and tweets; it's about connection, empathy, and making a difference.

Over the past quarter century, Seth Godin has taught and inspired millions of entrepreneurs, marketers, leaders, and fans from all walks of life, via his blog, online courses, lectures, and bestselling books. He is the inventor of countless ideas and phrases that have made their way into mainstream business language, from Permission Marketing to Purple Cow to Tribes to The Dip.

Now, for the first time, Godin offers the core of his marketing...
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Seth GodinNobody had written the definitive book of the post-advertising age. It needed to be able to explain everything from Airbnb to Trump to the success of Instagram. If there’s going to be a coherent, unified theory of marketing, it will not only explain what we see, but give us the tools to create our own change in the world. (Source)

Deke BridgesUp late re-reading some of this book again. Seth Godin's book THIS IS MARKETING is so much more than branding, marketing, advertising, and growth. It really makes you think about how to review life. Fantastic book... all his works make your brain click. Got my copy at @Powells. https://t.co/46hSB0Fhv3 (Source)

Aaron WatsonThis book is my favorite thing he has produced. Unlike most non-fiction books, This Is Marketing does a good job of not going on too long or belaboring the point. Seth deliver succinct actionable insights, some of which I’ve already implemented with the Piper and Going Deep brands. (Source)

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16
One of the most valuable skills in our economy is becoming increasingly rare. If you master this skill, you'll achieve extraordinary results.

Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. It's a skill that allows you to quickly master complicated information and produce better results in less time. Deep work will make you better at what you do and provide the sense of true fulfillment that comes from craftsmanship. In short, deep work is like a super power in our increasingly competitive twenty-first century economy. And yet, most...
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Marvin LiaoThe Joy of Not Working (Zelinkski), Flash Foresight (Burrus), The Art of Worldly Wisdom (Gracian), Sapiens (Yuval), The End of Jobs (Pearson), Deep Work (Newport), Sovereign Individual (Davidson), The Fourth Economy (Davison) & The Monk & the Riddle (Komisar). Every single one of these books completely changed how I looked at everything in the world & literally pushed my life in a new direction.... (Source)

Daniel PinkAs automation and outsourcing reshape the workplace, what new skill do we need? The ability to do deep work. Cal Newport's exciting new book is an introduction and guide to the kind of intense concentration in a distraction-free environment that results in fast, powerful learning and performance. Think of it as calisthenics for your mind-and start your exercise program today. (Source)

Seth GodinCal Newport is a clear voice in a sea of noise, bringing science and passion in equal measure. (Source)

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17
Loyal customers are the beating heart of every great business. So why do so many companies act like adrenalin junkies, chasing after new customers at the expense of creating deeper, more profitable relationships with the ones they already have?

Evergreen exposes the mad pursuit for what it is: a brief spike in metrics and an ongoing revenue drain, as one-time customers fail to return. A better solution is to shift resources from attracting new customers to engaging the base--the path to stable growth, season after season. The book's entertaining stories and action steps...
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Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

Seth GodinNoah has woven together memorable examples, detailed common sense and an innate understanding of what makes a business thrive. Hunting for new customers wherever you can find them doesn't make a whole lot of sense. (Source)

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18

Your Marketing Sucks

“Your marketing sucks . . .”

What in the world does Mark Stevens mean?

For starters, let’s take spending camouflaged as marketing. Everyone sees all those expensive, slick, pointless campaigns day after day. Just turn on your TV set and there are all the look-alike ads from Ford, GM, and Chrysler with look-alike cars going down . . . a road. Creative? Probably yes—nice scenery, good-looking people, etc., etc. But effective? Mark Stevens says absolutely not. Like you’re going to spend $30,000 or more for the privilege of seeing a car go down . . . a road? Wouldn’t it be...
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Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

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19
In The $100 Startup, Chris Guillebeau shows you how to lead of life of adventure, meaning and purpose – and earn a good living.
 
Still in his early thirties, Chris is on the verge of completing a tour of every country on earth – he’s already visited more than 175 nations – and yet he’s never held a “real job” or earned a regular paycheck.  Rather, he has a special genius for turning ideas into income, and he uses what he earns both to support his life of adventure and to give back. 
 
There are many others like Chris – those who’ve...
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Tony HsiehIn this valuable guide Chris Guillebeau shows that transforming an idea into a successful business can be easier than you think…You are in charge of which ideas deserve your time, and this book can help you wake up every morning eager to progress to the next step. (Source)

Katie KeithThis book consists of case studies from people who have built successful businesses with little or no initial outlay. Personally, I believe that startups put far too much emphasis on seeking outside investment, and often create unsustainable businesses as a result. I built my own business gradually with no external investment, and appreciate the fact that books such as 'The $100 Startup' show... (Source)

Chelsea FrankI read everything with an open mind, often challenging myself by choosing books with an odd perspective or religious/spiritual views. These books do not reflect my personal feelings but are books that helped shape my perspective on life, love, and happiness. (Source)

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20
Ziglar's ultimate sales guide covers creative closes, reasons people won't buy and ways to overcome them, selling with integrity, and more. Previously available as a direct mail package for $59.95. Unabridged. less
Recommended by Seth Godin, Geoffrey James, and 2 others.

Seth GodinThe biggest challenge most executives face is selling their ideas, not their products. And selling internally is a lot like selling in the street. This is the best book I've ever read about selling anything at all. (Source)

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Don't have time to read Seth Godin's favorite books? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
21
Selected as a Book of the Year by New Statesman

Mozart wasn’t born with perfect pitch.

Most athletes are not born with any natural advantage.

Three world-class chess players were sisters, whose success was planned by their parents before they were even born.

Anders Ericsson has spent thirty years studying The Special Ones, the geniuses, sports stars and musical prodigies. And his remarkable finding, revealed in Peak, is that their special abilities are acquired through training. The...
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Seth GodinThis book is a breakthrough, a lyrical, powerful, science-based narrative that actually shows us how to get better (much better) at the things we care about. (Source)

Sergey SapelnykPEAK by Anders Ericsson phenomenally explains how experts develop their skills. The author makes a profound claim: you can get significantly better at almost anything. This includes your job, a specific skill, or a hobby. From a career perspective, in most instances, the only barrier to personal development and success is effective effort. This book isn’t specific to a career, however it’s highly... (Source)

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22
A revelatory examination of how the wildfirelike spread of new forms of social interaction enabled by technology is changing the way humans form groups and exist within them, with profound long-term economic and social effects-for good and for ill
A handful of kite hobbyists scattered around the world find each other online and collaborate on the most radical improvement in kite design in decades. A midwestern professor of Middle Eastern history starts a blog after 9/11 that becomes essential reading for journalists covering the Iraq war. Activists use the Internet and e-mail to...
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Recommended by Jack Ma, Seth Godin, Tyler Cowen, and 9 others.

Tyler CowenIf you had to pick one individual who was the sharpest and most prescient commentator on the web and the internet it would be Clay. (Source)

Lev GrossmanShirky is simply the best person at articulating what’s very weird and new about what’s going on. (Source)

Alan Rusbridger Read 2 We the Media by Dan Gillmor Read (Source)

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23
An alternate cover edition exists here.

The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate. This widely acclaimed bestseller, in which Malcolm Gladwell explores and brilliantly illuminates the tipping point...
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Kevin RoseBunch of really good information in here on how to make ideas go viral. This could be good to apply to any kind of products or ideas you may have. Definitely, check out The Tipping Point, which is one of my favorites. (Source)

Seth GodinMalcolm Gladwell's breakthrough insight was to focus on the micro-relationships between individuals, which helped organizations realize that it's not about the big ads and the huge charity balls... it's about setting the stage for the buzz to start. (Source)

Andy SternI think that when we talk about making change, it is much more about macro change, like in policy. This book reminds you that at times when you're building big movements, or trying to elect significant decision-makers in politics, sometimes it's the little things that make a difference. Ever since the book was written, we've become very used to the idea of things going viral unexpectedly and then... (Source)

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NOW A USA TODAY AND WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER!

What are your limits? Care to break them?

To inspire change in yourself and your team, you must break free from what's holding you down.

In Elevate, Robert Glazer reveals four life-changing principles -- or capacities -- that will allow you to overcome self-limiting beliefs, establish positive habits, and find your "why." As we look to elevate ourselves, we mean so much more than beating the competition. After all, our greatest competition is...
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Recommended by Seth Godin, Mehmet Oz, Daniel Pink, and 7 others.

Seth GodinBetter is the goal. And in order to make things better for others, it helps to start on yourself, first. Robert Glazer's short, direct advice is worth checking out. (Source)

Mehmet OzLooking for a new book? @robert_glazer's "Elevate" is a fascinating read on success and drive. It offers a clear framework for anyone looking to build their capacity & reach their potential. Check it out: https://t.co/HuqATXsTpQ https://t.co/fEOa84r6Tv (Source)

Daniel PinkIf you've been looking for a mentor - someone to increase your spiritual, intellectual, and emotional capacities - here it is in book form. ELEVATE will help you set the right goals for a well-rounded life, then equip you with the skills and attitudes to achieve them. (Source)

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25
Referring to Lewis Carroll's Red Queen from Through the Looking-Glass, a character who has to keep running to stay in the same place, Matt Ridley demonstrates why sex is humanity's best strategy for outwitting its constantly mutating internal predators. The Red Queen answers dozens of other riddles of human nature and culture -- including why men propose marriage, the method behind our maddening notions of beauty, and the disquieting fact that a woman is more likely to conceive a child by an adulterous lover than by her husband. Brilliantly written, The Red... more

Naval RavikantGetting into the more evolution, science kind of books, I really highly, highly recommend picking up [...] The Red Queen. (Source)

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26
If the conscious mind—the part you consider you—accounts for only a tiny fraction of the brain’s function, what is all the rest doing? This is the question that David Eagleman—renowned neuroscientist and acclaimed author of Sum—answers in a book as accessible and entertaining as it is deeply informed by startling, up-to-the-minute research. less

Seth GodinAt a conference I recently attended, David talked about his work. It's all anyone discussed for the next two days. This book will help you understand the meat/electricity/chemicals you're carrying around inside your head better than you ever have before. (Source)

Louis Grenier“Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain” and “Predictably Irrational” are 2 very good books on psychology that I think you should read. (Source)

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27
Entrepreneur and bestselling author of The Lean Startup Eric Ries reveals how entrepreneurial principles can be used by businesses ranging from established companies to early-stage startups to grow revenues, drive innovation, and emerge as truly modern organizations poised to take advantage of the enormous opportunities of the 21st century.

In The Lean Startup, Eric Ries laid out the practices of successful startups - building minimal viable products ("MVPs"), extensive customer-focused testing based on a build, measure, learn method of continuous innovation,...
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Reid HoffmanContinuous innovation is the key to long-term impact and success. Eric shows how organizations of all kinds—not just startups—can be built to learn and adapt. In the pivot-or-perish networked world of twenty-first-century business, this is mission critical reading. (Source)

Arianna HuffingtonIn The Startup Way, Eric Ries uses his years of work with companies like GE and Toyota to show us what the company of the future will look like. If you want to know how companies can become more agile, more innovative, and more resilient in the face of today’s relentless pace of change, this is the book for you. (Source)

Aaron LevieThe Startup Way teaches companies of all sizes how to effectively incubate and maintain an entrepreneurial culture through growth by allowing employees to find their inner entrepreneur. A must read, especially, by all leaders burdened by legacy organizational baggage and processes. (Source)

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28

Your Highest Calling

Richard BransonI have always believed that you will enjoy life and be more successful if you focus on creating amazing experiences; businesses and relationships. Chase’s book Creative Calling is an engaging guide to doing just that, from a man who has followed his passions and created a company in CreativeLive to inspire others. (Source)

Daymond JohnEveryone has a dream. In Creative Calling, Chase gives us the closest thing there is to a roadmap for pursuing that dream—and succeeding in the process. It’s a must read for any creator or entrepreneur. (Source)

Seth GodinRelentlessly generous and endlessly creative, Chase is challenging us to see the shifts in our culture and media as the opportunity of a lifetime. If you care about making things better, this book is here to help. (Source)

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29
Entrepreneur, Chief Product Officer at Adobe, and product advisor to many of today's top start-ups Scott Belsky believes we focus too much on the start and the finish of any project, ignoring the most important part--the messy middle--where success is truly determined.

Creating something from nothing is a volatile journey. The first mile births a new idea into existence, and the final mile is all about letting go. We love talking about starts and finishes, even though the middle stretch is the most important and often the most ignored and misunderstood.
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Joe GebbiaStarting a new venture is like jumping off a cliff and sewing a parachute on the way down. This book is the parachute. (Source)

Seth GodinScott Belsky is a master of generous work worth doing. The Messy Middle will help you see that you have more control than you dare to admit, and the ability to make a difference if you care enough. (Source)

Alexis OhanianThis is required reading for founders. Experienced entrepreneurs all know this period Scott refers to as 'the messy middle' and a few of us have worked our way out of it, but this is the first time I've seen an expert—both as a founder and as an investor—break down in such detail just how to endure, optimize, and make it through. (Source)

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30
Life has a way of provoking us with traffic jams and computer malfunctions, with emotionally distant partners and crying children—and before we know it, we're upset. We feel terrible, and then we end up saying and doing things that only make matters worse. But it doesn't have to be that way, says Pema Chödrön. It is possible to relate constructively to the inevitable shocks, losses, and frustrations of life so that we can find true happiness. The key, Pema explains, is not biting the "hook" of our habitual responses. In this recorded weekend retreat, Pema draws on Buddhist teachings from... more
Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

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31
Each year Americans start one million new businesses, nearly 80 percent of which fail within the first five years. Under such pressure to stay alive—let alone grow—it’s easy for entrepreneurs to get caught up in a never-ending cycle of “sell it—do it, sell it—do it” that leaves them exhausted, frustrated, and unable to get ahead no matter how hard they try.

This is the exact situation Mike Michalowicz found himself in when he was trying to grow his first company. Although it was making steady money, there was never very much left over and he was chasing customers left and right,...
more
Recommended by Seth Godin, Jacqui Pretty, and 2 others.

Jacqui PrettyHere are some that might help: (...) - The Pumpkin Plan for differentiation (Source)

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32

How We Decide

The first book to use the unexpected discoveries of neuroscience to help us make the best decisions.

Since Plato, philosophers have described the decision-making process as either rational or emotional: we carefully deliberate, or we “blink” and go with our gut. But as scientists break open the mind’s black box with the latest tools of neuroscience, they’re discovering that this is not how the mind works. Our best decisions are a finely tuned blend of both feeling and reason—and the precise mix depends on the situation. When buying a house, for example, it’s best to let our...
more

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33

Magic of Thinking Big

The Magic of Thinking Big gives you useful methods, not empty promises. Dr. Schwartz presents a carefully designed program for getting the most out of your job, your marriage and family life, and your community. He proves that you don't need to be an intellectual or have innate talent to attain great success and satisfaction, but you do need to learn and understand the habit of thinking and behaving in ways that will get you there. less

Sharon Hayes@Persephiroth There's a great book I'd suggest reading for expanding your thinking - The Magic of Thinking Big. It's an old book but you can download the pdf online or get it on Amazon. Believe in yourself & figure out the next step. You've got this! Message me if you're ready to talk later. (Source)

Theresa EvanoffHere are some of my favourites around purpose, positive habits, positive thinking, and business goals. I’m a firm believer that subject expertise can be learned, but character-building traits, like perseverance and purposefulness, must be honed. “Purpose Driven Life”, Rick Warren “Start with Why” by Simon Sinek “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”, Stephen Covey "The Magic of Thinking... (Source)

John SheaCurrently my favorite book is The Magic Of Thinking Big, this was a recommendation by one of my first mentors and the book always resonated with me as a personal development book to want to dream big and do bigger things with my life. (Source)

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34
"When everybody zigs, zag," says Marty Neumeier in this fresh view of brand strategy. ZAG follows the ultra-clear "whiteboard overview" style of the author's first book, THE BRAND GAP, but drills deeper into the question of how brands can harness the power of differentiation. The author argues that in an extremely cluttered marketplace, traditional differentiation is no longer enough--today companies need "radical differentiation" to create lasting value for their shareholders and customers. In an entertaining 3-hour read you'll learn:

- why me-too brands are doomed to fail
-...
more
Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

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35

For the first 5,000 copies of The Blue Sweater purchased, a $15 donation per book will be made to Acumen Fund, a nonprofit that invests in transformative businesses to solve the problems of poverty.

The Blue Sweater is the inspiring story of a woman who left a career in international banking to spend her life on a quest to understand global poverty and find powerful new ways of tackling it. It all started back home in Virginia, with the blue sweater, a gift that quickly became her prized possession—until the day she outgrew it and gave...
more
Recommended by Seth Godin, Nicholas Kristof, and 2 others.

Seth GodinAs we head toward the end of the year, I think you'll find inspiration in the work of people who show up and do the work. Daily. For decades. Jacqueline Novogratz and her classic book, The Blue Sweater continue to change lives. (Source)

Nicholas KristofThe Blue Sweater is a book by somebody who has really pioneered the use of business solutions to address poverty, Jacqueline Novogratz. (Source)

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36
Recommended by Seth Godin, Park Howell, and 2 others.

Park HowellThis is one of the books I recommend to people looking for a career in advertising. (Source)

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37
We used to know how to know. We got our answers from books or experts. We'd nail down the facts and move on. But in the Internet age, knowledge has moved onto networks. There's more knowledge than ever, of course, but it's different. Topics have no boundaries, and nobody agrees on anything.

Yet this is the greatest time in history to be a knowledge seeker ... if you know how. In Too Big to Know, Internet philosopher David Weinberger shows how business, science, education, and the government are learning to use networked knowledge to understand more than ever and to make...
more
Recommended by Seth Godin, Alan Rusbridger, and 2 others.

Alan Rusbridger Read 5 Flat Earth News by Nick Davies Read (Source)

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38
“A manifesto of sorts for anyone who makes art [and] cares for it.” —Zadie Smith

“The best book I know of for talented but unacknowledged creators. . . . A masterpiece.” —Margaret Atwood

“No one who is invested in any kind of art . . . can read The Gift and remain unchanged.” —David Foster Wallace


By now a modern classic, The Gift is a brilliantly orchestrated defense of the value of creativity and of its importance in a culture increasingly governed by money and overrun with commodities. This book is even more necessary today than when it first...
more

Austin KleonI’m not really sure what to say about this book. It just kind of re-affirmed a lot of what I’ve been thinking about making art: that it’s important for me to have a day job, so I can separate work from play, and that the more generous you are with your audience (through blogging, teaching, sharing, etc.) the better off you’ll be as an artist—spiritually and financially. (Source)

Armina SirbuIt's amazing to realize how gifts have impacted and influenced the human race. (Source)

Lucy NewlynThe Gift is not a book about Wordsworth. The subtitle of the UK edition is “How the Creative Spirit Transforms the World”. Lewis Hyde looks at creativity not as the route to celebrity, but rather in terms of a “gift economy”. He plays off the great Marcel Mauss’s 1923 anthropological essay The Gift, building on Mauss’s idea that there’s no such thing as a free gift – when you give something, you... (Source)

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39

Syrup

When Scat comes up with the idea for the hottest new soda ever, he's sure he'll retire the next rich, savvy marketing success story. But in the treacherous waters of corporate America there are no sure things -- and suddenly Scat has to save not only his idea but his yet-to-be-realized career. With the help of the scarily beautiful and brainy 6, he sets out on a mission to reclaim the fame and fortune that, time and again, eludes him.This brilliantly scathing debut is a hilarious send-up of celebrity, sexual politics, corporate America, and the fleeting status that comes with getting to the... more
Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

Seth GodinBarry gives us an insightful look into what big company marketers in an ad-driven world actually do all day. Just as Soul of a New Machine did for computers, Syrup helps an outsider see the pressures, the thrills and the absurdity of it all. (Source)

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40
Debbie Weil explains how to create a blog for your business that's likely to grow an audience. Various aspects of corporate blogging are explored here, and important questions are answered, such as how much time will it take? Who in my company should blog? What are the best corporate blogs out there? less
Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

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  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
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41
Is it important to be connected? Well, consider this: If Facebook were a country, it would have the sixth largest population in the world.
The truth is, we no longer live in a world of six degrees of separation. In fact, we're now down to only six pixels of separation, which changes everything we know about doing business.
This is the first book to integrate digital marketing, social media, personal branding, and entrepreneurship in a clear, entertaining, and instructive manner that everyone can understand and apply. Through the use of timely case studies and fascinating stories,...
more
Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

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42
Organized into more than 200 thought- and action-provoking elements—from the importance of clean trucks and bathrooms to conversations with entrepreneurs creating new markets—Tom Peters, bestselling management guru offers a practical guide to impractical times.

In The Pursuit of Wow!, Tom Peters offers readers the words, the tools, to survive in tumultuous business environments. In his groundbreaking book, In Search of Excellence changed the way business does business. Now it’s time to take the next leap into the cyberstage era. Getting to a place called excellence is no longer...
more
Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

Seth GodinTom Peters at his best--the book that will push you to do the safe (risky) thing you must do to make your products remarkable. (Source)

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43
Tom Peters has for twelve years been telling business that the rules have changed. Now he goes farther in The Tom Peters Seminar, the first in an exciting new series of original paperback books aimed at helping everyone - Fortune 500 chairmen, middle managers trying to hold on to their place on the ladder (a mistake!), and hotel housekeepers - thrive in the brave new world of business. He presents the provocative and sometimes scary analysis and advice that have led thousands from all over the globe to spend up to $1,500 a day to attend his trademark seminars. These bold ideas vault business... more
Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

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44
"This is the management book of the year. Clear, powerful and urgent, it's a must read for anyone who cares about where they work and how they work."
--Seth Godin, author of This is Marketing

"This book is a breath of fresh air. Read it now, and make sure your boss does too."
--Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Give and Take, Originals, and Option B with Sheryl Sandberg


When fast-scaling startups and global organizations get stuck, they call Aaron Dignan. In this book, he...
more

Arianna HuffingtonHuman beings can’t thrive in a work culture that uses burnout and 'being always on' as proxies for dedication and success. In Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan shows us that, in fact, workplaces that empower people to take care of themselves are far more likely to deliver sustainable performance and happiness. (Source)

Seth GodinThis is the management book of the year. Clear, powerful and urgent, it's a must read for anyone who cares about where they work and how they work. (Source)

Kevin KellyI am now a convert. Aaron sums up all the crazy ideas about how to create teams and companies that maximize their potential by decentralizing their power—a once idealist notion that is now possible and essential. For a book that might start a revolution, it's surprisingly practical and undogmatic. There’s no fluff—it's all meat, and real news. I could think of dozens of people I know who I now... (Source)

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45
Rand Fishkin, the founder and former CEO of Moz, reveals how traditional Silicon Valley "wisdom" leads far too many startups astray, with the transparency and humor that his hundreds of thousands of blog readers have come to love.

Everyone knows how a startup story is supposed to go: A young, brilliant entrepreneur has an cool idea, drops out of college, defies the doubters, overcomes all odds, makes billions, and becomes the envy of the technology world.

This is not that story.

It's not that things went badly for Rand Fishkin; they just...
more

Nir EyalYou won't find a more honest, raw, and helpful look into the trenches of founding a tech startup than this book. Rand Fishkin shares the rare hard-won insight no one else dares tell you. (Source)

Seth GodinRand Fishkin is the real deal. This book is an honest, generous and useful look at what actually happens when you build a company, including the downs as well as the ups... I wish I had read it thirty years ago. (Source)

Chris GuillebeauThis is a truly courageous book. It's one part business-building guide and two parts Indiana Jones-style adventure memoir. And if you've ever wondered if the 'timeless wisdom' you often hear about startups is bullsh*t, here's the proof. (Source)

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46

Gödel, Escher, Bach

An Eternal Golden Braid

Douglas Hofstadter's book is concerned directly with the nature of “maps” or links between formal systems. However, according to Hofstadter, the formal system that underlies all mental activity transcends the system that supports it. If life can grow out of the formal chemical substrate of the cell, if consciousness can emerge out of a formal system of firing neurons, then so too will computers attain human intelligence. Gödel, Escher, Bach is a wonderful exploration of fascinating ideas at the heart of cognitive science: meaning, reduction, recursion, and much more. less

Steve Jurvetson[Steve Jurvetson recommended this book on the podcast "The Tim Ferriss Show".] (Source)

Seth GodinIn the last week, I discovered that at least two of my smart friends hadn't read Godel, Escher, Bach. They have now. You should too. (Source)

Kevin KellyOver the years, I kept finding myself returning to its insights, and each time I would arrive at them at a deeper level. (Source)

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47
“Gatto draws on thirty years in the classroom and many years of research as a school reformer. He puts forth his thesis with a rhetorical style that is passionate, logical, and laden with examples and illustrations.” ForeWord Magazine

“Weapons of Mass Instruction is probably his best yet. Gatto’s storytelling skill shines as he relates tales of real people who fled the school system and succeeded in spite of the popular wisdom that insists on diplomas, degrees and credentials. If you are just beginning to suspect there may be a problem with schooling (as opposed to educating as...
more
Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

Seth GodinI end up recommending this book to parents again and again. It will transform the way you think of schooling. (Source)

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48

Team Human

Team Human is a manifesto—a fiery distillation of preeminent digital theorist Douglas Rushkoff’s most urgent thoughts on civilization and human nature. In one hundred lean and incisive statements, he argues that we are essentially social creatures, and that we achieve our greatest aspirations when we work together—not as individuals. Yet today society is threatened by a vast antihuman infrastructure that undermines our ability to connect. Money, once a means of exchange, is now a means of exploitation; education, conceived as way to elevate the working class, has become another... more
Recommended by Seth Godin, Ramesh Srinivasan, and 2 others.

Seth GodinA vivid thinker, Rushkoff is an insightful and acerbic antidote to Facebook, cultural hegemony, and the corporatization of everything. (Source)

Ramesh SrinivasanThe book and his podcasts are focused on one major theme: reminding us—and this is his motto, so I’m just going to quote it—that being human is a team sport. (Source)

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49
There are 168 hours in a week. This is your guide to getting the most out of them.

It's an unquestioned truth of modern life: we are starved for time. We tell ourselves we'd like to read more, get to the gym regularly, try new hobbies, and accomplish all kinds of goals. But then we give up because there just aren't enough hours to do it all. Or if we don't make excuses, we make sacrifices- taking time out from other things in order to fit it all in.

There has to be a better way...and Laura Vanderkam has found one. After interviewing dozens of successful, happy people,...
more
Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

Seth GodinWe so often live our lives day by day. Laura wants us to think about doing it hour by hour. Living this mantra by example, she gets more done in a day than most of us do in a week. (Source)

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50
The secret to an extraordinary life starts with five simple changes that anyone can make.
 
No matter who you are, where you come from, what you do for a living, or how much money you have, everyone has a shot at greatness.
 
Zack Friedman has inspired millions with his powerful insights, including more than fourteen million who have read his advice in Forbes.
 
In his ground breaking new book, The Lemonade Life, Friedman starts with a fundamental question: What drives success? It's not only hard work,...
more

Seth GodinPractical, heartfelt, simple wisdom for people at any stage of their career (or life). (Source)

Brian RobertsZack Friedman has the mind of Tim Ferriss, the passion of Gary Vaynerchuk, and the heart of Tony Robbins. The Lemonade Life is the must-read book of the year for entrepreneurs and leaders. It will change the way you see the world. (Source)

David S. PottruckZack Friedman's new book, The Lemonade Life, is an immensely readable blueprint for finding that elusive pathway that leads to success and happiness. Unlike so many other books, Zack gives us specific things to start to do tomorrow and the next day to get on the road to the Lemonade Life. (Source)

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Don't have time to read Seth Godin's favorite books? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

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  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
51
The small business guru behind Duct Tape Marketing shares his most valuable lesson: how to get your customers to do your best marketing for you.

The power of glitzy advertising and elaborate marketing campaigns is on the wane; word- of-mouth referrals are what drive business today. People trust the recommendation of a friend, family member, colleague, or even stranger with similar tastes over anything thrust at them by a faceless company.

Most business owners believe that whether customers refer them is entirely out of their hands. But science shows...
more

Guy KawasakiWho knew that there's a science to referrals? Not I-but now that I know, I want you to benefit from John's expertise. In a sense, a jacket blurb is the ultimate referral, and I'm here to blurb this book because it will help you succeed in business. (Source)

Tony HsiehFor Zappos, part of delivering a great customer experience means developing personal and emotional connections, both with employees and customers. These are the types of connections people talk about with their friends and family. This book will show you how to give people something to talk about. (Source)

Seth GodinI don't think there are many people who know more about small business marketing than John does, and I'm certain that there's no one more generous in sharing tips and insights. What, exactly, are you waiting for? This book will pay for itself in one day (Source)

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52
The key to living well in a high tech world is to spend much less time using technology.

Georgetown computer scientist Cal Newport's Deep Work sparked a movement around the idea that unbroken concentration produces far more value than the electronic busyness that defines the modern work day. But his readers had an urgent follow-up question: What about technology in our personal lives?

In recent years, our culture's relationship with personal technology has transformed from something exciting into something darker. Innovations like smartphones and social media are...
more

Brad FeldI’m an introvert in an extrovert’s world. I like to be alone. In contrast, I spend a large portion of my work time with groups. Figuring out how to manage this duality, while staying mentally healthy, has been a life-long challenge. Newport’s concept of digital minimalism helps me with all of this. Newport has an entire chapter on solitude, nicely titled “Spend Time Alone.” He makes the... (Source)

Charlamagne Tha GodThis book is incredible. I’m a have to read it at least 3x and reference it forever. Disconnecting is very important because as the book says “Human Beings are not wired to always be wired.” A Silicon Valley whistle blower name Tristan Harris says “Is Silicon Valley programming apps or are they programming people?” They are programming people!!! Technology is not neutral, they want us to use it... (Source)

Ryan HolidayThe unassuming Georgetown computer science professor has become one of this generation’s leading voices on how we can all work more wisely and more deeply. With media consumption continuing to go way up (which, for most of us, means happiness and productivity continue to go way down) and the world becoming noisier every day, this book is an urgent call to action for anyone serious about being in... (Source)

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53
The inspiring, unlikely, laugh-out-loud story of how one woman learned to lead–and how she ultimately succeeded, not despite her many mistakes, but because of them.

This is the story of how Kristen Hadeed built Student Maid, a cleaning company where people are happy, loyal, productive, and empowered, even while they’re mopping floors and scrubbing toilets. It’s the story of how she went from being an almost comically inept leader to a sought-after CEO who teaches others how to lead.
 
Hadeed unintentionally launched Student Maid while attending college ten years...
more

Susan CainIf you’re looking for the sunshine and rainbows version of success, this isn’t the story for you. If you’re looking for the down-to-earth, nitty-gritty, honest journey of a leader, proceed to chapter 1. (Source)

Seth GodinA brave and generous book, the ideal antidote to the perfection and invulnerability we pretend are essential to succeed. (Source)

Kip TindellPermission to Screw Up pulls back the curtains and reveals what it’s really like to be a leader—a must read for anyone who wants to start a company. Kristen isn’t afraid to own up to the mistakes she’s made along the way, and encourages us to do the same. (Source)

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54
From the Dachis Group--the global leader in social business--comes the groundbreaking book on transformative social business strategies."Social Business By Design" is the definitive management book on how to rethink the modern organization in the social media era. Based on their research and work through the Dachis Group, thought leaders Dion Hinchcliffe and Peter Kim deftly explore how the social, cultural, and technological trends provoked by the social media explosion are transforming the business environment. Designed as both a strategic overview and a hands-on resource, "Social Business... more
Recommended by Seth Godin, Jeff Gibbard, and 2 others.

Seth GodinSocial Business by Design is a book about turning your business into a social one—not one that spams Twitter, but actually bakes the benefits of the social revolution right into the fabric of your organization. A big idea, and an urgent one. (Source)

Jeff GibbardOne of the five books Jeff recommends to young people interested in his career path. (Source)

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55
Before there was money, there was debt

Every economics textbook says the same thing: Money was invented to replace onerous and complicated barter systems—to relieve ancient people from having to haul their goods to market. The problem with this version of history? There’s not a shred of evidence to support it.

Here anthropologist David Graeber presents a stunning reversal of conventional wisdom. He shows that for more than 5,000 years, since the beginnings of the first agrarian empires, humans have used elaborate credit systems to buy and sell goods—that is, long...
more

Seth GodinI recommend it in audio because David is sometimes repetitive and a little elliptical, but in audio it's all okay because you can just listen to it again. (Source)

David Heinemeier HanssonAfter a few false starts, I finally got going with this, and what a treat. It shoots down the common myth that prior to money, everyone just bartered shit. I give you a pig, you give me five pies and a hat. Evidence shows that just wasn’t at all how things went. Most societies were structured either rather communistic (take what you need, give what you can) or with a loose debt-ledger system (or... (Source)

Will DaviesWhat’s stunning about the book is how it brings an anthropological perspective to bear on such an expansive history and geography, bringing the story right up to the present day, at the precise moment when debt has become a hugely political, mobilizing and destabilizing issue. Its central argument is simple and easy to grasp, and has been seized by activists and critics of the financial sector. (Source)

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56
In Branding Basics for Small Business, marketing expert Maria Ross shares real-life examples and expert interviews to show how organizations of any size can create a winning brand. Small businesses, start-ups, and non-profits enviously watch "the big guys" create tribes of loyal followers. How do they do it? What can time and resource-strapped organizations learn from them? The secret is starting with a strong Brand Strategy, which goes far beyond a logo. Brand is your core promise, personality and reason for being. Effective branding is not about how much money you spend but on how clearly... more
Recommended by Seth Godin, Ann Handley, and 2 others.

Seth GodinMarketing no longer means advertising, and brand no longer means logo. Your brand is the promise, the experience, the interactions, and the expectation people have for you. Maria Ross understands this, and teaches you how to think about this essential element of your business. (Source)

Ann HandleyCreating content that captivates customers, differentiates your organization, and drives sales is vital today. But the first step is getting crystal-clear on your brand strategy. Before you dive into random acts of content, read this book! (Source)

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57
Success in today’s rapidly changing hospitality industry depends on understanding the desires of guests of all ages, from seniors and boomers to the newly dominant millennial generation of travelers. Help has arrived with a compulsively-readable new standard, The Heart of Hospitality: Great Hotel and Restaurant Leaders Share Their Secrets by Micah Solomon, with a foreword by The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company’s president and COO Herve Humler.

This up-to-the-minute resource delivers the closely guarded customer experience secrets and on-trend customer service insights of today’s...
more

Seth GodinSooner or later, we're all in the hospitality business. I bet you'll find that Chapter 8 alone is worth the cost of the book. (Source)

Herve HumlerA spectacularly useful look at what determines success in the hospitality industry, packed with the insights of great leaders and practitioners from our industry, put together by Micah Solomon, one of today's preeminent thought leaders on where hospitality, customer service, and customers themselves are heading. (Source)

Raul LealAt Virgin Hotels, we are building a new hotel experience-something that can only be done by learning lessons from the greats of our industry and understanding the needs and wants of today's consumers. In The Heart of Hospitality, Micah Solomon--one of the true thought leaders of the customer experience--has gathered unparalleled hospitality wisdom and distilled it in an incredibly readable and... (Source)

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58
Capital in the Twenty-First Century meets The Second Machine Age in this stunning and optimistic tour de force on the promise and peril of the digital economy, from one of the most brilliant social critics of our time.

Digital technology was supposed to usher in a new age of endless prosperity, but so far it has been used to put industrial capitalism on steroids, making it harder for people and businesses to keep up. Social networks surrender their original missions to more immediately profitable data mining, while brokerage...
more

Walter IsaacsonDouglas Rushkoff is one of today's most incisive media theorists and a provocative critic of our digital economy. He's also fun to read (Source)

Tim O'ReillyEvery great advance begins when someone sees that what everyone else takes for granted may not actually be true. Douglas Rushkoff questions the deepest assumptions of the modern economy and blazes a path toward a more human-centered world. (Source)

Seth GodinIf you don't know Rushkoff, you're not serious about figuring out what's going to happen next. (Source)

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59
There is a fundamental opportunity for happiness right within our reach, yet we usually miss it—ironically while we are caught up in attempts to escape pain and suffering. Drawn from traditional Buddhist wisdom, Pema Chödrön's radical and compassionate advice for what to do when things fall apart in our lives goes against the grain of our usual habits and expectations. There is only one approach to suffering that is of lasting benefit, Pema teaches, and that approach involves moving toward painful situations with friendliness and curiosity, relaxing into the essential groundlessness of... more
Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

Seth GodinAlmost the flip side. I'm so much better at [protracted difficult periods] because of Pema and because of meditation and because of knowing how to sit with it and not insist that the tension go away. (Source)

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60

Leap First

Creating Work That Matters

Are You Ready to Raise a Ruckus?

You’re probably good at your job, maybe even great. But secretly, do you yearn to fly higher? To challenge the rules and surprise us with something remarkable? To instigate delight, connection, and real change? To choose better over safer?

Business and cultural visionary Seth Godin has transformed the terrain of marketing and commerce more than once. But many of his readers remain stuck in their own work lives. So what’s keeping us back?

“The problem isn’t a lack of knowledge or skill,” he’s realized. “The problem is fear.”
more
Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

Seth GodinInspired by [Zig and Pema], and some work I did, I did this book for charity; it's a short audiobook and you can get it at Sounds True. (Source)

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Don't have time to read Seth Godin's favorite books? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

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  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
61

Goals

How to Get the Most out of Your Life

Do you ever find yourself confusing activity with accomplishment?

In this book, legendary speaker and author, Zig Ziglar points out you can't hit a target you don't have. He shares the 4 Reasons People Don't Set Goals.

Anyone can be, do, and have more. BUT... "You cannot make it as a wandering generality. You must become a meaningful specific."

Zig guides you through the 9 Steps of Setting Goals. And he encourages you with, "A goal properly set is halfway reached."

Zig shares a quote by Oliver Wendall Holmes, "Many people die with...
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Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

Seth GodinZig is your grandfather and my grandfather. He's Tony Robbins' grandfather. None of us would be here if it weren't for Zig. (Source)

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62

The Art of Possibility

The Art of Possibility offers a set of breakthrough practices for creativity in all human enterprises. This inspirational book is a synthesis of Rosamund Stone Zander's knowledge of cutting-edge psychology and Benjamin Zander's experiences as the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra. Infused with the energy of their dynamic partnership, the book joins together Ben's extraordinary talent as a mover and shaker, teacher, and communicator with Rosamund's genius for creating innovative paradigms for personal and professional fulfillment. In lively counterpoint, the authors provide... more
Recommended by Seth Godin, Andra Zaharia, and 2 others.

Seth Godin...which is very hard to find on audio and is totally worth seeking out. (Source)

Andra ZahariaAnother truly wonderful book is The Art of Possibility, which I’ve mentioned previously. This was part of the reading recommendations of Seth Godin's altMBA program that I went through earlier this year. Reading it brought me pure joy and helped understand the concept of framing and utilize its power in my day to day life. (Source)

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63

Walk in Their Shoes

Can One Person Change the World?

Walk in Their Shoes is the powerful, personal story of Jim Ziolkowski's inspiring mission to change the world one community at a time, hailed by the Dalai Lama as “an inspiring tribute to the power of compassion and education: the keys to leading a meaningful life.”

At age twenty-five, Jim Ziolkowski gave up his career in corporate finance to create a not-for-profit organization that turns inner-city youths into community leaders at home and abroad. Under Jim’s leadership, high school students from the South Bronx to San Francisco have contributed more than 1.2 million hours...
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Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

Seth GodinFor decades. Jacqueline Novogratz and her classic book, The Blue Sweater continue to change lives. As does Jim Ziolkowski's amazing true story. This is what happens when people step up, keep their promises and make things happen. (Source)

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64
Cayce Pollard is an expensive, spookily intuitive market-research consultant. In London on a job, she is offered a secret assignment: to investigate some intriguing snippets of video that have been appearing on the Internet. An entire subculture of people is obsessed with these bits of footage, and anybody who can create that kind of brand loyalty would be a gold mine for Cayce's client. But when her borrowed apartment is burgled and her computer hacked, she realizes there's more to this project than she had expected.

Still, Cayce is her father's daughter, and the danger makes her...
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Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

Seth GodinNovels: The Windup Girl and Pattern Recognition are chock full of images and ideas that will stick with you for months. (Source)

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65

The Windup Girl

Anderson Lake is a company man, AgriGen's Calorie Man in Thailand. Under cover as a factory manager, Anderson combs Bangkok's street markets in search of foodstuffs thought to be extinct, hoping to reap the bounty of history's lost calories. There, he encounters Emiko...

Emiko is the Windup Girl, a strange and beautiful creature. One of the New People, Emiko is not human; instead, she is an engineered being, creche-grown and programmed to satisfy the decadent whims of a Kyoto businessman, but now abandoned to the streets of Bangkok. Regarded as soulless beings by some, devils by...
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Recommended by Seth Godin, Marvin Liao, and 2 others.

Seth GodinNovels: The Windup Girl and Pattern Recognition are chock full of images and ideas that will stick with you for months. (Source)

Marvin LiaoMy list would be (besides the ones I mentioned in answer to the previous question) both business & Fiction/Sci-Fi and ones I personally found helpful to myself. The business books explain just exactly how business, work & investing are in reality & how to think properly & differentiate yourself. On the non-business side, a mix of History & classic fiction to understand people, philosophy to make... (Source)

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66
The cofounder of Fast Company shows that opportunities for extraordinary innovation may be closer than you think.
 
A new era of business and leadership cries out for new stories of success, and new strategies for bringing them to life. Today, the way to win big, argues bestselling author William C. Taylor, is to relentlessly rethink the everyday. The unthinking assumptions your industry makes about its processes and its customers are ripe territory for innovation. Taylor goes inside nineteen unique organizations that have become unlikely change agents in their...
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Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

Seth GodinBill Taylor will help you manage your organization's future. (Source)

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67
"Looking to make a career change? Pivot is a book you will turn to again and again." —Daniel Pink, author of To Sell is Human and Drive

Jenny Blake, author of Life After College and former career development program manager at Google, reveals how to methodically make your next career move by doubling down on what is already working.

This book is for anyone searching for an answer to the question, "What's next?" Whether you have hit a plateau in your perfect-on-paper job, are considering taking on a new role in your current job, are thinking...
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Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

Seth GodinJenny Blake wants to help you manage your career. (Source)

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68

The Knowledge

A Too Close to True Novel

Where did The War of Art come from?

How did creativity sensei Steven Pressfield come up with the notion that there is an insidious force in the universe called Resistance that keeps us from pursuing our life's work and fulfilling our artistic destiny? And that until we recognize and engage in an end-of-days battle with the big "R," our inner genius will remain blocked and unborn inside an internal protoplasmic goo?

Was he touched by angels as he contemplated the universe in an ashram?

Did he meet a mysterious stranger at a truck stop in Twin Falls,...
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Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

Seth GodinThe Knowledge, Steve Pressfield's new book, is put together like a Swiss watch. Every single word, every scene... it's a master class in what it means to get out of your own way and write a book that works. I am walking around the house, unable to put it down. (Source)

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69
This "brilliant and provocative" (Walter Isaacson) guide shares nine principles to adapt and survive the technological changes shaping our future from the director of the MIT Media Lab and a veteran Wired journalist.

The world is more complex and volatile today than at any other time in our history. The tools of our modern existence are getting faster, cheaper, and smaller at an exponential rate, transforming every aspect of society, from business to culture and from the public sphere to our most private moments. The people who succeed will be the ones who learn to...
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Recommended by Seth Godin, George Raveling, and 2 others.

Seth GodinJoi Ito and Jeff Howe have a new book called Whiplash. Joi's the head of MIT's Media Lab and an extraordinary thinker. Jeff brings the ideas and the lessons of the Lab to life. This is a big think, well worth a deep dive. (Source)

George RavelingThe good Lord helped me discover this book. (Source)

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70
James C. Scott places the critical problem of the peasant household—subsistence—at the center of this study. The fear of food shortages, he argues persuasively, explains many otherwise puzzling technical, social, and moral arrangements in peasant society, such as resistance to innovation, the desire to own land even at some cost in terms of income, relationships with other people, and relationships with institutions, including the state.

Once the centrality of the subsistence problem is recognized, its effects on notions of economic and political justice can also be seen. Scott...
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Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

Seth GodinThis book outlines the reasons why many efforts to jumpstart third-world economies fail. It's not just peasants, though. Many of your prospects feel precisely the same way. (Source)

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Don't have time to read Seth Godin's favorite books? Read Shortform summaries.

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71

Stop Stealing Sheep & Find Out How Type Works

A guide to typography. It draws in the reader with its design and layout, making use of more than 200 illustrations and photographs. It explains in everyday layman's terms what type is and how you can use it to enhance legibility, meaning, and aesthetic enjoyment. It also includes chapters on Web typography and other forms of online text display. less
Recommended by Seth Godin, Debbie Millman, and 2 others.

Seth GodinThis book helped me see design differently. Good design costs just as much as bad design, but it breaks through all sorts of clutter. (Source)

Debbie MillmanThe great typographer Eric Spiekermann’s book. (Source)

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72
Almost all of us have at some point dreamed of  starting our own business but have not been able to  get past our fear, anxiety, and uncertainty about  pursuing those dreams. Through a 20-month  exchange of faxes, The Republic Of Tea  chronicles the feelings and emotions of three  partners as they confront their fears and dreams to  create an enormously successful start-up company.  The book shows the budding entrepreneur how to  start a successful business that embodies his or her  own soul and economic realities. The insightful  correspondence between Mel Ziegler and... more
Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

Seth GodinBack when the fax was a new technology, a young entrepreneur set out to create a new brand. The book consists of a series of faxes back and forth with his investors, followed by a breakneck narrative of what it took to build a brand from scratch. Even though the technology is ancient, the story is timeless. This book changed my life. (Source)

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73
IDEO, the widely admired, award-winning design and development firm that brought the world the Apple mouse, Polaroid's I-Zone instant camera, the Palm V, and hundreds of other cutting-edge products and services, reveals its secrets for fostering a culture and process of continuous innovation.

There isn't a business in America that doesn't want to be more creative in its thinking, products, and processes. At many companies, being first with a concept and first to market are critical just to survive. In The Art of Innovation, Tom Kelley, general manager of the Silicon Valley...
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Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

Seth GodinI don't know if you can teach this kind of creativity, but you can certainly raise your expectations by seeing how well they do design. (Source)

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74
One American in ten tells the other nine how to vote, where to eat, and what to buy. They are
The Influentials
Who are they? The most influential Americans -- the ones who tell their neighbors what to buy, which politicians to support, and where to vacation -- are not necessarily the people you'd expect. They're not America's most affluent 10 percent or best-educated 10 percent. They're not the "early adopters," always the first to try everything from Franco-Polynesian fusion cooking to digital cameras. They are, however, the 10 percent of Americans most engaged in their...
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Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

Seth GodinThis book exhaustively looks at one very influential group of early adopters. This may not be YOUR group, but the thinking applies to every hive I can think of. (Source)

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75

Selling the Dream

Guy Kawasaki's phenomenal success at Apple Computer and as a start-up entrepreneur was the result of an innovative approach to sales, marketing, and management called evangelism. Evangelism means convincing people to believe in your product or ideas as much as you do, by using fervor, zeal, guts, and cunning to mobilize your customers and staff into becoming as passionate about a cause as you are.

Selling the Dream is a handbook and workbook for putting evangelism into action. Kawasaki charts a complete blueprint for the beginning evangelist that covers such...
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Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

Seth GodinGuy has written several irrestible books, but this is a great place to start. It's all about starting the virus. (Source)

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76

Bizarro Heroes

Presenting a collection of super-hero-themed comics from the award-winning newspaper cartoon Bizarro. Cartoonist Dan Piraro skewers these masked and caped crime fighters like no other, poking fun at their super powers, superlatives, and their tights. Piraro's elaborate renderings often reveal the true identities of these heroes: Superman on the couch at home, the Hulk in his psychiatrist's office, Wolverine at the nail salon, and many more. Bizarro Heroes collects these smart, funny send-ups of all your favorite comic heroes in one incredible volume. Bizarro was first syndicated in 1985 and... more
Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

Seth GodinDan is hysterical. Better than Gary Larson, panel for panel. Go for it. (Source)

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77
Don’t drink and drive. It's a deceptively simple rule, but one that is all too often ignored. And while efforts to eliminate drunk driving have been around as long as automobiles, every movement to keep drunks from driving has hit some alarming bumps in the road.

Barron H. Lerner narrates the two strong—and vocal—sides to this debate in the United States: those who argue vehemently against drunk driving, and those who believe the problem is exaggerated and overregulated. A public health professor and historian of medicine, Lerner asks why these opposing views exist, examining drunk...
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Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

Seth GodinYou know what they invented right after they invented cars? Drunk driving. This is a surprisingly gripping book for an academic treatise. It helps you understand the machinations of politics, industry and how society just can't let go of the status quo, even when lives are at stake. (Source)

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78
For anyone interested in the biological basis of human behavior or simply in what makes consumers tick—marketing professionals, advertisers, psychology mavens, and consumers themselves—this is a fascinating read.
What do all successful fast-food restaurants have in common?
Why are women more likely to become compulsive shoppers and men more likely to become addicted to pornography?
How does the fashion industry play on our innate need to belong?
Why do men’s testosterone levels rise when they drive a Ferrari or a Porsche?
The answer to all of these intriguing...
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Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

Seth GodinIf you're trying to get people to buy more stuff, this book will show you how. If you're trying to understand why you buy so much stuff, this book will show you how as well. Good stuff on every page. (Source)

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79
“An exciting story [that] shines light on the inner workings of the fledgling Google and on the personalities of its founders.”—The Daily Beast

In its infancy, Google embraced extremes—endless days fueled by unlimited free food, nonstop data-based debates, and blood-letting hockey games. The company’s fresh-from-grad-school leaders sought more than old notions of success; they wanted to make all the information in the world available to everyone—instantly. Google, like the Big Bang, was a singularity—an explosive release of raw intelligence and unequaled creative energy—and...
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Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

Seth GodinI can't get this one out of my head. It's not just an inside look at Google, it's an astonishingly honest take on what it is to be a cog, a sheep, a follower in a company filled with leaders. I wanted to shake Doug and push him to go fail, to do something, loudly. (Source)

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80

The Best of Guerrilla Marketing

Guerrilla Marketing Remix


Reconnecting with such authors as Seth Godin from Guerrilla Marketing Handbook, The Father of Guerrilla Marketing, Jay Conrad Levinson, and co-author Jeannie Levinson, present fans and new guerrillas with the first book to deliver the best of Guerrilla Marketing—a combination of the latest secrets, strategies, tactics, and tools from more than 25 top selling Guerrilla Marketing books. Learn how to reshape your approach to branding, advertising, social media, networking and more—ultimately, making more money, while spending less.
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Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

Seth GodinBefore you spend a dollar on advertising, and before you hire a consultant, and before you give up on the tactics of local marketing, please read and digest and absorb this book. The tip of the Guerrilla iceberg. (Source)

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Don't have time to read Seth Godin's favorite books? Read Shortform summaries.

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  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
81
The classic book on business strategy in the new networked economy-- from the author of the New York Times bestseller The Inevitable

Forget supply and demand. Forget computers. The old rules are broken. Today, communication, not computation, drives change. We are rushing into a world where connectivity is everything, and where old business know-how means nothing. In this new economic order, success flows primarily from understanding networks, and networks have their own rules. In New Rules for the New Economy, Kelly presents ten fundamental principles of...
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Recommended by Seth Godin, and 1 others.

Seth GodinImagine if a time-traveler wrote a book about our future in 1999. And imagine that he gave it away to anyone who wanted to read it, and that even after 20 years, it’s still a road map to the future. Kevin Kelly might or might not be from the future, but this is that book. (Source)

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Don't have time to read Seth Godin's favorite books? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.