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You know you should read, but you don’t have the attention span? Here’s a list of books that will help you grow one:
For more information on books you should read, visit my reading list for leaders.
If you’re incorrigible, you may also appreciate my list of movies for leaders.
Jason Seiden is Co-founder and CEO of Ajax Social Media, a training company that shows professionals how use social media to work more effectively.
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What a great list! I believe that the best part about your list is the benefit of rounding out of your thought process and helping expose yourself to different ideas/points of view.
There were a few that I haven’t read. I’m off to go get them on my list (and I agree about Dumas. What an awesome book).
Jason,
My father was a huge fan of Shogun and recommended it to me years ago but I have shied away from it because I’m not really into ‘war’ books. However, I see that a lot of your books could be considered of this genre. I think I need to expand my selections and include some of the types of books that I normally would avoid. I’m really happy to see that most of your books are those that have stood the test of time and not today’s bestsellers. There are reasons that these books continue to be read years after being published, and that is because they have something to say about the human condition ~ something that speaks to us all. Again, thanks for the list and I look forward to learning what I’ve been missing out on all these years.
Thanks for this great list of books. I am a voracious reader but I will admit that the only one of your suggested books I have read is ‘How to Self-Destruct.’
Your favorite book is my favorite book. I read the long version during many flights around the country. The only issue I had was that I would rather read the book on the plane than prepare for my matter.
Added Recommendations –
Any book by Paulo Coelho
Animal Farm by George Orwell
True Story: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa – Michael Finckel
The Professor and the Madman: Making of the Oxford Dictionary – Simon Winchester
Movie – Glen Gary Glen Ross
@John—Dumas, yes. And I just got a call from my brother-in-law who says The 3 Muskateers gives The Count… a run for its money…
@Kelly—First of all, nice selection
Secondly, I think you’ll find both Art of War and Shogun are more about avoiding conflict than embracing it. The Eastern philosophy of “war” these books bring to light is far more nuanced than our concept of a fistfight multiplied by X # of soldiers, and has far more to do with politics and interpersonal astuteness.
@Glenn—It strikes me that I left out a very important title: The Authoritative Collection of Calvin & Hobbes. Given that, are we still jibing?
@Benjamin—I could have just as easily used Coelho’s Alchemist as opposed to Millman’s book in my list. He’s good. Animal Farm, yes—or Lord of the Rings—I didn’t include those b/c I think Shogun gets at the same points, but with more subtlety, which makes it more practical for people who have to translate the book into action immediately (but that’s just me); Prof & the Madman is a great call… no one’s pure good/pure evil, and “gray” is an averaging of black and white as opposed to someone who is middle of the road. True Story is a new one for me. GGGR should be added to my movie list, agreed.
And you know what other author I missed? Kahlil Gibran. Big time oversight on my part.
+1 for How to Self Destruct!
Your points on the authors and books all good.
‘True Story’ is a good one for manipulation, suspense, seeing all sides, strategy and a lil trust (issues and perceived)
Kahlil G is great!