50 Books Project: June 2008 Titles
14 May 2008
I’m planning to read 50 books from June 2008 through May 2009. The Prologue, Part 1, posted on May 12, 2008, introduces the project. You can find a list of the books on the 50 Books Project page.
June marks the beginning of the 50 Books Project. Here are the titles I’ll read in the inaugural month:
A Whole New Mind - Daniel Pink - Dan Pink believes that the Information Age, an era dominated by left-brained analytics, is about to be surpassed by a Conceptual Age. Those who hope to be successful in this new epoch will need more than numbers-smarts; in addition, they will develop aptitudes like design, empathy, and symphony (plus three others). I enjoy books that attempt to interpret the signs of our times and then suggest ways to respond. I started this one a few months ago, read the first few chapters closely, and skimmed the rest. I’m returning to it to finish it.
What the Monks Can Teach Us - J.K. Jones - J.K. is a colleague and mentor at LCC. Like Dan Pink, J.K. is advocating change. Instead of looking to the future, however, J.K. suggests that the example of some ancient Christians can help us live in a more intentional, centered way. I’m doing an interview with J.K. for an upcoming podcasting project, was intrigued by the title of this book, and chose to add it to the list so we could discuss it in the interview.
Permission Marketing - Seth Godin - Seth Godin has one of the most incisive minds in marketing today, and this is the first of several of his titles that are on the list. I’m a regular reader of Seth’s blog, have read a few of his books (most recently, The Dip), and will be re-reading some other titles that currently sit in the list.
Your Money or Your Life - Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin - This is one of J.D. Roth’s 25 recommended personal finance books. I’m teaching a personal finance class this next fall to college students and this is one of the titles I’m reading for background and possible inclusion as a course textbook.
Stupid, Ugly, Unlucky, and Rich - Richard St. John - I skimmed this book a couple months ago after seeing Richard St. John’s intriguing presentation on the characteristics of successful people from the TED conference. I’ll be giving it a closer reading this month.
In the Name of Jesus - Henri Nouwen - Neal Windham, another of my colleagues whom I respect greatly, considers this one of the best books on leadership he’s ever read. Neal did his doctoral research on the writings of Henri Nouwen, so his recommendation carries some weight with me.
Those are the titles for June 2008. I’ll post updates as the month continues.
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