What's In Your Reading Pile?

I received a "tag" from Jim Stroup at Managing Leadership. The meme is fun and useful.

The idea is to share what one is reading at the moment or is waiting in the wings to be opened and perused. A second part of the game is to share sentences 6-8 from page 123. So, why not?

At the recent Blogger Social 2008 in NYC I received an advance copy of Steve Cone's Words That Sell Brands, Grip Fans, & Sometimes Change HIstory. If you want a fun and educational take on marketing, the official release date is April 24th.

Cone's thesis: It's time to re-claim the power that a well-crafted line can muster for any business anywhere on the planet.

Cone's teaching aids: A long trip down memory lane to resurrect the slogans, jingles, and taglines that many of us can't get out of our heads; a look at those that never entered our heads, and why not; and a "how to" for create "powerlines" that define your business.

Now, that's an offer I just couldn't refuse:-)

Page 123, 6-8:

The mind is the ultimate media mixer. It sees and hears billions of impressions. Yet, it retains only those impressions, those powerlines, that thrill and chill and inspire the thought, "I couldn't have said that better myself."

More books in the reading queue

I'm usually pretty darned eclectic in my reading. But, with all of the goodies distributed at the Blogger Social, I now have a stack of marketing-oriented tomes that dwarf two others I"ve started. Here is a partial list of what's in progress:

Churchill, Ray Jenkins (now in paperback)

Zen & The Art of Stand Up Comedy by Jay Sankey

Step Into The Spotlight ('cause All Business is Show Business) by Tsufit

Personality not Included Why Companies Lose Their Authenticity--And How Great Brands Get It Back, by Rohit Bhargava

Now it's my job to pass the torch and tag:

Jo Jordan at Flowing Motion

David Zinger at Employee Engagemen: Results That Matter

Tom Clifford at Bringing Brands To Life

Chris Bailey at Bailey WorkPlay

This could provide one heck of a reading list for the summer. . .

Comments

[Jim Stroup]

Hi Steve,

This is a terrific list - my own shelf is swelling with the great selections coming out of this.

Thanks for participating and for offering these great reading ideas!

[Joe Raasch]

Awesome list Steve! Interesting how we have the Churchill tome in common...

Best,

Joe

[Thomas Clifford]

Hi Steve!

Thanks for the tag...

So I'm "it!"

Uh, oh...better start looking in my library. I have about 20+ books waiting to be read.

You wait here. I'll start picking :-)

[Steve Roesler]

Hey guys,

What really strikes me here is that I am aware of the kinds of schedules we all keep, but stlll manage to stay intentional about reading.

The other thing I like about this particular meme is that I get a reading list from people I already trust and respect, and who share a number of common interests. So it's already more refined than looking at the NY Times or some other source.

Looking forward to this. . .

[David Zinger]

I am re-reading two books. Peter Block's, The Answer to How is Yes and Jim Loehr, The Power of Story. I like the idea of the Zen and Stand Up Comedy. And yes Steve, I know what you are thinking...stop reading and start writing.

[Steve Roesler]

Hi, David,

Perhaps you could title it "Zen and the Art of Mind-Reading."