This last year I read a number of good books, and these are the five that stood out for me:
1. The New Capitalist Manifesto by Umair Haque
This is just a tremendous book, and the author lays out many ideas that resonated for me. The world of business and capitalism is changing radically right now in a lot of different ways. He’s not the only one thinking this way, but he does a good job articulating the issue. In particular, Haque details the concept of Thick Value, which is a more current and comprehensive way of calculating a business’s profit and loss. For instance, if Coca Cola were to add in the health care costs attached to its high-fructose corn syrup products, the company wouldn’t be nearly as profitable. Likewise, if one were to factor in the environmental benefit of a brand like Patagonia, they’d be even more profitable.
I recommend following Umair Haque’s highly entertaining Twitter feed.
2. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
I know, I know—you’ve read so many reviews and blog posts about this book, the Amazon #1 bestseller of 2011, that you feel like you’ve read it without reading it. I’m telling you that you still need to read it. As a longtime Apple guy, I loved learning about the company history. But I also gleaned many bits of business wisdom from the book: how Jobs obsessed on hiring “A Players,” his legendary attention to detail, the importance of focusing on a few great products, why deep design thinking matters, and the list goes on. Furthermore, the author, noted biographer Walter Isaacson, does not sugarcoat the subject. Jobs is portrayed as a complex and often mean-spirited leader. After reading the book, I still respect him, but I’m not sure I would have liked him.
Anyway, really worth it, and everyone will learn something of value from this biography.
3. That Used to Be Us, by Thomas Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum
Tom Friedman, who writes for the New York Times, has spent most of his career traveling the world and writing about politics. And Michael Mandelbaum is a foreign policy professor. That makes them unlikely candidates to write what is ostensibly a business book. However, it also gives them tremendous global perspective. The book’s title is taken from a quote by President Obama, who was talking about what’s happening in China. And much of the book discusses the many ways that the US is being out-hustled and out-worked by the Chinese. The authors argue that there are five things that got the US to the top—great education, immigration: attract the world’s most talented people, the world’s best infrastructure, strong capital markets, and government-funded research. And every one of these has been in decline for the last 10 years. While I didn’t agree with every single one of their points, in particular the need for a renewed Tiger Mom approach to education, most of the book is right on the money. The authors are right when they say that, as a country, we’ve grown soft and complacent. I highly recommend this sobering look at our current state of affairs.
Follow Tom Friedman on Twitter here.
4. Delivering Happiness, by Tony Hsieh
About a year ago, I was in Las Vegas and randomly ran into Tony Hsieh, the founder of Zappos. I had long been a fan of his approach to customer service and corporate culture, so I was excited when he signed a book for me. His story is honest and inspiring, and Tony talks in detail about the hard lessons he learned on the way to success. I believe Zappos epitomizes the innovative kind of company that Umair Haque refers to in the New Capitalist Manifesto: they understand that great customer service is their best marketing tool. I regularly recommend this book to friends and colleagues who are involved in start ups, because Hsieh lays out concisely the importance of standing for something. If there’s one takeaway from Delivering Happiness, it’s that a business needs to build both an internal and external culture around a shared purpose.
5. The California Surf Project, by Eric Soderquist and Chris Burkhard
I’ve surfed for most of my life, and I’m always on the lookout for beautifully produced media that accurately represents the culture and sport of surfing. This book does that in spades. I find myself going back again and again to this lovingly created work. The sum is greater than the parts, and the book contains not only great photography, but inspired copy, a concept, and a resonant vibe that surfers and non-surfers alike will appreciate. If one has ever taken a sports road trip of any kind, they’ll appreciate this book.
