Best Books of the Decade

Best Books of the Decade
What better way to round out the decade than declare the best books I've read during this time.
So, how do you choose the best books you’ve read? I felt I had to go with the ones that have changed how I see the world and how I act in it. Here’s my ten best books of the decade. Plus, how they’ve changed the way I live. Note: Non-Affiliate links to Amazon.

Chris Anderson: The Long Tail
This book changed how I saw business. I’d been aware the digital world was changing business and this book pinpointed exactly how. Digital economics enables you to make a profit from things you previously couldn’t. It favours the niche. Plus, the tools of production are now in the hands of everyone. And, the internet is your pathway to worldwide distribution.
See Book Rapper issue: Make Money From Niches


James Surowiecki: The Wisdom of Crowds
This book changed how I saw my expertise. I’d always presumed that one smart person was better than a mob. Not so. With the help of digital technology and the internet, it's much easier to tap into the power of crowds. We can be right more often! This book also highlights the importance of community. And, the power of crowdsourcing.



Geoff Colvin: Talent is Overrated
This book changed how I work. Previously, to work on something I would just do it. Now, the concept of Deliberate Practice says ‘no’. Instead, I design specific challenges to work on. I no longer work, I'm now constantly practising. For instance, I’m training myself to write shorter, sharper sentences. They’re now precise and concise. And, I’m on the lookout for zingy, zany and zippy words. Let me know if it works for you!
See Book Rapper issue: Anti-Self-Help


Brafman and Beckstrom: The Spider and the Starfish
This book changed how I see the internet. It highlights how it’s reshaping how we organize people and ideas. The starfish model (decentralisation) is the new model of business. Think Ebay, Skype and Obama. And this has changed our entire model of leadership. Great metaphor and filled with enjoyable stories to illustrate their point.
See Book Rapper issue: Leaderful.


Stefan Klein: The Science of Happiness
This book changed how I think. I used to think that happiness was lame. It was about becoming a pollyanna. Now I get the value of being happy. And, how I train my brain to respond over my lifetime. Personally, it’s great for my mind and body. Socially, it’s better for everyone. And, now I take different action. I exercise more. I socialize more. And, I think about how I want to feel. I’m happier as a result!


Mark and Pearson: The Hero and the Outlaw
This book changed how I saw branding. I used to think it was all about sticking labels on products. Now, I see it as a way of living and being. This book gives a right-brained lens for branding through 12 major archetypes. You’ll find yourself in these pages. And, you’ll have a framework for creating your future.



Timothy Ferriss: The Four Hour Work Week
This book changed how I live and work. The 40 hour work never appealed to me. I've had a full-time job less than 2 years of my life. I wanted to work on my stuff in my time in my way. Ferriss makes it okay to do this. And, he shows you how to make money at the same time. A life-changer!
See Book Rapper issue: The Four Hour JOLT!



Boye Lafayette De Mente: The Japanese Samurai Code
This book reminds me of Groundhog Day. We think we’re living a brand new day with fresh new challenges and perhaps we’re not… The Samurai present a timeless tradition of being the best you can be. Every day! And, no matter what you're doing. This books highlights their values. And, why they’re still as important as ever. Read it to sharpen your compass.



Tom Peters: The Brand You
This book changed the way I relate to myself. Previously, I was content to do the things I do. Now, I’m more aware of what I’m building and who I’m becoming. I love the style of this book. It’s filled with Tom’s personality. It’s a rant, a boisterous chant and actions aplenty that’ll make you pant… My favourite: To build your network, don’t eat lunch alone!




Robin, Dominguez and Tilford: Your Money or Your Life
This book changed my attitude to money. I used to be a typical consumer buying stuff I often didn’t need. Now, I don’t. I don’t see the point. This has allowed me to live a comfortable lifestyle working on the things I love. Perhaps, you can too…



Which books of the past decade changed the way you see the world? Add a comments and share your thoughts.

Book Rapper's Hot Books for 2009

Here’s the Book Rapper Hot Books for 2009. Here’s my Top Ten list of the books I want to be reading that reflect the biggest issues of our time…

Authenticity
The Book: Joe Pine & Jim Gilmore, Authenticity
The Hot Idea: As consumers crave experiences fake ones don’t count. If your product and service is not the real thing then you’ll be found out. The same idea applies to individuals, being ‘real’ is your future career. Great website to look around and play on…
Book Website: http://authenticitybook.com/

Hot, Flat and Crowded
The Book: Thomas Friedman; Hot, Flat and Crowded: Why we need a Green Revolution – and How it Can Renew America.
The Hot Idea: From the author of the best seller The World is Flat, comes a volume that links America’s loss of focus since 9/11 and the global environmental crisis. He describes the way forward as ‘the biggest innovation project in America’.
Author’s Website: http://www.thomaslfriedman.com/bookshelf/hot-flat-and-crowded

The Psychology of Time
The Book 1: Steve Taylor; Making Time: Why Time Seems to Pass at Different Speeds and How to Control It
The Book 2: Stefan Klein; The Secret Pulse of Time: Making sense of life's scarcest commodity
The Hot Idea: Traditional time management presumes we all experience time in the same way all the time. A number of books are now exploring the psychology of time and how it passes at different speeds. This change in worldview presents new ways to manage yourself and how to get things done.

Groundswell
The Book: Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff; Groundswell: Winning in a world transformed by social technologies
The Hot Idea: The shift to social technologies is a transfer of media from the few to the many. Customers are now forming direct connections to each other and creating new communities.
Book Website: http://www.forrester.com/Groundswell/index.html

Happiness
The Book: Stefan Klein; The Science of Happiness
The Hot Idea: There’s a bunch of books out there on Happiness. Klein’s was picked because it cuts to the heart of the issue: science has quantified the impact of being happy on our health and wellbeing. Happiness is no longer just a feel good issue. It is now a quantifiable business issue and one for governments too. There’s no excuse now… be happy!

We-Think
The Book: Charles Leadbetter, We-think: mass innovation, not mass production.
The Hot Idea: The web revolution through the lense of innovation and creativity. The internet is not a place of production, it’s a place of collaboration, sharing and fostering ideas. From one of the leading management thinkers of our times, we get an update on Wikinomics and user driven innovation.
Author’s Website: http://www.charlesleadbeater.net/home.aspx
Book website: http://www.wethinkthebook.net/home.aspx

Post-America
The Book: Fareed Zakaria; The Post-American World
The Hot Idea: America has peaked in its global influence. That doesn’t mean it’s now in decline, just that others are growing in importance. The days of the dominant empire are changing and the emergence of China, India, Russia, Brazil and others is reshaping the globe.
Author’s Website: http://fareedzakaria.com/books/index.html

Here Comes Everybody
The Book: Clay Shirky; Here Comes Everybody: Organizing without Organizations
The Hot Idea: Another view of the impact of social media. This one is from a web guru who projects the rise of grassroots activism and the demise of traditional corporate hierarchies and print journalism. It’s not just about the web, it’s a guide to the future of human interaction.
Book Website: http://www.herecomeseverybody.org/

Tribe
The Book: Seth Godin; Tribe: We Need You To Lead Us
The Hot Idea: Social networking sites are making it easier to connect and new tribes are forming everyday. I love Seth’s work: he takes a contemporary challenge and puts a simple spin on it. In this one, Seth’s big question is: Who’s leading? The web can do amazing things and leadership is not one of them.
Author’s Blog: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/

Talent is Overrated
The Book: Geoff Colvin, Talent is Overrated: What really separates World-Class Performers from everybody else.
The Hot Idea: This book grew out a magazine article that questioned the role of ‘natural talent’. Instead, Colvin presumes effort is required for success and then suggests what works best. He suggests how you practice, how you analyse the results you get and learn from your mistakes are the seeds to greatness. It’s not a miracle cure and it is a clear path for us aspiring mortals.

Which one of these books would you like to see RAPPED? Let me know through your comments.