ReadFeeder | Read the Books Tech startups Experts are blogging about.

The Four Steps to the Epiphany
Steven Gary Blank

The essential "how to" book for anyone bringing a product to market, writing a business plan, marketing plan or sales plan. Step-by-step strategy of how to successfully organize sales, marketing and business development for a new product or company. The book offers insight into what makes some startups successful and leaves others selling off their furniture. Packed with concrete examples, the book will leave you with new skills to organize sales, marketing and your business for success.

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Amazon rating:
US$39.99
(As of Mar 10 8:31 , info)

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The Four Steps to the Epiphany
Steven Gary Blank

The essential "how to" book for anyone bringing a product to market, writing a business plan, marketing plan or sales plan. Step-by-step strategy of how to successfully organize sales, marketing and business development for a new product or company. The book offers insight into what makes some startups successful and leaves others selling off their furniture. Packed with concrete examples, the book will leave you with new skills to organize sales, marketing and your business for success.

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Amazon rating:
US$39.99
(As of Mar 10 8:31 , info)

In Tech startups blogs, this book was blogged about by:

Steve Blank 04 Mar 10:
... “By knowing things that exist, you can know that which does not exist. ” Book of Five Rings I was having coffee with a former student who was complained that my idea of building a first product release with a minimum feature set was a bad idea. (One of the principles of Customer Development is to get out of the building and understand the smallest feature-set customers will pay for in the first release. ) “Steve, you’re wrong. I can’t get more than one of ten potential customers to think that this is something they’d buy. ” I asked, “So what does the one who likes it ...
Steve Blank 25 Feb 10:
... Customer Development is a technique startups use to quickly iterate and test each part of their business model. How you execute Customer Development varies, depending on your type of business. In my book, “The Four Steps to the Epiphany” I use enterprise software as the business model example. Ash Maurya, the CEO of WiredReach, has extended my work by building a model of Customer Development for Web Startups. I think his process models are pretty good. Go read both of his posts on Discovery and Validation for web startups. His two key slides are at the end of this post but the ...
Steve Blank 22 Feb 10:
... required to find and clinically test a drug is less than the market demand for that drug. These measures are vastly different from those captured in balance sheets and income statements especially in the near term. What should you be talking about in your board meeting? If you are following Customer Development, the answer is easy. Board meetings are about measuring progress measured against the hypotheses in Customer Discovery and Validation. Do the metrics show that the business model you’re creating will support the company you’re trying to become? Startup ...
Steve Blank 18 Feb 10:
... Haas Business School, U. C. Berkeley, I had a few hundred pages of course notes. Students began to ask for copies of the notes so I threw a cover on them and self-published the notes as a “book” at Cafepress. com. As a pun on my last company as an entrepreneur, E. piphany, I called the book The Four Steps to the Epiphany. Two years later, Eric Ries mentioned that I could list the book on Amazon. I never imagined more than a few hundred copies would be sold to my students. 15, 000 copies later, the horrifically bad proofreading, design and layout is now a badge of honor. You most ...

Rework
Jason Fried

Most business books give you the same old advice: Write a business plan, study the competition, seek investors, yadda yadda. If you're looking for a book like that, put this one back on the shelf.

Rework shows you a better, faster, easier way to succeed in business. Read it and you'll know why plans are actually harmful, why you don't need outside investors, and why you're better off ignoring the competition. The truth is, you need less than you think. You don't need to be a wo...

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US$12.10
(As of Mar 10 9:17 , info)

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Rework
Jason Fried

Most business books give you the same old advice: Write a business plan, study the competition, seek investors, yadda yadda. If you're looking for a book like that, put this one back on the shelf.

Rework shows you a better, faster, easier way to succeed in business. Read it and you'll know why plans are actually harmful, why you don't need outside investors, and why you're better off ignoring the competition. The truth is, you need less than you think. You don't need to be a workaholic. You don't need to staff up. You don't need to waste time on paperwork or meetings. You don't even need an office. Those are all just excuses.

What you really need to do is stop talking and start working. This book shows you the way. You'll learn how to be more productive, how to get exposure without breaking the bank, and tons more counterintuitive ideas that will inspire and provoke you.

With its straightforward language and easy-is-better approach, Rework is the perfect playbook for anyone who’s ever dreamed of doing it on their own. Hardcore entrepreneurs, small-business owners, people stuck in day jobs they hate, victims of "downsizing," and artists who don’t want to starve anymore will all find valuable guidance in these pages.

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Amazon rating:
US$12.10
(As of Mar 10 9:17 , info)

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37 Signals 09 Mar 10:
... Alright, the big day is finally here! REWORK is now available in stores. You can order the US version online from the following booksellers: Amazon. com Barnes & Noble Borders Indie Bound 800 CEO READ International versions are either out already or coming soon. Check with your local retailer. There’s also an audiobook version read by Mike Chamberlain (listen to a sample). At the book site, you’ll now find a PDF that includes five essays and illustrations from the book: Download PDF excerpt (1. 7 MB) And here’s ...
37 Signals 24 Feb 10:
... This is a guest post by Mike Rohde. We hired Mike to illustrate original art for REWORK. Each one of the 90 essays in REWORK is accompanied by an illustration that captures the key message of the essay. We asked Mike to share the illustration process with you here on Signal vs. Noise. This post is part 1 of a 2-part series. Part 2 will be posted within the next few weeks. In September 2009, I began work with Jason Fried to create a series of 90 sketchnote illustrations and 10 chapter illustrations for the new 37signals business book, REWORK. In December 2009, I completed the ...
37 Signals 24 Feb 10:
... We’re all meeting in San Diego this week: It’s kind of pretty here. Shot from Torrey Pines State Park. A look at the conference table during company wide meeting. Yes, even we meet once in a while. REWORK is in the house. Everyone got an advance copy. The book comes out “for real” in two weeks. Jamis brought peanut butter flavored marshmallows that he made at home. Sam’s got one of the cool “Just Below Zero” colors of Field Notes. We’re recording it all for the one team member who couldn’t make it. Lots of tea gets ...

Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
Daniel H. Pink

hardback, Riverhead Hardcover,by Daniel H. Pink

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Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

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US$15.75
(As of Mar 10 8:46 , info)

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47 Hats 09 Mar 10

Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
Daniel H. Pink

hardback, Riverhead Hardcover,by Daniel H. Pink

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Amazon rating:
US$15.75
(As of Mar 10 8:46 , info)

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47 Hats 09 Mar 10:
... from managers. Think about the difference you’re going to make in the lives of the people who use your software. That’s the motivation you need – it’s like rocket fuel. I didn’t somehow discover this myself out of the clear blue – I read Dan Pink’s book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us It radically changed my daily battle with my Invisible Wall. And then Pat and I interviewed Dan 3/7 for an amazing 80 minutes – and the first (of three!) parts of that interview we hope to have out tomorrow for the Startup Success Podcast. ...

An Army of Davids: How Markets and Technology Empower Ordinary People to Beat Big Media, Big Government, and Other Goliaths
Glenn Reynolds

There was a time in the not-too-distant past when large companies and powerful governments reigned supreme over the little guy. But new technologies are empowering individuals like never before, and the Davids of the world-the amateur journalists, musicians, and small businessmen and women-are suddenly making a huge economic and social impact.

In Army of Davids, author Glenn Reynolds, the man behind the immensely popular Instapundit.com, provides an in-depth, big-picture poi...

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An Army of Davids: How Markets and Technology Empower Ordinary People to Beat Big Media, Big Government, and Other Goliaths

Amazon rating:
US$19.49
(As of Mar 10 8:47 , info)

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Think Vitamin 09 Mar 10

An Army of Davids: How Markets and Technology Empower Ordinary People to Beat Big Media, Big Government, and Other Goliaths
Glenn Reynolds

There was a time in the not-too-distant past when large companies and powerful governments reigned supreme over the little guy. But new technologies are empowering individuals like never before, and the Davids of the world-the amateur journalists, musicians, and small businessmen and women-are suddenly making a huge economic and social impact.

In Army of Davids, author Glenn Reynolds, the man behind the immensely popular Instapundit.com, provides an in-depth, big-picture point-of-view for a world where the small guys matter more and more. Reynolds explores the birth and growth of the individual's surprisingly strong influence in: arts and entertainment, anti-terrorism, nanotech and space research, and much more.

The balance of power between the individual and the organization is finally evening out. And it's high time the Goliaths of the world pay attention, because, as this book proves, an army of Davids is on the rise.

"George Orwell feared that technology would enable dictators to enslave the masses. Glenn Reynolds shows that technology can empower individuals to determine their own futures and to defeat those who would enslave us. This is a book of profound importance-and also a darn good read.-MICHAEL BARONE, senior writer at U.S. News & World Report and author of Hard America, Soft America

"Blogger extraordinaire Glenn Reynolds shows how average Americans can use new technologies to overcome the twin demons of corporate greed and incompetent government. Reynolds is a compelling evangelist for the power of the individual to change our world.-ARIANNA HUFFINGTON, author of Pigs at the Trough and Fanatics and Fools

A smart, fun tour of a major social and economic trend. From home-brewed beer to blogging, Glenn Reynolds is an engaging, uniquely qualified guide to the do-it-yourself movements transforming business, politics, and media.-VIRGINIA POSTREL, Forbes columnist and author of The Future and its Enemies and The Substance of Style

A student in her dorm room now commands the resources of a multi-million dollar music recording or movie editing studio of not so many years ago. The tools of creativity have been democratized and the tools of production are not far behind (Karl Marx take note). Glenn Reynolds's beguiling new book tells the insightful story of how an 'army of Davids' is inheriting the Earth, leaving a trail of obsolete business models not to mention cultural, economic, and political institutions in its wake.-RAY KURZWEIL, scientist, inventor, and author of several books including The Singularity is Near

'Must-read,' 'gotta have,' 'culture-changing' . . . I am suspicious of blurbs with such overused plugs. But Glenn Reynolds's An Army of Davids is in fact a must-read new book that you gotta have if you are going to understand the culture-changing forces that are unleashed and at work across the globe.-HUGH HEWITT, syndicated talk radio host and author of Blog and Painting the Map Red

Glenn Reynolds has written an essential book for understanding how technology and markets are creating a bottom-up shift in power to ordinary people that is changing business, government, and our world. Packed with fresh ideas and adorned with graceful prose, An Army of Davids is a masterpiece.-JOE TRIPPI, author of The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

"I cannot think of a better book for the average reader to understand just how the Web and other digital technologies are reversing the polarities of modern society-restoring many features of daily life lost with the Industrial Revolution, while at the same time inventing powerful new cultural institutions. And for those of us who make careers out of watching this transformation, no book to date so well summarizes all of the diverse trends in a single narrative."-MICHAEL MALONE, "Silicon Insider," ABC News

"Reynolds' highly informative book-a must-read if you want to have some idea of the direction things are taking-is about a lot more than the effect of blogging on Big Media. Its theme is 'the triumph of personal technology over mass technology,' which is a trend Reynolds believes is only 'going to strengthen over the coming decades.'"- FRANK WILSON, Philadelphia Inquirer

"Instapundit's book reads fast. . . It's just one big idea after another, like a Hollywood thriller that piles on the plot rather than stopping to tie up the loose ends. . . He's fearless. . ."-MICKEY KAUS, Kausfiles

"The book covers everything from home-brewing beer to space travel, but all the themes are connected by Glenn's faith in human imagination and creativity. It's a must-read for anyone interested in where technology is taking us."-JIM MEIGS, Popular Mechanics

"Reynolds comes across as a good-humored, reasonable and even modest fellow, so it is astonishing to realize just how ambitious An Army of Davids really is. A hundred years ago, nobody could accurately explain or predict just where the Industrial Revolution would take us. Now, Reynolds attempts nothing short of explaining and predicting where the Information Revolution will take us. . . I will make a prediction-in December, when lists of the most important books of the year are drawn up, this one will be near the top."- JAMES L. MERRINER, Chicago Sun-Times

"Reynolds argues that we are undergoing a sea change. The balance of advantage-in every aspect of society-is shifting from big organizations to small ones. . . Reynolds presents his case with verve and wit."- ADRIAN WOOLDRIDGE, Wall Street Journal

". . . crisp and readable. . . "-The Economist

"Glenn Reynolds isn't just the author of 'An Army of Davids." He's a living, breathing embodiment of the book's attractive and persuasive thesis. . ."-NICK GILLESPIE, New York Post

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Amazon rating:
US$19.49
(As of Mar 10 8:47 , info)

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Think Vitamin 09 Mar 10:
... a high learning curve, some of which I’m hoping to spare you from. If you move in this direction, you’ll see failures along the way; it’ll be as tough as it is fun. But the work you’ll get to engage in, and the great people you get to work with are worth every moment. Resources To Read Army of Davids (Good business oriented abstract read) Noded (I’ve not read this, but ought to) Other Collaborative Freelancers Sidebar Creative Analog Coworking Is a Good Place to Start Coworking on Wikipedia Coworking Site ...

Exploring Requirements: Quality Before Design
Donald C. Gause

TITLE : Exploring Requirements- Quality Before Design AUTHOR : Donald C. Gause & Gerald M. Weinberg FORMAT : Hardback Book PUBLISHER : Dorset House Publishing DATE : 1989 SIZE: About 7" x 10" PAGES: 300

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Scott Berkun 04 Mar 10

Exploring Requirements: Quality Before Design
Donald C. Gause

TITLE : Exploring Requirements- Quality Before Design AUTHOR : Donald C. Gause & Gerald M. Weinberg FORMAT : Hardback Book PUBLISHER : Dorset House Publishing DATE : 1989 SIZE: About 7" x 10" PAGES: 300

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(As of Mar 10 8:03 , info)

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Scott Berkun 04 Mar 10:
... are a kind of design unto themselves. Someone has to diligently sort through those that contradict, that are poorly formed as well as those that are unnecessary. Prototyping and sketching helps sort this out, but that’s just part of the process. The best book I’ve ever seen on this is Exploring Requirements, By Weinberg. It should be required reading for anyone who solves problems for anyone else. But the big problem is, of the few phrases more boring in this world than project management, requirements gathering is definitely one of them. It needs a slicker name. I hate jargon ...

Bootstrapping Your Business: Start And Grow a Successful Company With Almost No Money
Greg Gianforte

The old rules of business are dead. Business has become less Wall Street and more Wild West-if you want market share, you need to be a maverick. In order for your start-up to survive and thrive, you must make sales, create product, market your services, and hire employees. If you're one of the eight million entrepreneurs who doesn't have access to outside capital-or doesn't want the strings that come attached to it, Bootstrapping Your Business is your practical, comprehensive blueprint...

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Bootstrapping Your Business: Start And Grow a Successful Company With Almost No Money

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Silicon Valley Watcher 03 Mar 10

Bootstrapping Your Business: Start And Grow a Successful Company With Almost No Money
Greg Gianforte

The old rules of business are dead. Business has become less Wall Street and more Wild West-if you want market share, you need to be a maverick. In order for your start-up to survive and thrive, you must make sales, create product, market your services, and hire employees. If you're one of the eight million entrepreneurs who doesn't have access to outside capital-or doesn't want the strings that come attached to it, Bootstrapping Your Business is your practical, comprehensive blueprint for starting and sustaining a profitable enterprise.

Greg Gianforte, the nation's top Bootstrapper, shows you the advantages of Bootstrapping vs. traditionally financed start-ups. You'll also learn how the unconventional Bootstrapping mindset-inventive, pioneering, and skeptical of conventional wisdom-applies to you and your business. With Bootstrapping Your Business at your side, you'll gain the advantage you need to outperform the competition-and succeed in today's take-no-prisoners marketplace.

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(As of Mar 10 8:04 , info)

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Silicon Valley Watcher 03 Mar 10:
... you can build a big business with bootstrapping and without VC money. At RightNow, we doubled our revenue and employees every 90 days for two years before we took any outside money, and even then the employees retained more than 75% ownership after raising $32m. Greg Gianforte is the author of:'Bootstrapping Your Business: Start and Grow a Successful Company With Almost No Money. ' ...

Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life (A Free Press Paperbacks Book)
Richard J. Herrnstein

Offering a startling perspective on the social and economic problems of contemporary America, a controversial study examines the relationship between ethnicity and intelligence. Reprint. 125,000 first printing. NYT.

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Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life (A Free Press Paperbacks Book)

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US$12.91
(As of Mar 10 8:50 , info)

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Eric Ries 22 Feb 10

Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life (A Free Press Paperbacks Book)
Richard J. Herrnstein

Offering a startling perspective on the social and economic problems of contemporary America, a controversial study examines the relationship between ethnicity and intelligence. Reprint. 125,000 first printing. NYT.

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US$12.91
(As of Mar 10 8:50 , info)

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Eric Ries 22 Feb 10:
... standard, we ought to be diverse. Our industries are young, so there hasn’t been time yet to become encrusted with too many traditions that exclude outsiders. The work itself, especially in startups, depends primarily on intelligence, communication, creativity and empathy. Even the most radical Bell Curve-style thinkers have to concede that even if there are differences between men and women in the distribution of these traits on average, these curve have substantial overlap, and there should still be a lot more of them represented in high-tech startups. For the record, I don’t think ...

Sams Teach Yourself iPhone Application Development in 24 Hours
John Ray

&>A clear, easy-to-understand tutorial for developers who want to write software for today's hottest market: iPhone, iTouch, and App Store!

The start-to-finish, hands-on introduction to iPhone programming for every developer, regardless of experience

Introduces the iPhone development environment and teaches every essential Objective-C concept with fully-documented, carefully-explained code

A complete tutorial package: step-by-step instructions, examples,...

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Sams Teach Yourself iPhone Application Development in 24 Hours

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US$23.09
(As of Mar 10 9:16 , info)

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47 Hats 22 Feb 10

Sams Teach Yourself iPhone Application Development in 24 Hours
John Ray

&>A clear, easy-to-understand tutorial for developers who want to write software for today's hottest market: iPhone, iTouch, and App Store!

The start-to-finish, hands-on introduction to iPhone programming for every developer, regardless of experience

Introduces the iPhone development environment and teaches every essential Objective-C concept with fully-documented, carefully-explained code

A complete tutorial package: step-by-step instructions, examples, Q and As, quizzes, exercises, tips, shortcuts, and more

iPhone is the world's hottest application market: more than 500,000 developers have downloaded Apple's iPhone software development kit in just one year. Now there's a friendly, accessible guide to iPhone development for every programmer, regardless of experience. In just 24 lessons of one hour or less, Sams Teach Yourself iPhone Application Development in 24 Hours will help beginning iPhone and mobile developers gain true mastery, so you can construct virtually any iPhone application. Each lesson builds on everything that's come before, helping you learn all they need to know without ever becoming overwhelmed. Coverage includes: preparing for iPhone development; navigating the development environment; mastering Objective-C and the MVC paradigm; using widgets and webviews; implementing multiple views; reading and writing data; building user interfaces; generating graphics; playing media; using maps; networking; using the touch interface; sensing motion; pushing application updates; debugging; optimization; distributing software via the App Store; and more. By the time you are finished you'll be comfortable enough to write real-world apps that sell.

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Amazon rating:
US$23.09
(As of Mar 10 9:16 , info)

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47 Hats 22 Feb 10:
... com. But for fun, as a hobby, as a side project without deadlines, responsibilities, stress, I’m going to go play around with creating native iPhone/iPad apps. I’ve never programmed one line of Objective C, don’t know the first thing about it and will start with Sams Teach Yourself iPhone Application Development in 24 Hours. I’ll reward myself at the end of day – If I finish recoding profile and about 4 other screens for version 2 – by becoming a real live Apple Developer. Now that’s my idea of fun! And maybe yours. ...

Outliers: The Story of Success
Malcolm Gladwell

In this stunning new book, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of "outliers"--the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful. He asks the question: what makes high-achievers different? His answer is that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from: that is, their culture, their family, their generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing. Along the way h...

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US$11.74
(As of Mar 10 9:02 , info)

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A Smart Bear 22 Feb 10

Outliers: The Story of Success
Malcolm Gladwell

In this stunning new book, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of "outliers"--the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful. He asks the question: what makes high-achievers different? His answer is that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from: that is, their culture, their family, their generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing. Along the way he explains the secrets of software billionaires, what it takes to be a great soccer player, why Asians are good at math, and what made the Beatles the greatest rock band.

Brilliant and entertaining, OUTLIERS is a landmark work that will simultaneously delight and illuminate.

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US$11.74
(As of Mar 10 9:02 , info)

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A Smart Bear 22 Feb 10:
... ' I'm sick of hearing about how I should be molding my life in the image of Michael Phelps or Albert Einstein, because the only thing that separates me from genius is identifying my strengths and working really really hard. I'm calling bullshit. We're so busy trying to make ourselves into outliers that we're forgetting about what's important. Penelope Trunk pushed me over the edge when she wrote that for the last two years she's been schlepping around a Harvard Business Review article called 'The Making of an Expert' because: 'The article changed how I think about what I am ...

Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us
Seth Godin

A tribe is any group of people, large or small, who are connected to one another, a leader, and an idea. For millions of years, humans have been seeking out tribes, be they religious, ethnic, economic, political, or even musical (think of the Deadheads). Its our nature.

Now the Internet has eliminated the barriers of geography, cost, and time. All those blogs and social networking sites are helping existing tribes get bigger. But more important, theyre enabling countless new tribe...

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Amazon rating:
US$13.57
(As of Mar 10 8:04 , info)

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Loic Le Meur Blog 21 Feb 10

Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us
Seth Godin

A tribe is any group of people, large or small, who are connected to one another, a leader, and an idea. For millions of years, humans have been seeking out tribes, be they religious, ethnic, economic, political, or even musical (think of the Deadheads). Its our nature.

Now the Internet has eliminated the barriers of geography, cost, and time. All those blogs and social networking sites are helping existing tribes get bigger. But more important, theyre enabling countless new tribes to be borngroups of ten or ten thousand or ten million who care about their iPhones, or a political campaign, or a new way to fight global warming.

And so the key question: Who is going to lead us?

The Web can do amazing things, but it cant provide leadership. That still has to come from individuals people just like you who have passion about something. The explosion in tribes means that anyone who wants to make a difference now has the tools at her fingertips.

If you think leadership is for other people, think againleaders come in surprising packages. Consider Joel Spolsky and his international tribe of scary-smart software engineers. Or Gary Vaynerhuck, a wine expert with a devoted following of enthusiasts. Chris Sharma leads a tribe of rock climbers up impossible cliff faces, while Mich Mathews, a VP at Microsoft, runs her internal tribe of marketers from her cube in Seattle. All they have in common is the desire to change things, the ability to connect a tribe, and the willingness to lead.

If you ignore this opportunity, you risk turning into a sheepwalkersomeone who fights to protect the status quo at all costs, never asking if obedience is doing you (or your organization) any good. Sheepwalkers dont do very well these days.

Tribes will make you think (really think) about the opportunities in leading your fellow employees, customers, investors, believers, hobbyists, or readers. . . . Its not easy, but its easier than you think.

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Amazon rating:
US$13.57
(As of Mar 10 8:04 , info)

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Loic Le Meur Blog 21 Feb 10:
... of your community members are very active and in addition to liking your products and your company and team, they tell all their friends, convert them, help evangelizing just because they like what you do. Identify your best fans and treat them as best as you can, they are your ambassadors. Read Seth Godin's Tribes, only 1, 000 fans can get the word to millions. 13. Create your own little social network for your tribeYour inner circle deserves more attention from you and will also like talking to each other in a smaller community. Creating a dedicated group on Google Groups, Facebook Group ...

FRUSTRATION FREE TECHNICAL MANAGEMENT: Proven Techniques to Thrive as a Manager
Jarie Bolander

Frustration Free Technical Management details the POEMS (Personal, Organizational, Emotional, Managerial and Sustaining) process. POEMS allows the technical manager to eliminate their frustrations by detailing common frustrations facing technical managers. POEMS then provides solutions to those frustrations.

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FRUSTRATION FREE TECHNICAL MANAGEMENT: Proven Techniques to Thrive as a Manager

Amazon rating:
US$13.45
(As of Mar 10 8:46 , info)

In Tech startups blogs, this book was blogged about by:

A Smart Bear 19 Feb 10

FRUSTRATION FREE TECHNICAL MANAGEMENT: Proven Techniques to Thrive as a Manager
Jarie Bolander

Frustration Free Technical Management details the POEMS (Personal, Organizational, Emotional, Managerial and Sustaining) process. POEMS allows the technical manager to eliminate their frustrations by detailing common frustrations facing technical managers. POEMS then provides solutions to those frustrations.

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US$13.45
(As of Mar 10 8:46 , info)

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A Smart Bear 19 Feb 10:
... already putting a lot of time into the website, were already proactively helping new folks, and were promoting the site externally, so they were all natural choices. Please welcome: Bob Walsh of 47hats and StartupToDo. com (recently interviewed here) Jarie Bolander of The Daily MBA and author of Frustration-Free Technical Management. Tim of StackOverthrow. Jay Neely of Social Strategist and co-founder of EasyImpress. Promote yourself with flair Get one step closer to 37 pieces of flair! You can embed a widget in your blog which shows off your (live) Answers reputation, like I'm doing ...

Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost
Steve Blank

Volume One of Steve Blank s collected blog posts, featuring war stories and lessons from 20 years in Silicon Valley startups, how to build a successful Customer Development model, and real world advice on creating a successful venture capital pitch. Includes thoughtful ideas on balancing family and career, and finishes up with a rare look into the deep and often secret past of Silicon Valley and its role in both wartime and peacetime high tech. A personal look at the life and times of a Silic...

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US$39.99
(As of Mar 10 9:20 , info)

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Steve Blank 18 Feb 10

Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost
Steve Blank

Volume One of Steve Blank s collected blog posts, featuring war stories and lessons from 20 years in Silicon Valley startups, how to build a successful Customer Development model, and real world advice on creating a successful venture capital pitch. Includes thoughtful ideas on balancing family and career, and finishes up with a rare look into the deep and often secret past of Silicon Valley and its role in both wartime and peacetime high tech. A personal look at the life and times of a Silicon Valley veteran.

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Amazon rating:
US$39.99
(As of Mar 10 9:20 , info)

In Tech startups blogs, this book was blogged about by:

Steve Blank 18 Feb 10:
... about 300 pages of text. One of the downsides to a large number of blog posts is that older stories tend to get buried and hidden. Categories and indexes on the web pages aren’t quite the right metaphor or substitute for random access. So bowing to popular demand the 2009 blog posts are now available on Amazon on a portable device which provides instant and random access to any post and does not require power or an internet connection. Now available on Amazon Recursive History These blogs began as an attempt to explain why a “book” I wrote wasn’t a book. And now ...

Confessions of a Public Speaker
Scott Berkun

"Mr. Berkun's book is packed with tips on how to reduce anxiety and how to speak in public with greater effectiveness."

--Wall Street Journal, Phillip Delves Broughton, author of Ahead of the Curve: Two Years at Harvard Business School (Penguin Press)

"I've seen Scott speak a few times before, and he knows his stuff. Add to this his sense of humor, plus the fact that pretty much everyone can st...

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Amazon rating:
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(As of Mar 10 8:47 , info)

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Scott Berkun 17 Feb 10

Confessions of a Public Speaker
Scott Berkun

"Mr. Berkun's book is packed with tips on how to reduce anxiety and how to speak in public with greater effectiveness."

--Wall Street Journal, Phillip Delves Broughton, author of Ahead of the Curve: Two Years at Harvard Business School (Penguin Press)

"I've seen Scott speak a few times before, and he knows his stuff. Add to this his sense of humor, plus the fact that pretty much everyone can stand to learn some new ideas about speaking, and this book is a MUST for your collection."

--Chris Brogan, President of New Marketing Labs, and co-author of the book, Trust Agents, with Julien Smith

"For those that are contemplating public speaking, or want to improve their current aptitude, it is impossible that after reading the book, that they won't be a better speaker. For those that simply want to know what goes into, and what makes a really good presentation, Confessions of a Public Speaker is also a worthwhile book to read."

--Slashdot review: Ben Rothke is the author of Computer Security: 20 Things Every Employee Should Know (McGraw-Hill)

"Scott Berkun tells it like it is. Whether you're speaking to 10 people or 1000 people, you will gain insights to take your presentation skills to the next level. It's a rare book that will make you think AND laugh."
--Tony Hsieh, CEO, Zappos.com

"Smart, funny, and provocative, Scott Berkun's Confessions puts an very modern and wholly relevant spin on the fine art of public speaking."
--Suzy Welch, bestselling author and public speaker

"At 7:48 a.m. on a Tuesday, I am showered, cleaned, shaved, pruned, fed, and deodorized, wearing a pressed shirt and shiny shoes, in a cab on my way to the San Francisco waterfront I'm far from home, going to an unfamiliar place, and performing for strangers, three stressful facts that mean anything can happen "

In this hilarious and highly practical book, author and professional speaker Scott Berkun reveals the techniques behind what great communicators do, and shows how anyone can learn to use them well. For managers and teachers-and anyone else who talks and expects someone to listen-Confessions of a Public Speaker provides an insider's perspective on how to effectively present ideas to anyone. It's a unique, entertaining, and instructional romp through the embarrassments and triumphs Scott has experienced over 15 years of speaking to crowds of all sizes.

With lively lessons and surprising confessions, you'll get new insights into the art of persuasion-as well as teaching, learning, and performance-directly from a master of the trade.

Highlights include:

Berkun's hard-won and simple philosophy, culled from years of lectures, teaching courses, and hours of appearances on NPR, MSNBC, and CNBC
Practical advice, including how to work a tough room, the science of not boring people, how to survive the attack of the butterflies, and what to do when things go wrong
The inside scoop on who earns $30,000 for a one-hour lecture and why
The worst-and funniest-disaster stories you've ever heard (plus countermoves you can use)

Filled with humorous and illuminating stories of thrilling performances and real-life disasters, Confessions of a Public Speaker is inspirational, devastatingly honest, and a blast to read.

"A fresh, fun, memorable take on the most critical thing: what we say. Highly recommended." -Chris Anderson, Editor in Chief, Wired

"Loved it! Anyone who speaks for a living-including teachers-will greatly benefit from this book." -Garr Reynolds, author of Presentation Zen

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Amazon rating:
US$16.49
(As of Mar 10 8:47 , info)

In Tech startups blogs, this book was blogged about by:

Scott Berkun 17 Feb 10:
... Here are this week’s good links: Ethos, Pathos, Logos: 3 Pillars of Public Speaking – I mention these core ideas in Confessions, but the six minutes blog does a nice job digging in deeper. This American Infographic – Do you like This American Life? And you love graphics? this is for you. And if you like cocktails, you’ll love this. How America Can Rise Again – The Atlantic (January/February 2010) – One of the best essays I’ve read in weeks. Asks all the tough questions about the future of the U. S. and doesn’t pull its punches. YouTube ...

Awakening the Buddha Within: Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World
Lama Surya Das

Lama Surya Das, the most highly trained American lama in the Tibetan tradition, presents the definitive book on Western Buddhism for the modern-day spiritual seeker.

The radical and compelling message of Buddhism tells us that each of us has the wisdom, awareness, love, and power of the Buddha within; yet most of us are too often like sleeping Buddhas. In Awakening the Buddha Within, Surya Das shows how we can awaken to who we really are in order to lead a more compassionate, enligh...

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Awakening the Buddha Within: Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World

Amazon rating:
US$10.85
(As of Mar 10 8:48 , info)

In Tech startups blogs, this book was blogged about by:

bijan sabet 16 Feb 10

Awakening the Buddha Within: Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World
Lama Surya Das

Lama Surya Das, the most highly trained American lama in the Tibetan tradition, presents the definitive book on Western Buddhism for the modern-day spiritual seeker.

The radical and compelling message of Buddhism tells us that each of us has the wisdom, awareness, love, and power of the Buddha within; yet most of us are too often like sleeping Buddhas. In Awakening the Buddha Within, Surya Das shows how we can awaken to who we really are in order to lead a more compassionate, enlightened, and balanced life. It illuminates the guidelines and key principles embodied in the noble Eight-Fold Path and the traditional Three Enlightenment Trainings common to all schools of Buddhism:

Wisdom Training: Developing clear vision, insight, and inner understanding -- seeing reality and ourselves as we really are.

Ethics Training: Cultivating virtue, self-discipline, and compassion in what we say and do.

Meditation Training: Practicing mindfulness, concentration, and awareness of the present moment.

With lively stories, meditations, and spiritual practices, Awakening the Buddha Within is an invaluable text for the novice and experienced student of Buddhism alike.

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Amazon rating:
US$10.85
(As of Mar 10 8:48 , info)

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bijan sabet 16 Feb 10:
... Two books I’m reading on vacation. I guess I needed a break in the action to reflect on a few things :) ...

The Blue Sweater: Bridging the Gap between Rich and Poor in an Interconnected World
Jacqueline Novogratz

The Blue Sweater is the inspiring story of a woman who left a career in international banking to spend her life on a quest to understand global poverty and find powerful new ways of tackling it. It all started back home in Virginia, with the blue sweater, a gift that quickly became her prized possession—until the day she outgrew it and gave it away to Goodwill. Eleven years later in Africa, she spotted a young boy wearing that very sweater, with her name still on the tag inside. T...

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The Blue Sweater: Bridging the Gap between Rich and Poor in an Interconnected World

Amazon rating:
US$10.87
(As of Mar 10 8:03 , info)

In Tech startups blogs, this book was blogged about by:

bijan sabet 16 Feb 10

The Blue Sweater: Bridging the Gap between Rich and Poor in an Interconnected World
Jacqueline Novogratz

The Blue Sweater is the inspiring story of a woman who left a career in international banking to spend her life on a quest to understand global poverty and find powerful new ways of tackling it. It all started back home in Virginia, with the blue sweater, a gift that quickly became her prized possession—until the day she outgrew it and gave it away to Goodwill. Eleven years later in Africa, she spotted a young boy wearing that very sweater, with her name still on the tag inside. That the sweater had made its trek all the way to Rwanda was ample evidence, she thought, of how we are all connected, how our actions—and inaction—touch people every day across the globe, people we may never know or meet.

From her first stumbling efforts as a young idealist venturing forth in Africa to the creation of the trailblazing organization she runs today, Novogratz tells gripping stories with unforgettable characters—women dancing in a Nairobi slum, unwed mothers starting a bakery, courageous survivors of the Rwandan genocide, entrepreneurs building services for the poor against impossible odds. She shows, in ways both hilarious and heartbreaking, how traditional charity often fails, but how a new form of philanthropic investing called "patient capital" can help make people self-sufficient and can change millions of lives. More than just an autobiography or a how-to guide to addressing poverty, The Blue Sweater is a call to action that challenges us to grant dignity to the poor and to rethink our engagement with the world.

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Amazon rating:
US$10.87
(As of Mar 10 8:03 , info)

In Tech startups blogs, this book was blogged about by:

bijan sabet 16 Feb 10:
... Two books I’m reading on vacation. I guess I needed a break in the action to reflect on a few things :) ...

Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
Dan Ariely

Why do our headaches persist after taking a one-cent aspirin but disappear when we take a 50-cent aspirin?

Why does recalling the Ten Commandments reduce our tendency to lie, even when we couldn't possibly be caught?

Why do we splurge on a lavish meal but cut coupons to save twenty-five cents on a can of soup?

Why do we go back for second helpings at the unlimited buffet, even when our stomachs are already full?

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Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions

Amazon rating:
US$25.95
(As of Mar 10 9:17 , info)

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A Smart Bear 15 Feb 10

Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
Dan Ariely

Why do our headaches persist after taking a one-cent aspirin but disappear when we take a 50-cent aspirin?

Why does recalling the Ten Commandments reduce our tendency to lie, even when we couldn't possibly be caught?

Why do we splurge on a lavish meal but cut coupons to save twenty-five cents on a can of soup?

Why do we go back for second helpings at the unlimited buffet, even when our stomachs are already full?

And how did we ever start spending $4.15 on a cup of coffee when, just a few years ago, we used to pay less than a dollar?

When it comes to making decisions in our lives, we think we're in control. We think we're making smart, rational choices. But are we?

In a series of illuminating, often surprising experiments, MIT behavioral economist Dan Ariely refutes the common assumption that we behave in fundamentally rational ways. Blending everyday experience with groundbreaking research, Ariely explains how expectations, emotions, social norms, and other invisible, seemingly illogical forces skew our reasoning abilities.

Not only do we make astonishingly simple mistakes every day, but we make the same types of mistakes, Ariely discovers. We consistently overpay, underestimate, and procrastinate. We fail to understand the profound effects of our emotions on what we want, and we overvalue what we already own. Yet these misguided behaviors are neither random nor senseless. They're systematic and predictable—making us predictably irrational.

From drinking coffee to losing weight, from buying a car to choosing a romantic partner, Ariely explains how to break through these systematic patterns of thought to make better decisions. Predictably Irrational will change the way we interact with the world—one small decision at a time.

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Amazon rating:
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A Smart Bear 15 Feb 10:
... from economics: 'Sunk Cost' is money you've already spent and cannot get back no matter what. A 'rational actor, ' as economists say, will completely ignore sunk costs when making decisions because the money is gone no matter what action is taken next. Of course we carbon-based life forms can rarely be described as 'rational, ' especially when it comes to ignoring sunk costs. It's hard to abandon projects in which you've poured time and money, especially when you've also attached your ego and reputation. Sometimes it's easy to do the right thing. For example, let's say you designed a ...

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values (P.S.)
Robert M. Pirsig

"The real cycle you're working on is a cycle called 'yourself.'"

One of the most important and influential books of the past half-century, Robert M. Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is a powerful, moving, and penetrating examination of how we live and a meditation on how to live better. The narrative of a father on a summer motorcycle trip across America's Northwest with his young son, it becomes a profound personal and philosophical odyssey into life's fu...

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Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values (P.S.)

Amazon rating:
US$11.55
(As of Mar 10 8:19 , info)

In Tech startups blogs, this book was blogged about by:

Feld Thoughts 13 Feb 10

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values (P.S.)
Robert M. Pirsig

"The real cycle you're working on is a cycle called 'yourself.'"

One of the most important and influential books of the past half-century, Robert M. Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is a powerful, moving, and penetrating examination of how we live and a meditation on how to live better. The narrative of a father on a summer motorcycle trip across America's Northwest with his young son, it becomes a profound personal and philosophical odyssey into life's fundamental questions. A true modern classic, it remains at once touching and transcendent, resonant with the myriad confusions of existence and the small, essential triumphs that propel us forward.

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Amazon rating:
US$11.55
(As of Mar 10 8:19 , info)

In Tech startups blogs, this book was blogged about by:

Feld Thoughts 13 Feb 10:
... And yet, I still type. All in the name of sharing and contributing my thoughts via this very interesting mechanism. I’m going to run for three hours this afternoon. I’ll have my Garmin 305 on my wrist (with its GPS) and my iPhone in my pack (listening to the end of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. I’ll be contributing a lot of data to both devices, which will then record them and upload them to “the computer”. The amount of data I’m generating is enormous; I’m not quite sure what the computers are using all of this data for, ...

The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology
Ray Kurzweil

The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology

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Amazon rating:
US$13.00
(As of Mar 10 8:34 , info)

In Tech startups blogs, this book was blogged about by:

Feld Thoughts 13 Feb 10

The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology
Ray Kurzweil

The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology

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Amazon rating:
US$13.00
(As of Mar 10 8:34 , info)

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Feld Thoughts 13 Feb 10:
... After spending the last seven hours in front of my computer, a phrase came to mind that my brother Daniel recently said to me in response to reading The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology. Daniel said: “What if we we are already working for the computers?” While The Matrix and Horton Hears a Who! come immediately to mind, his comment was subtler than that. What if we turn the entire paradigm on its side? In our biological realm we “evolve”; in our computing realm we “innovate. ” What if the computers are actually evolving and have figured ...

Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?
Seth Godin

"The only way to get what you're worth is to stand out, to exert emotional labor, to be seen as indispensable, and to produce interactions that organizations and people care deeply about."

In bestsellers such as Purple Cow and Tribes, Seth Godin taught readers how to make remarkable products and spread powerful ideas. But this book is different. It's about you - your choices, your future, and your potential to make a huge difference in whatever field you choose. ...

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Amazon rating:
US$17.13
(As of Mar 10 9:16 , info)

In Tech startups blogs, this book was blogged about by:

37 Signals 12 Feb 10

Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?
Seth Godin

"The only way to get what you're worth is to stand out, to exert emotional labor, to be seen as indispensable, and to produce interactions that organizations and people care deeply about."

In bestsellers such as Purple Cow and Tribes, Seth Godin taught readers how to make remarkable products and spread powerful ideas. But this book is different. It's about you - your choices, your future, and your potential to make a huge difference in whatever field you choose.

There used to be two teams in every workplace: management and labor. Now there's a third team, the linchpins. These people invent, lead (regardless of title), connect others, make things happen, and create order out of chaos. They figure out what to do when there's no rule book. They delight and challenge their customers and peers. They love their work, pour their best selves into it, and turn each day into a kind of art.

Linchpins are the essential building blocks of great organizations. Like the small piece of hardware that keeps a wheel from falling off its axle, they may not be famous but they're indispensable. And in today's world, they get the best jobs and the most freedom.

Have you ever found a shortcut that others missed? Seen a new way to resolve a conflict? Made a connection with someone others couldn't reach? Even once? Then you have what it takes to become indispensable, by overcoming the resistance that holds people back. Linchpin will show you how to join the likes of...

*Keith Johnson, who scours flea markets across the country to fill Anthropologie stores with unique pieces.
*Marissa Mayer, who keeps Google focused on the things that really matter.
*Jason Zimdars, a graphic designer who got his dream job at 37signals without a résumé.
*David, who works at Dean and Deluca coffeeshop in New York. He sees every customer interaction as a chance to give a gift and is cherished in return.

As Godin writes, "Every day I meet people who have so much to give but have been bullied enough or frightened enough to hold it back. It's time to stop complying with the system and draw your own map. You have brilliance in you, your contribution is essential, and the art you create is precious. Only you can do it, and you must."

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Amazon rating:
US$17.13
(As of Mar 10 9:16 , info)

In Tech startups blogs, this book was blogged about by:

37 Signals 12 Feb 10:
... A great rework of the table of contents. Linchpin, by Seth Godin, briefly describes each chapter instead of just giving the page number. He turns the TOC into an opportunity to summarize the contents of the book for a new reader, not just tell them where things are. ...

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