Books

I’m a self-proclaimed bookworm—I love, love, love books.  I devour them.  I’ll dabble in different genres and will give every book a chance.  So, about 10 years ago, when I was at a dinner with a friend and his boss and interview questions came up, the president of his company mentioned he always asks people what the last thing they read was—now he didn’t really care what had been read, he just wanted to know the person had read something.  I remember thinking that I’d love to get that question, but when I thought about it further, I realized it’s actually a hard question because I’ve read so much.  But, I couldn’t turn away from it, so when I started thinking about what I might like to write for my company’s blog, books were a no-brainer.  We decided to limit it to three books and I’m going to steer away from the essentials everyone should have on his/her desk and go to the ones that have made a true impact on my life and that have stood the test of time. 

Note: if you DON’T have these two items on your desk, do not pass go, do not collect $200, just hope that nobody has noticed and rush to your closest book store and buy them immediately.  A dictionary—yes, a real hard copy dictionary—use it, open it, it will help you, and an AP Stylebook—trust me, few things tick off journalists or a boss more than someone who didn’t take the time to look it up.  Now onto my top three. 

Brand Gap by Marty Neumeier:  I love this book because it provides a simple explanation of branding—something every PR person needs to embrace.

A Carrot a Day: A Daily Dose of Recognition for Your Employees by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton – While this one says “for your employees,” I really think this book is beneficial for people at all levels because it reinforces the need for appreciation—which can be given to media, vendors, colleagues, etc. Always follow the “win more flies with honey” mantra

Random House Word Menu by Stephen D. Glazier.  This book was recommended to me by a writer friend a number of years ago and I’ve been eternally grateful for it.  It is hands down the best book for writer’s block as it categorizes words and terms. 

This list doesn’t contain the latest books, but I think they’re worth their cover price.  Bottom line: read what’s important to your manager, clients and yourself.

So tell me, what’s on your reading list?