I don't believe in evil. It's a word I use, certainly, because words are shortcuts and we all take the short way round from time to time, but that's...
Continue »
This is probably one of the best books out there on Genghis Khan and his descendants. Instead of portraying him as a bloodthirsty conqueror, it goes into the history of his policies and choices for governing his people, as well as the innovations he brought to warfare and government. The author also focuses on the stereotypes and debunks them to reveal a fascinating person with a unique vision for the word that is much more egalitarian than previously was known. An excellent read not merely for the history, but also for understanding how innovation can be applied.
This is a very good book, but it's not remarkable. However it is about trying to be remarkable, and while what Godin says is very useful, it's also nothing new. I've seen this book get a lot of hype, and I can see why it has gotten such hype, especially with the current economy, and businesses wanting to stand out and be more relevant, and certainly Godin exemplifies what he talks about, as is evidenced by Squidoo and his books. At the same time, what would have made Purple Cow remarkable would be more than just telling stories of what other people have done. Providing some exercises, or some in-depth case studies, as opposed to brief anecdotes provided, may have made it remarkable. Unfortunately, and ironically, with this book Godin has fallen into the very trap he discusses in it: His ideas have become so commonplace, they are no longer remarkable.
This proved to be a very useful read, because it spells out the necessity of determining when you should quit something and when you should pursue it. It's a short book, but you will want to take your time and think about what the author suggests, especially because quitting is so foreign to us. However by spending some time looking at what you are doing and if it's something you can really commit to, you can save yourself a lot of time, money, and effort. I wish I had read this before before I embarked on my ph.d program years ago. It certainly would've saved me a lot of time and effort. In anycase, I highly recommend reading this book, as it will help you prioritize what really matters in your life.
While I don't think it's realistic to try and do social media marketing on one hour a day, especially with the amount of work involved, what I appreciate about this book is the attention the author gives to the strategy behind social media marketing. The author provides resources and worksheets that the reader can use to help them plan out their social media strategy, and also details what the reader will need to do in terms of actually engaging their audience as opposed to just advertising to them. Best of all what this author writes about can be applied across a variety of social media technologies, even if and when that technology changes.
In this book, Hall explores the intricacies of time and space from a cultural studies perspective. Although this book is a bit dated, the information is still very relevant, and what Hell offers is an examination of how much our perception of time influences our cultural and everyday interactions. For example, learning just how tightly time is wound for Americans as opposed to other cultures is quite insightful to the workaholicism that pervades American culture. Hall touches on some aspects of space as well, though you'll find more of his thoughts on it, in the hidden dimension. What I most enjoyed about this book is an exploration of time from a social science perspective as opposed to a hard science perspective. I definitely recommend it to anyone interested in understanding concepts of space and time.
Powell's City of Books is an independent bookstore in Portland, Oregon, that fills a whole city block with more than a million new, used, and out of print books. Shop those shelves — plus literally millions more books, DVDs, and eBooks — here at Powells.com.
Don't Miss
Customer Comments
Taylor has commented on (57) products.
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford
Taylor, November 20, 2009
This is probably one of the best books out there on Genghis Khan and his descendants. Instead of portraying him as a bloodthirsty conqueror, it goes into the history of his policies and choices for governing his people, as well as the innovations he brought to warfare and government. The author also focuses on the stereotypes and debunks them to reveal a fascinating person with a unique vision for the word that is much more egalitarian than previously was known. An excellent read not merely for the history, but also for understanding how innovation can be applied.Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable by Seth Godin
Taylor, November 7, 2009
This is a very good book, but it's not remarkable. However it is about trying to be remarkable, and while what Godin says is very useful, it's also nothing new. I've seen this book get a lot of hype, and I can see why it has gotten such hype, especially with the current economy, and businesses wanting to stand out and be more relevant, and certainly Godin exemplifies what he talks about, as is evidenced by Squidoo and his books. At the same time, what would have made Purple Cow remarkable would be more than just telling stories of what other people have done. Providing some exercises, or some in-depth case studies, as opposed to brief anecdotes provided, may have made it remarkable. Unfortunately, and ironically, with this book Godin has fallen into the very trap he discusses in it: His ideas have become so commonplace, they are no longer remarkable.The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick) by Seth Godin
Taylor, November 4, 2009
This proved to be a very useful read, because it spells out the necessity of determining when you should quit something and when you should pursue it. It's a short book, but you will want to take your time and think about what the author suggests, especially because quitting is so foreign to us. However by spending some time looking at what you are doing and if it's something you can really commit to, you can save yourself a lot of time, money, and effort. I wish I had read this before before I embarked on my ph.d program years ago. It certainly would've saved me a lot of time and effort. In anycase, I highly recommend reading this book, as it will help you prioritize what really matters in your life.Social Media Marketing: An Hour a Day by Dave Evans
Taylor, October 31, 2009
While I don't think it's realistic to try and do social media marketing on one hour a day, especially with the amount of work involved, what I appreciate about this book is the attention the author gives to the strategy behind social media marketing. The author provides resources and worksheets that the reader can use to help them plan out their social media strategy, and also details what the reader will need to do in terms of actually engaging their audience as opposed to just advertising to them. Best of all what this author writes about can be applied across a variety of social media technologies, even if and when that technology changes.The Silent Language by Edward T Hall
Taylor, October 19, 2009
In this book, Hall explores the intricacies of time and space from a cultural studies perspective. Although this book is a bit dated, the information is still very relevant, and what Hell offers is an examination of how much our perception of time influences our cultural and everyday interactions. For example, learning just how tightly time is wound for Americans as opposed to other cultures is quite insightful to the workaholicism that pervades American culture. Hall touches on some aspects of space as well, though you'll find more of his thoughts on it, in the hidden dimension. What I most enjoyed about this book is an exploration of time from a social science perspective as opposed to a hard science perspective. I definitely recommend it to anyone interested in understanding concepts of space and time.1-5 of 57next