Every now and then I realize that I had a theme to my weekend reading. This weekend I absorbed three books: Ego Check, Toilets of the World, and The No Assholes Rule. Do you see the theme?
Ego Check – written by CU Professor Mathew Hayward – was pretty good although once again a 225 page book could have been edited down to about 75 pages and gotten the same point across. The anecdotes and stories were mostly familiar to me, although Hayward put them together in a cohesive framework that’s useful if you want to study leadership styles and how “executive hubris” can destroy people and companies. Note to anyone writing a business book – think “75 pages.”
I’m fascinated by toilets and Toilets of the World didn’t disappoint. Enough said.
The No Assholes Rule weighed in at 186 pages – about 100 pages too long. Like Ego Check, it wasn’t a bad business book, but it was too long for the simple point that it was making. So far, my favorite business book of all time is On Bullshit which is about the perfect length.
Have you read Poor Charlie’s Almanack?
You won
Comment by Guy Kingston — March 5, 2007 @ 10:19 am
Yes – Poor Charlie’s Almanack is awesome.
Comment by Brad Feld — March 5, 2007 @ 10:57 am
Those are all non-fiction books? I actually like non-fiction books.
Oh yeah, you might like the Reading & Book Forum.
Comment by Reader Scott — March 5, 2007 @ 2:35 pm
I chuckle every time I see “Toilets of the World” in the bookstore. Was it a good “read?”
Comment by Louisville Real Estate — March 5, 2007 @ 8:34 pm
Well, if you ever happen to find yourself in my former hometown, Worcester, MA, there is actually a toilet museum — the only known plumbing museum in the world, according to this website:
http://www.wbur.org/special/strangemuseums/plumbing.asp
Comment by Mel Cummings — March 7, 2007 @ 7:35 pm
Brad, what non-fiction business book do you recommend that is over 200 pages?
Comment by J Mueller — March 8, 2007 @ 2:07 pm
J – I can’t think of one off the top of my head. Fiction, biography, and history works for > 200 pages. Non-fiction business books – not so much (other than “business history” – which is really history.)
Comment by Brad Feld — March 8, 2007 @ 6:03 pm