Stephen King says that if you want to be a writer, there are two things you must do: read a lot and write a lot. This is about the “read a lot” part. I include reading lists and book reviews that will help you do business more effectively and write better for business.
In this post, I point you to reviews of American Capitalism: New Histories, Modern Death, Behemoth, The Power of Community, and Servant Leadership in Action.
From HBS Working Knowledge: The New History of American Capitalism
“Historians are taking a new look at capitalism in light of its adoption in most of the developed world. From the edited volume American Capitalism: New Histories, by Sven Beckert and Christine Desan, the authors delve into the evolution of these new historic views.”
From Wharton: How Modern Medicine Changed the Way People Die
“Death is as old as time itself. But it has also changed in modern times, with technology prolonging life, social media making death a shareable event, and most people checking out of this world in hospitals and nursing homes instead of at home. Haider Warraich, a cardiologist at Duke University Medical Center, takes readers on a scientific and philosophical journey of the modern way to die in his new book, Modern Death: How Medicine Changed the End of Life.”
Companion Reading Suggestion. Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
From the Economist: An insightful history of giant factories
“Lombe’s mill is the natural starting-point for Joshua Freeman’s lively chronicle of the factory, which as the title of his book ‘Behemoth’ implies, concentrates on the largest specimens of their time. Mr Freeman, a historian at Queens College in New York, travels from Britain’s textile mills, which centralised tasks that were previously carried out in homes and small workshops, to monster steel and carmaking factories in 20th-century America, Europe and the Soviet Union. His journey ends in southern China at Foxconn’s city-sized plant, which makes iPhones and other electronic gadgets.”
From Michael McKinney: 6 Steps to Building a Community
“Organizational health is facilitated by building community within your organization. It’s not easy, and it can’t be forced. Community is a long-term solution to engagement, commitment, and talent retention. In The Power of Community, Howard Partridge has broken down the process of building a community within your organization into three keys with six action steps.”
From Ken Blanchard: Servant Leadership in Action
“In the new book I just finished coediting, Servant Leadership in Action, forty-four celebrated servant leaders—authors, experts, and servant leadership practitioners—share their perspectives on this proven, but for some still radical, leadership model.”
Reading recommendations are a regular feature of this blog. Want more recommendations about what to read? Check out my Three Star Leadership blog, Michael McKinney’s LeadingBlog, and Skip Prichard’s Leadership Insights.