gc98835 Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Hi guys I have a long commute these days to school and hence have decided to read something non-serious while travelling. Can you list your favorite book(s)? I am specifically looking for books related to business (for eg. the innovator's dilemma, blue ocean strategy, lean start-up etc. just to name a few), also if you have anything else lighter along the likes of Phd comics, then those books are welcome as well :playful: Thanks for your suggestions :proud: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAmazingSteve Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Blood Meridian is the pinnacle of American literature. It is not, however, about business. It is about the institutions that protect (coddle?) us, the fragility and importance of those institutions, and the tremendous cost paid to realize them in their current incarnation in American. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a great, lighter book. Again, not about business, but wildly entertaining nonetheless. It's a science fiction comedy, so something of a niche audience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YaSvoboden Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 I like xkcd if you are looking along the lines of PhD comics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesr Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Too Big to Fail - Sorkin. A Conspiracy of Fools - Eichenwald. House of Cards - Cohan. Barbarians at the Gates - Burroughs and Hellyer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir W Churchill Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 A history of the english speaking peoples -by me The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill: Visions of Glory 1874-1932 -about me but by William Manchaster ... more "business-like", you say? ...The Necessary Nature of Future Firms - George Huber The no ******* rule -Robert Sutton 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism- Chang The art of choosing -Sheena Ivengar Liar's Poker, Moneyball -Lewis Freakonomics -Levitt & Dubner The Knowing-Doing Gap -Pfeffer & Sutton How will you Measure your life? -Clayton Christensen Fooled by Randomness -Nassim Taleb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wittmic Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 I don't like to read.. :hmm: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsaylors Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism- Chang I have my students read excerpts from this and argue: Good time had by all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HorsesInVA Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Zipper: An Exploration in Novelty - Robert Friedel A lot of people study the impact of essential technologies that have changed over time. The zipper is an interesting case of an inessential technology, that has remained unchanged for the last 100 years. (Literally!) Friedel's book is the story of how of a novelty item called the hookless fastener that through 20 years of tinkering and 40 years of begging by desperate salesmen went onto become an indelible component of modern fashion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doingfine Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 what are these non-academic books you speak of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gc98835 Posted May 9, 2013 Author Share Posted May 9, 2013 what are these non-academic books you speak of? Like the ones being proposed here... (I meant any book other than textbooks) 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism- Chang I like this one, will start with this, thanks a lot guys for the suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catguy Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a great, lighter book. Again, not about business, but wildly entertaining nonetheless. It's a science fiction comedy, so something of a niche audience. Very nice book! By the way, some suggestions: - "My Life as a Quant" and "Models.Behaving.Badly" are both very nice business-related books - "Time Out of Joint" and more or less all books written by PKD - the L.A. quartet of Ellroy Currently, I'm reading a Lovecraft anthology and an advanced micro textbook.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doingfine Posted May 11, 2013 Share Posted May 11, 2013 But really, I don't have any time for non-academic stuff... And I LOVE non-academic stuff... :( This summer maybe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatter Posted May 13, 2013 Share Posted May 13, 2013 Currently, I'm reading a Lovecraft anthology Awesomeness. Generally, the harder I study, the more I find myself attracted to Fantasy. That's why I read Travel Guides. The Annotated Alice, Thinking Fast and Slow and Guns, Germs and Steel are all great too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
possible_phd Posted May 13, 2013 Share Posted May 13, 2013 Like the ones being proposed here... (I meant any book other than textbooks) [ATTACH=CONFIG]6792[/ATTACH] womp womp... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catguy Posted May 13, 2013 Share Posted May 13, 2013 Awesomeness. Generally, the harder I study, the more I find myself attracted to Fantasy. I've been always interested in sci-fi/fantasy/dystopian novels, although I didn't manage to read a lot during university years. Obviously, I didn't mention the classics: 1984, The Time Machine, Dune, The Mists of Avalon, Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451, etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatter Posted May 13, 2013 Share Posted May 13, 2013 I've been always interested in sci-fi/fantasy/dystopian novels, although I didn't manage to read a lot during university years. Obviously, I didn't mention the classics: 1984, The Time Machine, Dune, The Mists of Avalon, Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451, etc... What's dystopian about Lovecraft? It's purely an analogy of the academic world, mind you. We, the students, run around blindly - completely oblivious to the lurking danger of the omnipotent and overbearing power of the adcoms and peer reviewers. We prance around like marionettes while the powers that be play with our future like a game of dice. TUN TUN TUN! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsaylors Posted May 13, 2013 Share Posted May 13, 2013 What's dystopian about Lovecraft? It's purely an analogy of the academic world, mind you. We, the students, run around blindly - completely oblivious to the lurking danger of the omnipotent and overbearing power of the adcoms and peer reviewers. We prance around like marionettes while the powers that be play with our future like a game of dice. TUN TUN TUN! That's it, once I have tenure I will only dress as the king in yellow! http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6E6Cpo3RrS4/UFkEBfALQpI/AAAAAAAABWQ/tpJ2F3XBZuM/s1600/KingInYellow.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catguy Posted May 13, 2013 Share Posted May 13, 2013 What's dystopian about Lovecraft? I was talking about different types of novel that sometimes intersect, not about Lovecraft specifically. For instance, Dune is sci-fi, The Mists of Avalon is fantasy and Brave New World is sci-fi/dystopian... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XanthusARES Posted May 14, 2013 Share Posted May 14, 2013 One mustn't forget the merits of the classics works for business. 1. The Prince - Machiavelli 2. The Art of War - Sun Tzu 3. On War - Carl von Clausewitz and for a light humorous read try 4. The Holy Family - Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels "We must never forget that business not less than a daily war. Fighting against the rigors of success, defeating the injustice of poverty, and subjugating the peasants while doing so. Business is and must exist for the greater good of business. It is a fight worth fighting for." ~anonymous (to be read in the voice of Cary Elwes in his monologue during Robin Hood Men in Tights) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsaylors Posted May 14, 2013 Share Posted May 14, 2013 One mustn't forget the merits of the classics works for business. 1. The Prince - Machiavelli 2. The Art of War - Sun Tzu 3. On War - Carl von Clausewitz and for a light humorous read try 4. The Holy Family - Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels "We must never forget that business not less than a daily war. Fighting against the rigors of success, defeating the injustice of poverty, and subjugating the peasants while doing so. Business is and must exist for the greater good of business. It is a fight worth fighting for." ~anonymous (to be read in the voice of Cary Elwes in his monologue during Robin Hood Men in Tights) Hahaha, did that before reading the end of the quote :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indus Posted May 14, 2013 Share Posted May 14, 2013 I read a bit of literature in my mother tongue. Also helps me ensure that I don't forget how to read/write it :encouragement: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XanthusARES Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 Hahaha, did that before reading the end of the quote :-) I hope we meet at a conference one day. I think we would get along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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