ashes of my shelf
Over the years, I've read a few thousand books. Some of which were about business. This list has 44 recommendations.
Selling the Wheel
Selling the Wheel by Jeff Cox and Howard Stevens is a business fable that cleverly illustrates different selling styles and how they align with the buyer’s journey. The story follows Max, an inventor in ancient times who creates the wheel but struggles to sell it. As Max partners with a series of salespeople—each with distinct […]
Guerrilla Marketing
Guerrilla Marketing by Jay Conrad Levinson revolutionized the world of advertising and marketing when it first appeared by proposing bold, unconventional strategies for small businesses with limited budgets. The book’s core message is simple but powerful: creativity and energy can outperform expensive ad campaigns. Rather than relying on traditional media buys, guerrilla marketing emphasizes tactics […]
The Tools of Argument
The Tools of Argument by Joel P. Trachtman is a concise but powerful guide for mastering persuasive reasoning and structured debate. Written by a professor of international law, the book distills the techniques used by lawyers to craft airtight arguments and dismantle flawed logic. Trachtman provides readers with an accessible toolkit: how to build syllogisms, […]
The Goal
Alex rogo is a harried plant manager working ever more desperately to try and improve performance. His factory is rapidly heading for disaster. So is his marriage. He has ninety days to save his plant – or it will be closed by corporate HQ, with hundreds of job losses. It takes a chance meeting with […]
The Black Swan
What have the invention of the wheel, Pompeii, the Wall Street Crash, Harry Potter and the internet got in common? Why are all forecasters con-artists? Why should you never run for a train or read a newspaper? This book is all about Black Swans: the random events that underlie our lives, from bestsellers to world […]
The Attention Merchants
Feeling attention challenged? Even assaulted? American business depends on it. In nearly every moment of our waking lives, we face a barrage of messaging, advertising enticements, branding, sponsored social media, and other efforts to harvest our attention. Few moments or spaces of our day remain uncultivated by the “attention merchants,” contributing to the distracted, unfocused […]