I thought I'd tell you the books I'm reading. What people read tells you a lot about them: Their preferences, interests, hobbies, fantasies.
I tend to read several books at a time. This keeps me interested but it can confuse me :)
One book I'm reading now is Thomas Friedman's Longitudes and Attitudes. It's a book that chronicles the events leading up to 9/11 and Iraq. But it's not just about politics and war. It's about the globalization (read: economics) that has occurred since the Cold War ended and how it has affected the global playing field. Rather than nation-states dictating how the world works, it's more about how the web created by globalization has empowered individuals and large markets.
Friedman sure knows how to turn a phrase. He's very good at getting complex points across. I've watched him on TV and enjoy him. This is my first read of any of his books.
Another book I'm reading, kind of peacemeal, is The Tom Peters Seminar, which is Peter's attempt at capturing the content, flavor, and enthusiasm of one of his seminars. There's a whole lot of information to chew on here. This book is a little long in the tooth, though, having been written in 1994. Some of the companies he highlights for revolutionary change didn't make out so well in the 2000s.
Nevertheless, the gist of the book, if I had to boil it down into one phrase or sentence, is that the new economy is about YOU, Inc. Become used to having multiple jobs and no security. Become an expert and become a free agent.
Finally, the third book I'm reading right now is not really a book, in that it's a guide on the web, called The Action Guide. It's about building a business on the web. I'm using it to build two new sites (in very early development) that I hope to publish this year. The idea behind the Action Guide is that each step of the business you're building is broken into easily-digestible and actionable chunks. During each step, you build upon what you learned in the previous chunks.
I want to build valuable web properties (hopefully, this is one of them!) and I think this process will help me get there. Take a look at the testimonials. They are what ultimately sold me.
What's to come? Well, I like re-reading books I've read. It's fun to compare what the author thought might happen with reality. So I think I may re-read The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need by Andrew Tobias and Jim Cramer's Mad Money for Life.
I've mentioned that I'd review those books in the near-future. As sometimes happens in life, the near-future is turning into "next year." One day, I'll get to these reviews.
I don't want to be like the rest of the Personal Finance bloggers who do reviews -- they do an excellent job and they (and you!) know who they are. I want to bring my particular viewpoints and opinions to the discussion; I just haven't made the time to do it yet.
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