Sunday, August 16, 2009

My Reading List

Been reading a lot of interesting books these days, with my outdoor extra-curricular activities severely limited because of the flu.

Undercover Economist is an exciting peek into how markets and economies work, and how it impacts what we buy and how much we pay for it. Along with Freakonomics, it makes for a very interesting read.

I have also been readong Ann's book on handwriting analysis, a skill I picked up many years back, and have used effetively during personal as well as professional interviews. For the disbelieving, you should know that graphology is a statistical science, just like medicine and psychology, and works on determining patterns and then applying it to your case. When I first heard about it, I was doubtful too, which is when I started learning it, and fell in love with it.

Have also finished reading Dad Rules, a must-read for all wannabe dads (and their spouses too!). I wrote to the author, Andrew Clover, and got a personal reply immediately :)

Siddesh,

You are kind. I'm busy trying to do a new one now - all about how to be a good husband, and am worried that Dad Rules hasn't sold like it might've. Do please recommend it to your friends. Would you also consider doing a review on Amazon or Waterstones website? Have a wonderful summer. What are you up to?

Andrew x


So for the sake of my new found author friend, all ye dad's-to-be, please buy one copy. And if you aren't dad-to-be, then be one!

Another book I picked up from my collection of bought-but-not-read for reading finally is on Intuition. Started off well, but has too much of "divine" stuff in it. I would have preferred something that told me it was scientific, and helped me improve my ability to catch it and work with it... so it's kinda lost out.

I also recently finished reading this leather-bound reproduction of a 1850s account of a Britisher's first visit to Portuguese Goa. Fascinating, although depressing, given the amount of negativity and poverty and wretchedness described in the book.

Another superbly funny and well-written book is "all a man needs to know about work and sex". Just an awesomely funny and enlightening read!

And finally, to top the list, is Buzan's Mind Map series. A revolutionary way to think and improve memory, I am just too lazy to try it, but I will. A friend recently used it to understand a pretty revolutionary paper I wrote on thought leadership in solutions management, and she claims it all became pretty clear to her.

Thinking back, I am not sure that was a compliment to me, my thoughts or my writing... maybe it was for the book :(

1 comment:

Harsha Kumar said...

Ok.. I haven't read the book on mind maps yet. But I did like the concept.. And it did help me! Your paper was very well organized and it fit into my mind map so seamlessly :)
PS: If you're not reading it, pass it on..

I must add though - I have tons of books lying around, all half read. Right now, there are 5 in my living room - Silos, Power, Harvard, Google story and stay hungry stay foolish. I'm very close to finishing Silos and Harvard.. And I pledge not to give up before I'm done with them :)