Guy Kawasaki has listed his top 10 books ... I have not heard about a single one of them, so I guess I need to find out more.
Now I have given it long thought as to my list of favourite books... and here it is (in the order of how i remembered them) !
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintainence
You should have guessed it by now :-). Since I am a bike freak, this book had to be on the list ! I think that it is the only book which mixes Bikes and Philosophy. The first time you read it , it starts of ok, and the you get lost. The second time , it starts to penetrate your thoughts. The third time, you think you have got it !
Blink, Tipping Point
Both books combined together. They provide an insight into intution and fads. A very enlightening read, and if you are into marketting, very thought provoking books.
The Google Story
Guess where I read this book ???
It was in Microsoft. :-)
Yeah, a lot of negative things are said about Microsoft, and I am also not averse to pointing out the ills. But there can be no doubt that the library in Microsoft is the best one around. The book covers the entire history of Google and the people behind it. How they started with the thought of downloading the internet in 1 week, and how they are still at it.
The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
The book is a precursor to the Lord of the Rings. I personally like it better than LOTR as it is shorter and easier to read. LOTR is grand in scale, but it still does not have battles with dragons.
7 Habits of Highly Successful people
I don't read self improvement books much - but this book is really good. The 7 habits really help.
Design Patterns
A book on the common patterns used in programming. Its surprising how many coders in India have not even touched this book. One of the biggest drawbacks of people in india is that they don't do something unless they are told to do it, and I think that's why we have so many services companies and so few product companies.
Hitch Hikers Guide to the galaxy
One of the most hillarious sci-fi books ever written. Now, if you have not read it, just drop by at your neighborhood book-store and pick it up.
Ramayana - by Ashok Bankar
Ramayana , along with the Mahabharatha, are the oldest epics in the world. Over the ages people have passed it on to the next generation by word of mouth, then some wrote it down in the ancient languages. Now, Ashok Bankar brings it to life in a new treatment of the epic. Beautifully scripted it makes the story come alive.
Holy Cow : An Indian Adventure !
A book by a journalist who was in India for a few years, it details the life and activities of India. An amazing read to know what a foreigner thinks of India.
My Family and other Animals
By Gerrald Durrel, the book is about his life and his love for animals. Humourous, easy read and the life with animals - it was a hit with me when I was a kid, and still love it.
If you know of other people's top 10 books, please leave a comment and I will update this post !
Not in particular order,but books that have influenced me.
ReplyDelete1. Lee Iacocca : An autobiography.
2. Lance Amstrong Its not about the bike.
3. Peter Drucker : The effective executive.
4. Richard Branson : Loosing My Virginity.
5. Mcdonalds Behind the Arches.
6. Odyssey :pepsi to apple
7. To kill a mocking bird Harper Lee.
8. Business Maharajs/Legends Gita Piramal
9. Jack welch : straight from the Gut
10. Freakonomics
I have read Lance Armstrong's "Its not about the bike" and loved it. Yes, I will strongly recommend it to anyone.
ReplyDeleteOTOH, Jack Welch's book was not really something I enjoyed. I cannot identify with the person.
The other books, I need to read. Freakonimics is another name that I have heard a lot, but not been able to check out.
Thanks for the list Arpan !
A self help book as ur top 10, even i was a bit surprised. 7 habits ... is one book which i bought 3 yrs back but still not able to read it completely. Just nt able to get thru the frist few pages. How did u manage to read it completly?
ReplyDeleteVishal,
ReplyDeleteThe first chapter can be safely skipped. :-) Thereafter , just go and read the chapter which has how all these habits tie in. This gives an idea of what the author is talking about.
in your spare time, just go and read the chapters which cover whatever you want to read about. I suggest reading the chapters on how to manage your time (it has a few sample organization charts) and the 'sharpening the saw' section.
Why do I recommend this book ? Because people generally have a vague idea of what they should be doing, but don't know how to go about doing it. This book gives you ideas about 'how' to go about doing it.
Does it mean that I follow the book to a T ? Not really, I now know the general ideas, and utilize them. E.g. I believe I have improved in how I utilize my time and as a result i have been able to put in more activities in the same 24 hours.
Don't go by the literal words in the book - use your own analysis as to how you can do the same things.
Another example is going to church which is mentioned in the book - which does not apply to Indians. I don't even translate it to going to a Temple. My equation is about doing a few minutes of deep breathing - it is achieving the same purpose.
A Brief History Of Time - Stephen Hawking ( still reading )
ReplyDeleteBooks to read :
The Clockwork Orange -
1984 - George Orwell
The Animal Farm - George Orwell
The Manipulated Man - Esther Vilar