Book List for enterpreneurs

A Dutch magazine for enterpreneurs published a list of books-every-enterpreneur-even-the-ones-who-never-take-time-to-read-must-read. Here is the top 10:


1) Small Giants-Bo Burlingham
Why? Be great by staying small shares many stories on how to build a sound business.
2) Mastering the Rockefeller Habits- Verne Harnish
Why? Based on a small set of simple rules all enterpreneurs should remember.
3)Ze zullen weten wie ze voor zich hebben (Dutch)- Marcel Metze
Why? The story of Philips, an icon in Dutch history
4) The long tail-Chris Anderson
Why? Go and do business on the Internet says Anderson.
5) Purple cow-Seth Godin
Why? Marketing guru Seth Godin tells how to stand out in a competitive market place.
6) The Google story-David Vise
Why? Google is a legendary company already, read the story.
7)Pour your heart into it- Howard Schultz
Why? A story how Starbucks became great
8) Losing my virginity-Richard Branson
Why? Well,it is Branson...
9) Good to great-Jim Collins
Why? Book on how to excell
10) A stake in the otucome-Jack Stack
Why? How to build a culture of ownership within a company: motivating your staff

Thoghts from journalist Robert Fisk

Yeah I know, that is the third blog post in one day, I should focus more on my thesis....I just needed to share this.

Robert Fisk, famous for the book conquest of the Middle-East and recognized journalist gave a speech in Vancouver in 2006. I have heard this speech several times and every time I am equally impressed. One of his quotes:

And by the time I got back to the front of the air craft, I realized that Osama Bin Laden - for I was sure he had a hand in this. He had managed to turn nice, friendly, liberal Bob into a racist in about ten seconds.And I came to the conclusion that part of the reason for doing this was not to divide Muslims from Christians. I don't believe in the clash of civilizations.It was to divide the innocent from the innocent.It was to make us hate each other. That was the purpose.

He also shows a strong historical resemblence with events in the Middle-East one hundred years back and the current reality. Very fascinating stuff, if you get the chance, check this speech out.

Must read: the shadow of the wind

The shadow of the wind written by Carlos Ruiz Zafon is nothing less than a masterpiece. I bought the book in London where it used to be on the bestsellers list. I finished it almost 5 days later, gripped by the narrative.

Set in Barcelona, Daniel a young boy is taken to the “cemetery of forgotten books” by his father, a bookshop keeper. He is allowed to pick one book to read. He chooses the book “Shadow of the Wind” written by Julian Carax. After reading the book, Daniel sets out for a search on the books author. As time passes by, the search ends in a struggle on life and death and Daniel’s life gets tangled up with Carax’s life.

What I found most intriguing are the characters in the book and their relationships. The author illustrates human relationships and emotions in all its forms. At some point I felt so involved with the main characters that I found myself hoping for a happy end.

I read the last chapter in the train from Brussels to Rotterdam. The story is so gripping that it left me with tears in my eyes. I really recommend this book and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.