Leaders Are Readers
I have read so many books in my lifetime – I should be the leader of the free world.
Seriously.
I've been reading since I was a toddler. I watched my parents read at night, after dinner, in the front room. Dad in his recliner, Mom on the couch. Both reading by the lamp on the end table between them.
Every house we lived in had a library – our books traveled with us, whether the move was from one state to the next, one city to the next, one country to the next.
Many times I would have a question about the world, about people, about science or religion and I would be told “look it up”… which meant I was to go to our home library and try to find the answer myself. If I couldn't find it, then I would get assistance from my parents. And if they didn't know or couldn't find it in our own library, we went to the school or public library to find the answer. (yes, this was before the internet … many, many years before the internet).
So I always knew that it was okay to say “I don't know”, but that it wasn't okay to say “I'll never know” because there are just too many places to find the answer – and now, with the internet, there is no reason … ever … to say you can't find the answer.
The kinds of books I read vary – from Arthur C. Clarke science fiction to James Rollins thrillers, from Tom Clancy action thrillers to Diana Gabaldon historial romance. And everything in between. The only fiction I don't read is Fantasy. I don't care to read about fairies, elves, witches and dragons.
Then there are the non-fiction books. The books I read with the same intensity as the fiction, with the purpose being to learn something new and do it myself then share it with others. These range from Anthony Robbins self-improvement to Pam Brossman action lists, from Daniel Pink pay attention to your audience to John Maxwell daily living practices.
I would rather read a book than watch a movie.
I will be doing a series of posts with book recommendations.
Today's recommendations are:
Fiction – Subterranean by James Rollins, a veterinarian that blends science with history and creates terrific action/adventure stories. His first book that gets things rolling and is a great introduction to what you can expect in the many books that follow.
Non-Fiction: The Best of Guerrilla Marketing: Guerrilla Marketing Remix by Jay Levinson. Want to learn the nitty gritty of what it takes to market well? This is the book. Best read in paperback for easy reference checking (I have post it notes stuck throughout this book so I can easily find a list or a paragraph).
Do You Read?
What do you like to read? Fiction? Non-Fiction? What are you reading now? I'd love to know.
