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A Startup Reading List

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Re: A Startup Reading List

#21

Post by dbecker »

pc86 wrote: post #11
banachtarski wrote: post #10

There is this weird catch 22 where I always hear this book or that book or this or that article is a "must read" for a startup founder. But on the flip side, I also have no time to read it.

I never really understood this mentality. I haven't met anywhere, whether it's a funded startup founder or the CEO of a Fortune 1k company, or a single parent with a full-time job, who doesn't have 20 minutes somewhere they can spend reading. I can understand if the argument is that it's so far down the list of priorities that by the time you get to it you'd rather just go to sleep. I get that. But don't say you're t…

As a matter of semantics, everyone has time.

But, as someone who sometimes reads the types of books recommended on this blog post, I've found they have usually been a worse use of my time than writing code.

So, "I don't have time for ___" could be rephrased as "there are better uses of my time than ___." And I think that's a reasonable point of view in this case.

Re: A Startup Reading List

#22

Post by simplimedia »

liquidcool wrote: post #16

I liked Guy Kawasaki's "The Art of the Start" ( http://www.amazon.com/Art-Start-Time-Tested-Battle-Hardened-... ) because every time I picked it up, it motivated me to put it down and get back to work. I am kind of surprised to see Steve Blank's "The Four Steps to the Epiphany" ( http://www.amazon.com/Four-Steps-Epiphany-Steve-Blank/dp/098... ) omitted. Is that one that everyone mentions, but nobody reads?

Yeah, I liked a lot of books, I made this list based on what I was familiar with.

Re: A Startup Reading List

#23

Post by dudurocha »

That's a overall very good list. My only problem with it, it's that, apart from ocasional ones, only has books that were published since 2011. Where are the classics? I don't think entrepreunership or leadership is something new and you can just learn from the new books.

Re: A Startup Reading List

#24

Post by mindcrime »

liquidcool wrote: post #16

I liked Guy Kawasaki's "The Art of the Start" ( http://www.amazon.com/Art-Start-Time-Tested-Battle-Hardened-... ) because every time I picked it up, it motivated me to put it down and get back to work. I am kind of surprised to see Steve Blank's "The Four Steps to the Epiphany" ( http://www.amazon.com/Four-Steps-Epiphany-Steve-Blank/dp/098... ) omitted. Is that one that everyone mentions, but nobody reads?

I would definitely, definitely recommend both The Four Steps To The Epiphany and The Art Of The Start to any founder. In fact, if I were making a list like this, those two would top the list.

Re: A Startup Reading List

#25

Post by mindcrime »

rxl wrote: post #15

This list, compiled by Chris Johnson, includes a book called "Trust Me, I'm Lying", by Ryan Holiday. One thing to note is that Chris worked with Ryan and has a close relationship with him (Chris actually wrote the trailer for Ryan's book). And judging from Ryan's usual tactics, Chris wrote this list simply to push Ryan's book, which he cleverly included alongside clear classics like The Lean Startup, In The Plex, and…

And judging from Ryan's usual tactics, Chris wrote this list simply to push Ryan's book, which he cleverly included alongside clear classics like The Lean Startup, In The Plex, and The Innovator's Dilemma.

Trust Me, I'm Lying just might wind up as a classic itself! OK, I know it's controversial, as is the author, and I get why. But there's some solid stuff in that book. I learned a lot from reading it, and I think there's some actionable advice in there, even if you don't want to go quite as "underhanded" as Holiday may have on occasion.

Note: I have no relationship with Ryan Holiday whatsoever, beyond having purchased and read a copy of his book.

Re: A Startup Reading List

#26

Post by solistice »

rxl wrote: post #15

This list, compiled by Chris Johnson, includes a book called "Trust Me, I'm Lying", by Ryan Holiday. One thing to note is that Chris worked with Ryan and has a close relationship with him (Chris actually wrote the trailer for Ryan's book). And judging from Ryan's usual tactics, Chris wrote this list simply to push Ryan's book, which he cleverly included alongside clear classics like The Lean Startup, In The Plex, and…

Ryan Holiday is a genious in his own right. He somehow snuck into the personal circle of Robert Greene, Max Tucker, Tim Feriss. According to Neil Strauss (in an email on his personal newsletter), he was "in" with the former 3 just out of college, helping with research and marketing for Greene and Tucker, and being a guest speaker/organizer for a series of talks organized by Ferriss. I've found half a dozen guest posts by him on Ferriss's blog, including some very recent ones.

I guess if there's a thread connecting "hacker-ethos" self improvement authors, it's Ryan Holiday. I have quite some respect for him.

Re: A Startup Reading List

#27

Post by solistice »

simplimedia wrote: post #19
rxl wrote: post #15

This list, compiled by Chris Johnson, includes a book called "Trust Me, I'm Lying", by Ryan Holiday. One thing to note is that Chris worked with Ryan and has a close relationship with him (Chris actually wrote the trailer for Ryan's book). And judging from Ryan's usual tactics, Chris wrote this list simply to push Ryan's book, which he cleverly included alongside clear classics like The Lean Startup, In The Plex, and…

I sure wish I was this clever.

You're being snarky, aren't you? No, wait, everyone here is snarky.

So is this hidden promotion for Holiday, or isn't it? It's not bad if it is, I meant to pick the book up anyways.

Re: A Startup Reading List

#28

Post by rxl »

mindcrime wrote: post #25
rxl wrote: post #15

This list, compiled by Chris Johnson, includes a book called "Trust Me, I'm Lying", by Ryan Holiday. One thing to note is that Chris worked with Ryan and has a close relationship with him (Chris actually wrote the trailer for Ryan's book). And judging from Ryan's usual tactics, Chris wrote this list simply to push Ryan's book, which he cleverly included alongside clear classics like The Lean Startup, In The Plex, and…

And judging from Ryan's usual tactics, Chris wrote this list simply to push Ryan's book, which he cleverly included alongside clear classics like The Lean Startup, In The Plex, and The Innovator's Dilemma. Trust Me, I'm Lying just might wind up as a classic itself! OK, I know it's controversial, as is the author, and I get why. But there's some solid stuff in that book. I learned a lot from reading it, and I think th…

Well done, Ryan. Well done.

Re: A Startup Reading List

#30

Post by rxl »

simplimedia wrote: post #19
rxl wrote: post #15

This list, compiled by Chris Johnson, includes a book called "Trust Me, I'm Lying", by Ryan Holiday. One thing to note is that Chris worked with Ryan and has a close relationship with him (Chris actually wrote the trailer for Ryan's book). And judging from Ryan's usual tactics, Chris wrote this list simply to push Ryan's book, which he cleverly included alongside clear classics like The Lean Startup, In The Plex, and…

I sure wish I was this clever.

Perhaps, but unlikely. And regardless, I know Ryan is.

Also, yes, I realize that bad press is good press and that this controversy will probably drive Ryan even more sales, just by virtue of the fact that more people are talking about his book than would have otherwise. And I don't really care either way, I'd just prefer that people be in the know.

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