Read These Books: Summer Recommendations from Content Marketers. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi This book is a fantastic reminder of how to recognize joy in the work we do. Lewis-Williams demonstrates that the origin of media – beginning with Paleolithic cave art – was social. It’s not until the end, with all the perspectives explained, that you really understand why the murder happened. Jay Acunzo earned the top spot for 2017. Creator of the award-winning podcast Unthinkable, Jay shares the books and podcasts that inspire him. His podcast, The Way I Heard It, shares “a different take on the people and events that you thought you knew.” Not only is this an amazing show at face value, it’s a powerful example of how “creativity” does not mean “big.” His episodes are around 11 minutes, with truly jaw-dropping stories running for just five to six minutes. Final recommendation Unthinkable (podcast) Jay Acunzo What’s it all about? Instead of places, we pick topics we care about as content marketers, then go exploring. What content are you reading this summer for fun, inspiration, or insight?
Need something to snap you out of your slump? Turn to your fellow marketers for advice about books and a few podcasts that are practical, inspirational, and downright fun.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
This book is a fantastic reminder of how to recognize joy in the work we do. If we are in “flow,” we are engaging with all our senses.
Vanessa DiMauro, Leader Networks, @VDiMauro
John Brooks
I downloaded Business Adventures after hearing Bill Gates call it “the best book I ever read.” (Gates read it on the advice of Warren Buffett.) The book covers classic business stories – including Ford’s Edsel, Piggly Wiggly, Xerox and GE – and illustrates how great leaders react to and rise above challenges.
Arnie Kuenn, Vertical Measures, @ArnieK
Matthew Syed
Failure is the best teacher. This book highlights why we should embrace our failures and how to put processes in place to improve on them.
Andy Vale, infinity.co, @AndyVale
David Lewis-Williams
If you want to understand media, social media, and storytelling, it’s best to begin at the beginning. That’s where Lewis-Williams comes in. He is a South African anthropologist who is the preeminent scholar of rock art and cave art, especially the ancient cave paintings of Western Europe that mark the beginnings of humanity.
Lewis-Williams demonstrates that the origin of media – beginning with Paleolithic cave art – was social. The community participated in the creation of primitive art, and the closer one got to the act of creating those images, the more powerful one became in the community. The purpose of this first medium, he argues, was to create the first social hierarchies. In effect, the guy who controlled the medium was the guy in charge.
Kirk Cheyfitz, Story Worldwide, @KirkCheyfitz
Out
Natsuo Kirino
Out is a tension-filled, murder mystery novel – one not for the faint of heart. I love Kirino’s style of writing; each chapter digs deeper into the story, giving you a concentrated perspective on each character. It’s not until the end, with all the perspectives explained, that you really understand why the murder happened.
Amy Higgins, TopRank Marketing, @AmyWHiggins
Competing Against Luck
Clayton Christensen
It’s a wonderful book for any marketer…
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