You mean like – books?
Yes, I do mean books. Since I’ve started playing with the what social networking/social media might mean to me, I’ve bought more non-fiction books in the last 3 months than fiction.
Some of this has been catch-up – I’d heard of the long tail, I’d hear mavens mentioned…
Some have been as the result of my own research – looking for social capital I’d hear about Bowling Alone…
Shirky’s book was as a result of seeing Bill Barnett (@bb42) tweeting about some of Clay Shirky’s writings and me saying, “Wow, what should I start with?”
I love playing with the toys, but I think it’s even more important to try and get an understanding of how this area is formed and where it’s moving…
… and for me, that’s largely by reading what others have written.
Recent reading
This is my current list, most recent first – the first two still being read.
- Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations by Clay Shirky
- Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything by Don Tapscott & Anthony Williams
- The Wisdom of Crowds: Why the Many Are Smarter Than the Few by James Surowiecki
- The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell
- The Long Tail: How Endless Choice Is Creating Unlimited Demand by Chris Anderson
- Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
- Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert Putnam
What are you reading?
I’d really like to know your reading suggestions – mainly printed word, as I think RSS feeds are a matter for another post…
… which might be next week.
Picture Credit gadl
I’d add it’s also well worth a look at Library Thing – easy to maintain lists of what you’re reading – you can see some of my recent Amazon purchases, though not all the fiction…
I thought Everything is Miscellaneous was fantastic, if you haven’t read it already.
Also, I really like the iRead app on facebook as way of keeping track books I’m reading and want to read.
Picked up The Undercover Economist by Tim Harford at the airport last week. Easy going read, and look into the world of economics and how prices are dictated by situations and their interactions.
Emotional Design (blame psd for that, not great but good bits)
Everything is Miscellaneous (v good)
Mavericks at Work (reading)
Guns, Germs and Steel (classic, answers a lot of why questions)
Being Human (HCI report from Microsoft)
But I’m always worried about the amount of real books there are to read, and wasting too much time on work fluff.
http://www.bytesurgery.com/blog/2007/01/21/iwoz-book-review/
http://www.bytesurgery.com/blog/2007/03/09/guy-kawasaki-the-art-of-the-start/
http://www.bytesurgery.com/blog/2006/07/19/the-long-tail-summer-reading/
http://www.bytesurgery.com/blog/2008/01/10/small-giants-great-not-big/
http://www.bytesurgery.com/blog/2008/04/13/book-review-meatball-sundae-by-seth-godin/
http://www.bytesurgery.com/blog/2008/02/14/rules-for-revolutionaries-points-taken/
Don Tapscott, author of Wikinomics, and Steve Papermaster of BSG Alliance have formed nGenera, a company whose mission it is to bring the ideas from Wikinomics to the corporate arena. It’s name and focus come form Next Generation Enterprises. http://is.gd/aVt Either of them can contribute to your book review on social media and the impact it’s having on business.
I should have made more clear on my last comments that I am working with both of them and can help facilitate. If you’d rather I communicate with you by twitter or email, I’d be happy to do so. Mike
I’d recommend Howard Rheingold’s ‘Smart Mobs’ – I’ve posted a short summary here to give an idea of its content – http://www.joiningdots.net/library/Research/Books/smart_mobs.html
And also ‘The Social Life of Informatin’ by John Seely Brown and Paul Duguid – http://www.joiningdots.net/library/Research/Books/social_life_of_info.html
Specifically about Social Networking – ‘The Hidden Power of Social Networks’ by Rob Cross. And to understand the power in connections – ‘Linked: How everything is connected’ by Albert-Laszslo Barabasi.