My Reading List for October 2014

I read a lot. I read books about high level business strategy, personal growth, and marketing. I also love to read books about history (specifically American history around the time of the American Revolution), poker strategy, and personal and business finance.

I thought I’d start posting once a month to let you know what I’ve been reading, and what’s in my queue for next month.

Just Read

The Kickstarter Handbook: Real-Life Success Stories of Artists, Inventors, and Entrepreneurs by Don Steinberg

An interesting, but pretty basic look at using Kickstarter to raise funds for a project or new product. I’ve been backing projects on Kickstarter for years now, and have backed more than 20 campaigns, so there wasn’t a lot of new information. Still, it’s a good overview for anyone not familiar with the platform.

Crowdfunding: The Next Big Thing by Gary Spirer

Very similar to the book above, this book gives a high level view of crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter with some great strategies for creating a successful campaign. If you’re looking to start a project on Kickstarter or Indiegogo but don’t know where to start, consider one of these titles.

Screw It, Let’s Do It: Lessons In Life (Quick Reads) by Richard Branson

I’m a big fan or Richard Branson and have read several of his books. I like his adventurous spirit and that he’s not afraid to take (calculated) risks. I also respect his views on employees and what makes a business successful. Great (and short) read for anyone who owns (or wants to own) their own business.

The Happiness of Pursuit by Chris Guillebeau

This book is about quests. A quest is much different than a goal. Chris’ quest was traveling to every country in the world, which he successfully completed last year. This was an amazing read, much more than a “self help” book it helped me realize it’s the journey that’s important not the destination.

Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson

After reading Walter Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs, I was really intrigued about this book. It was a great contrast to Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography, was thoroughly researched and cited, and was written so well I could hardly put it down. Great book.