Winning. Jack Welch with Suzy Welch. I am beginning to really like Jack
Welch’s writing. Not only is Suzy a polished writer herself, but as a
result of all his speaking and consulting since leaving GE, his work is
more concise and applicable than before. He has a weekly podcast of
their BusinessWeek columns that is short, pithy and useful. Each chapter
in this book is clear and targeted to a specific issue. I especially
picked up on his section on competition, which includes one of the
shortest and effective treatments on strategy we have seen. This will
be a well used management book in your library. It is quick and an easy
read, but the lessons are hard learned.

Book reviews for the business side of the technology industry.

The Tycoons. Charles R. Morris 2005. ISBN 0805075992. How Andrew
Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, Jay Gould and J.P. Morgan Invented the
American Supereconomy. I agree with Truman that the future is just
history you have not read about, then this book will be a definite
treat. Did you know that studying the 1800s US railway build outs would
have foretold exactly what would happen when the world built out so much
fibre/bandwidth in the “bubble?” For the China/India watcher lots of
lessons to be learned from what went on in the US in the late 1800s and
early 1900s. Aside from a strategy reading delight, the writing is a
treat in these times of books written to a grade five level. When was
the last time you used “epistolic”? Enjoy!

Book reviews for the business side of the technology industry.

House of Lies. Martin Kihn. How management consultants steal your watch
and tell you the time. 2005. ISBN 0446576565. Kihn was a consultant
in a big five firm and he really lays it out. There is nothing left out,
from the language, the “deck”, the travesty of frequent flyer points,
the so-called high wage of the MBA, getting a job, being ‘counselled
out’ of the job, who really makes the money, who hires these
consultants, what really goes on and does not get done. Its a hoot when
he explains the odds against your son/daughter getting a Harvard MBA and
working for McKinsey, plus who really runs the world!. Easy read, fun,
informative and well worth it.

Book reviews for the business side of the technology industry.

Selling Air. Dan Herchenroether. A tech bubble novel. 2004. ISBN
0975422405. Hilarious and true! This has to be one of the truest
tellings of the Arms Merchants trade during the time of the dotcom tech bubble (As well as Y@K) The story of two high value sales guys in two very
different companies in the same space. It contains most of the tricks we
ran up against and delightfully exposes the inner circle of comments. So
true and a fair retelling of where the money all went. If you lived
through it, a good revisit, if you missed it, a good history lesson.

Book reviews for the business side of the technology industry.