Book Club

Russell has the coffee mornings and the Account Planning School of the Web.  Piers, Noah and Mark have likemind.  So, I thought to myself, what could I do?
Here's what I'm planning and want to see if there is interest in.  How about we start a book club.  We'll read one book a month and then have a conversation.  Could be on the blog, by skype or even have a physical meeting in Boston.
Anyone interested?  If so, please comment below.  I want to keep the books we discuss tangential to planning, so no Jon Steel and Adam Morgan books (although Jon's new book looks excellent).  Suggestions for the first book more than welcome - I'll nominate Steven Johnson's new book The Ghost Map.  Perhaps we could/should also include magazine articles and podcasts (This American Life could provide lots of fodder).

Comments

[Ed]

Sounds like a great idea! I'd welcome an opportunity to discuss via the blog or possibly skype. "The Ghost Map" looks very intriguing. I'm just starting to read "Mark Lombardi Global Networks" and would recommend it. Anyone who enjoys Edward Tufte's work will appreciate Lombardi.

[Adrian]

Great idea Gareth. What would be really cool is if the club included some kind of library as well where planners could borrow books from other planners, maybe using backpack? Each member could have a page listing books for loan, and wishlist to borrowing.

[doug]

this is a great idea. I'd be very up for this (and Adrian's build is a good idea, too)

[Kirsty]

I think is a great idea. I'd need a bit of time to actually get the book delivered but assuming I could keep up to speed on that or there was advance notice of the next few months' of books it would be great.

[Noah Brier]

I think it's a really cool idea. Maybe there's a way to take it a step further and try to build something out of the ideas/lessons of the book each month. Not sure what that would be, just something that popped into my head.

[culture vulture]

Good idea. But most advertising books suck. Other types of fiction are so much more entertaining. SciFi for instance cuz it picks up on cultural trends and can even predict future trends to some extent. Off the top of my head I would recommend Tangerinephant by Kevin Dole or Punk Land by Carlton Mellick III. Way better than Ogilvy on Advertising.

[Gareth]

Thanks for the response so far. Adrian - good idea and Noah, I think the idea of building something out of the ideas is great - hoped it would happen naturally but I think we need to be more regimented.
Let's see who else responds in the next few days and then we'll get this rolling.
So, anymore suggestions? Culture Vulture, believe me we will be sterring clear of advertising books.

[Alemsah Ozturk]

Great idea Garent, wouldnt be better the first one that suggest the book create a podcast telling us about the hightlights,comments from his/her point of view about the book ?
I am reading "Never Eat Alone" by Keith Ferrazzi and suggesting to anyone!
Count me in !

[mark]

Count me in. We could use Library Thing as the repository.

[Emily]

I love the idea of no ad books yet tangential to planning. Count me in. (I'm 3/4 of the way through A Suitable Boy -sorry, just had to brag. It's HUGE)

[Cam]

I’m definitely in! Love the idea. This is being a little ambitious, but wouldn’t it be great if we could trade books online, kinda like an ebay system for planners.

[Mike]

I think this is an excellent idea, I'm always looking for new books to read so count me in!

[Dan Calladine]

Sounds like a great idea - add me to the list.

Dan

[Jonathan]

Gareth,
This is a cool idea. I would love to join.

How about starting the conversation with one page pitches by every club member who read the book? Could be a written summary, an image, collage, illustration... any sort of "do" read to become a book of perspectives on that certain book.

[Melissa Walker]

Thanks Gareth, I'm in as well - Virtual Coffee chats? I'm currently reading Linked by Albert-Laszlo Barabasi. Fascinating.

[Chris Spurgeon]

I'd be quite interested too!

For what it's worth, right now I'm reading The Culture Code by Clotaire Rapaille. (Jeeps are actually horses, who knew?)