I love to read and usually have two or three books going at one time. Looking back on my year and on what I learned, I thought it might be interesting to identify a few that had the most impact on me.  Here are a baker’s dozen that I found stimulating. I liked the first four so much that I had to make a few extra comments!

Brain Rules by John Medina -Some books are entertaining. Some give good information. Some make you think. Some change the way you think.  This book did all four! I bought it on an impulse and then couldn’t put it down once I started reading it. But then I had to put it down to record some of the insights and ideas that it sparked. So I spent the whole time reading, then dog-earing the page to jot down a note, and then jumping right back into the book.  This one may be my favorite book of 2009.

Superfreakonomics – Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner live up to their reputation in this second Freakonomics installment. I believe that the chief value of their writing comes from the “aha” moments that it creates in the reader. I experienced many of these moments as I delved into each chapter. For me, the value of a book comes from how effective it is at challenging me to think differently. This book did that and more. Check out my review of this book at Amazon.com.

The Back of a Napkin – Dan Roam provides a primer on visual thinking. I have used and taught mind mapping techniques for problem solving and ideation for many years. I am also a big fan of using pictures to tell a story. This entertaining book shows how easy it is to get your ideas across with pictures – even if you have no drawing talent.

Thinkertoys by Michael Michalko– This book is a jump start to improving your creative thinking and problem solving abilities. It’s packed with original ideas that will challenge the way you think and help you begin generating your own creative ideas.  You can’t read this book cover to cover. You’ve got to keep putting it down to apply the concepts. But that shouldn’t be a problem . . . this book makes you want to go out and do something!

Some of the others that were worth the time and effort:

A Leader’s Legacy by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner

Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves

The Owner’s Manual for the Brain by Pierce J. Howard

Toy Box Leadership by Ron Hunter Jr. and Michael E. Waddell

Mapping Inner Space: Learning and Teaching Visual Mapping by Nancy Margulies

The Unthinkable, Who Survives when Disaster Strikes – and Why by Amanda Ripley

Sway, The irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior by Ori Brafman and Rom Brafman

Unstoppable, 45 Powerful Stories of Perseverance and Triumph from People Just Like You by Cynthia Kersey

Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto by Mark R. Levin

Happy Reading!

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