10 Books For Your Summer Reading List

July 2, 2014 10:55 PM

INN recently polled its editorial advisory board, editors and frequent contributors to learn whats new on their bookshelves. And the results are in. Please follow along to see what 10 business, technology and leadership books are most helping them in their careers. Photo courtesy of Fotolia

1. The Second Machine Age

Title: The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies Authors: Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee Brief Synopsis (courtesy of Amazon.com): "In The Second Machine Age MITs Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfeetwo thinkers at the forefront of their fieldreveal the forces driving the reinvention of our lives and our economy. As the full impact of digital technologies is felt, we will realize immense bounty in the form of dazzling personal technology, advanced infrastructure, and near-boundless access to the cultural items that enrich our lives."

2. Leadership 2030

Title: Leadership 2030: The Six Megatrends You Need to Understand to Lead Your Company into the Future Authors: Georg Vielmetter and Yvonne Sell Brief Synopsis (courtesy of Amazon.com): "Drawn from original research conducted jointly with foresight company Z-Punkt and further analyzed by Hay Group, Leadership 2030 uncovers six megatrends that will dramatically impact organizations' markets, cultures, systems, and processes."

3. Big Data at Work

Title: Big Data at Work: Dispelling the Myths, Uncovering the Opportunities Author: Thomas H. Davenport Brief Synopsis (courtesy of Amazon.com): "Big Data at Work covers all the bases: what big data means from a technical, consumer, and management perspective; what its opportunities and costs are; where it can have real business impact; and which aspects of this hot topic have been oversold."

4. The Trusted Advisor

Title: The Trusted Advisor Authors: David H. Maister, Charles H. Green and Robert M. Galford Brief Synopsis (courtesy of Amazon.com): "In today's fast-paced networked economy, professionals must work harder than ever to maintain and improve their business skills and knowledge. But technical mastery of one's discipline is not enough, assert world-renowned professional advisors David H. Maister, Charles H. Green, and Robert M. Galford. The key to professional success, they argue, is the ability to earn the trust and confidence of clients. To demonstrate the paramount importance of trust, the authors use anecdotes, experiences, and examples -- successes and mistakes, their own and others' -- to great effect. The result is an immensely readable book that will be welcomed by the inexperienced advisor and the most seasoned expert alike."

5. Build For Change

Title: Build for Change: Revolutionizing Customer Engagement through Continuous Digital Innovation Author: Alan Trefler Brief Synopsis (courtesy of Amazon.com): "Build For Change highlights the revolutionary changes to business, marketing, and technology practices that are needed to survive and thrive in these unforgiving times. Readers will learn how businesses are increasingly relying on new forms of customer engagement, and how one customer's experiencewhether good or badcan alter a company's reputation with the click of a mouse. With practical insight from a leader in customer engagement, this book serves as a timely wakeup call to companies that have not yet embraced the digital future."

6. Doing Data Science

Title: Doing Data Science: Straight Talk from the Frontline Authors: Rachel Schutt and Cathy ONeil Brief Synopsis (courtesy of Amazon.com): "Now that people are aware that data can make the difference in an election or a business model, data science as an occupation is gaining ground. But how can you get started working in a wide-ranging, interdisciplinary field thats so clouded in hype? In many of these chapter-long lectures, data scientists from companies such as Google, Microsoft, and eBay share new algorithms, methods, and models by presenting case studies and the code they use. If youre familiar with linear algebra, probability, and statistics, and have programming experience, this book is an ideal introduction to data science."

7. The Snowball

Title: The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life Author: Alice Schroeder Brief Synopsis (courtesy of Amazon.com): "Never before has Buffett spent countless hours responding to a writers questions, talking, giving complete access to his wife, children, friends, and business associatesopening his files, recalling his childhood. It was an act of courage, as The Snowball makes immensely clear. Being human, his own life, like most lives, has been a mix of strengths and frailties. Yet notable though his wealth may be, Buffetts legacy will not be his ranking on the scorecard of wealth; it will be his principles and ideas that have enriched peoples lives. This book tells you why Warren Buffett is the most fascinating American success story of our time."

8. Brief

Title: Brief: Make a Bigger Impact by Saying Less Authors: Joseph McCormack Brief Synopsis (courtesy of Amazon.com): "Author Joe McCormack tackles the challenges of inattention, interruptions, and impatience that every professional faces. His proven B.R.I.E.F. approach, which stands for Background, Relevance, Information, Ending, and Follow up, helps simplify and clarify complex communication. BRIEF will help you summarize lengthy information, tell a short story, harness the power of infographics and videos, and turn monologue presentations into controlled conversations."

9. TIME Secrets of Genius

Title: TIME Secrets of Genius: Discovering the nature of brilliance Authors: Editors of Time Magazine Brief Synopsis (courtesy of Amazon.com): "...TIME profiles history's most gifted and inventive humans and explores the work of scientists who are using advanced technologies in their attempts to isolate and quantify the nature of genius itself. We'll explore the tantalizing questions surrounding human brilliance: Is genius the product of nature-or nurture? Is there a genetics of genius? Can science find new ways to enhance our intellectual and creative powers? How are child prodigies shaped? Is there a link between genius and mental instability? And can the experience of those with brain injuries open new windows into the nature of genius?"

10. Data Science for Business

Title: Data Science for Business: What you need to know about data mining and data-analytic thinking Authors: Foster Provost and Tom Fawcett Brief Synopsis (courtesy of Amazon.com): "Based on an MBA course Provost has taught at New York University over the past ten years, Data Science for Business provides examples of real-world business problems to illustrate these principles. Youll not only learn how to improve communication between business stakeholders and data scientists, but also how participate intelligently in your companys data science projects. Youll also discover how to think data-analytically, and fully appreciate how data science methods can support business decision-making."