Chris , Friday, June 15th, 2007

People have always been asking me for book recommendations. From what is the best book to learn CSS, to Search Engine Optimization tips, to startup business information. Its sometimes hard to find that perfect book to sit and relax reading that will have the reassurance of being a top learning tool. Like many people, I tend to do a lot of research before I finally decide to lay my money down on a book. I usually come across a book that someone has recommended to me on a blog, in person, or even through Amazon recommendations. I usually first scower out all of the information and reviews I can find online from reputable source like Amazon and Chapters. Then I will hit a physical location that carries the book to flip through the pages and read a few paragraphs to see if it will be as interesting as I had presumed. After that step, I hunt for the best price online, and charge it. (And hope that it shows up in a few days so I don’t move onto the next topic that interests me)

I am highly involved in the search, design, development, and business markets. However, I do from time to time stray from these categories to read something different just to mix up my brain a little. So here we go, in no particular order: I will update this list.

The Dip
Seth Godin

I just got this book recently at the SES Toronto event. Seth was the keynote. I had never read any of his other material, but I have to tell you, 2 of his other books are on my Amazon wishlist. This quick read (80 pages) reinforces the fact that winners quit fast, and quite often, until they commit to greatness.

Flip, How to find fix and sell houses for a profit
Rick Villani and Clay Davis

You got it, just like TV!A step by step guide to flipping houses for a profit.

CSS Mastery, Advanced Web Standards Solutions
Andy Budd

Whether you are a beginner looking to get into coding with CSS, or an advanced guru, this book has some of the latest tips tricks and techniques, straight from a master. It also has some neat hacks and filters for all those tricky browser bugs. It goes over how to plan, organize and maintain stylesheets, apply layouts, and of course, creating a layout from css.
The Clueless Vegetarian
Evelyn Raab

This isn’t just a cookbook for the new Veggie heads, its got some great recipes for the old school vegetarian as well. Notice it says Vegetarian, unfortunately its not the greatest for Vegans. But then again, we’re all used to substituting anyways!For those of you that love to cook with pictures like my wife, this book isn’t for you. NO PICS!

Secrets to Face to Face Communications
Secrets of Power Marketing
Leadership from Within
Secrets to Power Presentations
Peter Urs Bender, with others

This set of books has been in my library for a long time. Great references for building yourself, marketing yourself, being a leader, and creating effective presentations.

Think and Grow Rich
Napoleon Hill

Given to me by the CEO of a failed startup I used to work at back in the day, this is a classic for showing readers some “money-making secrets that can change your life.” Too bad the CEO didn’t read it. He could have been around today basking in his riches instead of spending like a dot com dummy. Come on, who needs a giant racing boat with their logo on it and a fleet of Corvettes for the sales team?

The Quick and Easy way to effective speaking
How to stop worrying and start living
How to win friends and influence people
Dale Carnegie

My Mother gave me these back in the day. She took the Dale Carnegie course, and suggested I do the same. I wish I had listened to her. I guess I still could take it? Great business books, by a communication master.

The Art of the Start
Guy Kawasaki

From raising money, to hiring, Guy brings his strategies together and whips them into a great book that gives some great tips on how to build your dream business.

Scar Tissue
Anthony Kiedis

The front man, and founding member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers drops his life on the table for everyone to see. (How is this guy still alive?) From jumping off of apartments into swimming pools, to shooting heroin under bridges.. its all here! What a life! I’m glad hes still around to tell it! And he’s expecting his first child this year!

PHP and MySQL for Dummies
Janet Valade

Great dummy look at ways to integrate such things as member only areas, databases, and online catalogs into your site. Its great for designers that want to hone their backend skills.

Begining Google Maps Applications with PHP and Ajax
Michael Purvis, Jeffery Sambells, and Cameron Turner

This is THE guide to teach you how to build cool web mapping applications. I wish I had it finished to comment on it more, but Im only on page 16. Apress, the publisher gave it to me as part of a contest I won. I was planning on buying it, but what a bonus to win it!

Flash to the Core
Joshua Davis

If you’re not familiar with Davis, check out his site. JoshuaDavis.com. Flash genius. I Don’t think this book has been reprinted, so if you can find it somewhere, grab it. Its from 2002 so some of the coding in it is a bit old but forget about that, Joshua is at the cutting edge of using Flash as a tool for his art, and this book was just at the beginning of it all.