Forbes Magazine: Twenty-One Women Entrepreneurs Reveal Their Favorite Business Books

Even the savviest businesswomen get their inspiration from somewhere. Find out what's on their nightstands.
Article by: Kelly Watson

I've read or planning to read a few of the books on this list.

See full article here.

- Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss - I tried reading it once and it didn't grab me. Now that I see it on this list, I think I might give it another try.

I Love Malcolm Gladwell's work. Also, check him on TED and Spagetti Sauce - Sounds dorky but it is NOT to be missed! Books recommended on this list are:
- The Tipping Point
- Outliers - originally, I didn't want to read it, since not a single example includes a woman - How can that be?
 
On my TBD list are the following which make an appearance on this list as well:
- Women Don't Ask by Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever (I haven't finished the first chapter and I've already learned a lot!)
- Nice Girls Don't Get The Corner Office by Lois Frankel, Ph.D. - We'll see how this goes. A self-assessment begins early in the book.

Recent Books

[For the Zombie blurb scroll down to the next post]

My luck continues with reading a series of great books.

I read, "The Help" and it was a delightful read. There were parts of the book that I wish it just wasn't a part of the American culture. But that's what makes this country so wonderful it's good and bad all mixed together.

The story is about three women in the early 1960's set in Jackson, Mississipi. Two of the women are Black women that work in white households as maids. The 3rd character, Skeeter, wants to write their story annonymously. At first there is resistance but finally the two women along with a a few other maids agree to help Skeeter write her book. And the stories are lovely and wonderful. It was one of those books that I wished would never end. And when I finished it, it was as if I knew these characters and they did not feel fictional at all.

Next, I'm reading Cutting for Stone written by Abraham Verghese (an MD). A wonderful book about twins born to an angelic nun who was a superb nurse. She dies in childbirth and their father, the surgeon whom she worked with, disappears shortly only to reappear later in their lives in the United States. I had a hard time getting past the birthing scene. It is graphic and bloody. But I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this wonderfully written book.

Earlier this week, I finished reading Lisa Kleypas' "Smooth Talking Stranger." Lisa can do no wrong. I happen to like her historical romances better though. Smooth is a wonderful modern day romance. Rich Guy - Poor Girl. etc. etc. The interaction between the two characters and the dialog are just so fun you want to believe people like this exist. And that its possible for the Prince to pick the poor beautiful girl to be his partner. Hey I need a little feel good fantasy in my life... to keep me sane and this was the right dose this month. Can't wait for her upcoming historical later this month... May 25th to be exact.

Finally, I'm also reading "The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite" written by David Kessler. He is the same person that demonized the tobacco industry and is now working on demonizing the food industry. In the book there is candid accounts of his own struggle with eating and weight gain. The book is an eye opener and it discribes in somewhat scientific terms (it is accessible as far as the reading goes) how these foods are built to make them tasty to the point of food becoming an obssession.

Good reads! I feel lucky and blessed by the Reading Gods...

Pride and Prejudice and the Zombies

Yes, yes - I read this book and let me tell you the parts that were Jane Austen's writing were simply delightful. I can never get tired of reading her and every time I do read P&P I see something new. Something wise, wonderful and witty. I've often said if I could travel back in time, I'd be at Jane's door step in a heart beat.

Now the Zombie part. I admit, that it did surprise me as to how well this "mashable" feature worked and fit into the book - for the most part. Some of it was hilarious and I liked how at one point early in the book it showed that the Bennet sisters can work well as a team despite their differences. And that there can be a sisterly cohesiveness between them. However, I think that thought only works if you've read the book previously.

I also loved how Elizabeth thirsted for blood and at one point is able to yank out the heart of her enemy and eat it. It is so over the top and it gives a hilarious aspect to that particular scene. I kind of imagined her standing there and eating this live beating heart as you would a Red Delicious apple.

But I didn't like a few lines given to my beloved Lizzy. In the following scene Lizzy is responding to Lydia who thinks she can find husbands for each of her sisters. In this book Wickham becomes and invalid who is constantly lying down in his own piss on a matterss and has to be constantly changed out of diapers.

Elizabeth says to Lydia: "I thank you for my share of the favour," said Elizabeth, "but I do not particularly desire the rest of my life spent emptying piss pots." - Elizabeth is way way too elegant in wit and her use of language to ever say something blatant like the word "piss". So I really didn't like this particular line and a few like it when it came to Lizzy.

The next character is Mrs. Bennet. What is funny is that in this case there was nothing Grahame-Smith could add to her character. Austin topped him in regards to that character and is probably laughing at him from the beyond.

The parts written by Seth Grahame-Smith at times worked too hard to be funny in a very juvenile way. Almost reminded me of the Austin Power movies and all the pee jokes. Grahame-Smith went out of his way for the charcters to vomit or in the case of Charlotte and the things he did to her it felt more tragic than funny. Specially since the poor girl is already married to the insufferable Mr. Collins.

But at the end Lizzy is Lizzy and Mr. Darcy is Mr. Darcy and still a great love story. The two are perfect even as Zombie slayers.