Thu 22 Dec 2005
I generally try to read as many books as I can (ie, in addition to all the magazines, web sites, blogs, etc). And, sitting on crazy long flights to Asia and Europe certainly help with the effort. I didn’t quite make my goal of two books per month, but did manage to bang out 22 books total (certainly a lot better than my gaming action this year (hmm, note to self, check if PSPs function high in the sky ;)
Anyway, here’s what I’ve read over the past year:
- Difficult Questions About Videogames
- The Wisdom of Crowds: Why the Many Are Smarter Than the Few and How Collective Wisdom Shapes Business, Economies, Societies and Nations
- Got Game: How the Gamer Generation is Reshaping Business Forever
- Millennium Membership: How to Attract and Keep Members in the New Marketplace
- Smart Marketing for Associations: Marketing Plans that Work
- Keeping Members: CEO Strategies for 21st Century Success - The Myths & Realities
- A Theory of Fun for Game Design
- International Legal Issues for Nonprofit Organizations
- Weirdos in the Workplace - The New Normal… Thriving in the Age of the Individual
- Savage Pastimes - A Cultural History of Violent Entertainment
- Starting and Managing a Chapter - An ASAE Background Kit
- The Logic of Collective Action - Public Goods and the Theory of Groups
- Video Game Law
- Organize Your Work Day …In No Time
- Understanding Media - The Extensions of Man
- In the Line of Fire - How to Handle Tough Questions… When it Counts
- Everything Bad Is Good For You - How Today’s Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter
- Freakonomics - A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything
- The 7 Irrefutable Rules of Small Business Growth
- The Rebel Sell - Why The Culture Can’t Be Jammed (or Nation of Rebels in the USA)
- Smartbomb - The Quest for Art, Entertainment and Big Bucks in the Videogame Revolution
- The Big Picture - The New Logic of Money and Power in Hollywood
So, a bunch of non-profit specific books (gotta keep them IGDA members happy), some game books, some self-help books (the Line of Fire book is a really good tool for improving interview techniques), some general biz and culture books and two books from the ’60s (Understanding Media and Logic of Collective Action (which seem to be written in another language at times)).
Freakonomics and Rebel Sell were particularly insightful with many aha type moments. And, for the ongoing political defense of games, Everything is Bad, Savage Pastimes and a Theory of Fun were particularly helpful.
Top of my 2006 reading wish list is Jesper’s new book, Half-Real: Video Games between Real Rules and Fictional Worlds.

