The official Haynes Manual for the most celebrated starship ever. The Millennium Falcon Owner’s Workshop Manual meticulously covers in extreme detail every aspect of the ship Han Solo and Chewbacca made famous. The history and development of the Corellian Engineering Corporation’s YT series is covered in depth by Star Wars expert, Ryder Windham, and he provides a wealth of knowledge that helps you further appreciate the immense modifications that went into creating the Millennium Falcon. Exploded diagrams, onboard systems, floor plans, photographs and more are presented in full detail by experts Chris Reiff and Chris Trevas who make it seem easy for you to go outside and modify your own YT-1300.
The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches
There are grilling cookbooks and grilling recipes to keep you busy for every summer cookout from now until the year 3000. So even if you do not currently have supreme skills on the BBQ grill, you can always pick up the slack and learn your way around the time tested and very trusted combination of fire and food. However, your sandwich skills may need some upgrading. The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches does just that. Recipes from around the world, with caveman easy how-to instructions will have you making sandwiches that look and taste so good you’ll wonder how anyone ever gets by with plain old lunch meat.
Getting Things Done by David Allen
As time passes and days go by in the year, you do one of two things, you get things done or you don’t. Touted as a modern classic, “Getting Things Done” by David Allen is a book that details an organizational method that moves you from carrying a truckload of mindless mental clutter, to productive thoughts and effective, useful, task-orientated activities. While time management itself is not a new concept, the approach presented by Allen has generated a cult-like following in some circles and has even generated several web-based companies (Remember the Milk and 43Folders) that revolve around the GTD framework. In the book Mr. Allen periodically jaunts off-course into classical guru territory using the occasions to parlay some psychology and several philosophical insights, but they appropriately connect his presentation. However, despite weaving across the lane of focus, GTD manages to deliver strongly on the main premise. If you have ever found yourself running aground periodically when it comes to completing your to-do-lists, committing to resolutions, making appointments or otherwise, Getting Things Done is worth reading.
Sway by Ori and Rom Brafman
When you want to make improvements in your life, one of the primary components in that process is decision making. If you want to get in better shape physically the question you ask yourself is something like, “What exercises do I need to do to get a six pack?” If you want a better sex life, want to make more money, improve your relationships, more free time to do what you love or anything else, eventually it comes down to making decisions, sometimes tough decisions.
Often despite what we tell ourselves we really do not know or understand why we do the things we do. In order for you to stop reacting and to start acting as you truly intend to act; you need to get a bearing on where you are in the first place. Then, from that informed position you can proceed with making extremely better decisions, improve your life and achieve the things you desire.
Sway, by Ori Brafman and his psychologist brother roll out the red carpet of the decision making process to lead you to the door of enlightenment so you can make better decisions. Easy to follow, and not nearly the nerd thickness of other books on the subject (a mere 224 pages), the authors use examples from all walks of life, ranging from politics to sports to drive home the concepts of why people make jackass decision and how you can avoid doing the same.
The Book of Even More Awesome by Neil Pasricha
Neil Pasricha’s latest book revels in the fact that the simple things in life are sometimes the best. The Book of Even More Awesome is the follow up to the best selling book the Book of Awesome that was an adaptation of the site, 1000awesomethings, where the pleasures of life both enormous and miniscule are celebrated.
As another useful tool to help get you through the mundane of the day, the newly released work, the Book of Even More Awesome serves as a place for you to consume inspiration when you are low on fuel and need a quick boost.
The Corner Office
The Corner Office by Adam Bryant is the result of nearly 100 CEOs having candid discussions with the Canadian-born, New York Times writer, and covering a myriad of topics related to and getting the coveted corner office.
Based on the popular column of the same name, the book outlines five essential personality traits CEOS look for and that you must have to climb from the dregs of your current employment status to a more lofty position.
As any book, what you get from Corner Office is up to you. Business basics have not changed, so the lessons are not entirely new. However, Bryant through careful pruning is able to create a unique work to add to the innumerable volumes saturating the business and self-help fields.
A tad shy of 300 pages, the book, thanks to the author and the CEOs makes for an enjoyable read. Partial company CEO list includes Disney, Microsoft, DreamWorks, Ford and Zappos. The Corner Office
Onward by Howard Schultz
It is not everyday you get a to ask a billionaire a question. Today, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, will give a webcast that includes a Q&A session, effectively launching a 14-city book tour for his new work, “Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul”.
Schultz’s first work, “Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time” told how he built Starbucks from a fledgling coffee shop to an international business success story. The new book “Onward” follows Starbucks and Shultz after he returned to his duties as CEO in 2008 after stepping down in 2000.
You can consider this a sequel to the previous work, but it is safe to read if you missed the first. With Onward, you get more stories, managerial insights, business strategies, leadership principles and more. But the gold of Onward is learning the personal philosophy of the billion-dollar CEO as he gives it to you first hand. Webcast | Question page
Win by Frank Luntz
The author of “Words that Work” and the follow up “What Americans Really Want” is back with a new effort to help you thoroughly understand the importance of having masterful communication skills in the business aspect of your life.
Along the way Dr. Luntz expands upon the underlying theme found in his previous work and in the works of masters before him. That theme essentially is, “Those who choose to master the ability to communicate and get others to receive and believe their ideas achieve success and become top performers in their chosen field, whatever it may be.”
Luntz unloads tons of examples, and stories of and from celebrities of sports, entertainment and business, to validate his ideas and to drive the point home. In addition, there are several lessons drawn from nine principles Luntz outlines in “Win” for you to put use in daily life to help you achieve your goals and ultimately win. – Win by Frank Luntz
Linchpin – Are You Indispensible
Recently, Seth Godin was expounding upon his philosophies and evangelizing his past and upcoming literary work on TechCrunch. The interviewer with the thick pronunciations pretty much left Mr. Godin to himself and Seth delivered.
I am not a convert or a devotee. However, I have watched his intellectual reach, ideology and personal brand expand over the years and from what I have gleaned regarding his opinions and ability to read the pulse of the era, he is on the mark.
Vans Off the Wall
Need something to throw on your coffee table that you just might read? Doug Palladini has cobbled together the history of Vans sneakers. Loaded with tons of photos and Warped Tour backstage info, Vans: Off the Wall is picture perfect in-house product placement that will certainly get you back in the store for more.
