Read12

Green Books for Spring

ECOpreneuring: Putting Purpose and the Planet before Profits  - Lisa Kivirist and John Ivanko

Rural Renaissance: Renewing the Quest for the Good Life - John Ivanko and Lisa Kivirist

The Green Book: The Everyday Guide to Saving the Planet One Simple Step at a Time - Elizabeth Rogers, Thomas M. Kostigen

It's Easy Being Green: A Handbook for Earth-Friendly Living - Crissy Trask

Living Green: A Practical Guide to Simple Sustainability - Greg Horn

Spring is Women Author's Season

Read12 is declaring the Spring Season as Women Author's Season - we'll post here and on Twitter @enklings any recommendations for Women Author's you have.  You can respond by commenting here or on twitter or to tblair@enklings.com .

No gimmicks, no sales pitches, just recommendations to create more readers - always the case at Read12!

simply,

Tim

Read12 Recommendations from Kristen in Chattanooga

-Clive Cussler or Dan Brown

-Fans of British Humor I recommend anything by Terry Pratchett or Neil Gaiman

-For people who want simple but want to feel like they are reading lit - go for any of the old HG Wells, or Sherlock Holmes books.

-Horror fans - Brian Keene (preferrably the Zombie books like "The Rising" or "City of the Dead") John Everson, Nate Kenyon (the Reach is great) Sarah Pinborough, Robert McCammon, Graham Masterton.

Thanks Kristen!

Which 12 Books Would You Recommend?

I've been asking this question of readers and I have to say it's a tough one for most to narrow the list down to twelve.  For me, I usually have three books going at a time: one Business, one Spiritual and one Leisure.  There is plenty of time to read if you shut the TV, Computer, PDA off and take the time.  It's hard for me to disconnect, but I've found it to be vital for my own personal growth.

So here are my choices in my three categories. (not in any particular order):

Business:

1. Tribes - Seth Godin
2. Good to Great - Jim Collins
3. Crossing the Chasm - Geoffrey A. Moore
4. Made To Stick - Chip Heath and Dan Heath
5. The 7 Levels of Change - Rolf Smith
6. The Art of Profitability - Adrian Slywotsky
7. Made to Break - Giles Slade
8. Zag - Marty Neumeier
9. The Art of the Long View - Peter Schwartz
10. The Dip - Seth Godin
11. The Brand Gap - Marty Neumeier
12. The World is Flat - Thomas Friedman

Spiritual:

1. Divine Conspiracy - Dallas Willard
2. Tao Te Ching - Lao Tzu (Jonathon Starr Edition)
3. The Irresistible Revolution - Shane Claireborn
4. The Seven Storey Mountain - Thomas Merton
5. Freedom of Simplicity - Richard Foster
6. Knowledge of the Holy - A.W. Tozer
7. The Secret Message of Jesus - Brian McClaren
8. Unspoken Sermons - George MacDonald
9. Sacred Romance - Brent Curtis and John Eldredge
10. Knowing Not Whither - Oswald Chambers (find a used copy)
11. Soul Cravings - Erwin Rafael McManus
12. Mere Christianity - C.S. Lewis 

Leisure (Almost any book by these Authors)

1. David Hackett Fischer
2. John Grisham
3. Raymond Khoury
4. Stephen Lawhead
5. James Rollins
6. T.S. Elliott
7. Marcus Zusak
8. Wendell Berry
9. William Blake
10. David Baldacci
11. George MacDonald

12. C.S. Lewis

What should be quite obvious to you is that this is a "guy's" list.  It probably isn't unusual that most of my favorite authors are guys, but I find it a little unnerving when I see it in print that I am gender biased when it comes to reading.  I'll have to do something about that in 2009!

What are your recommendations?

Tim Blair, Founder Read12

goodreads.com

I joined goodreads a while back and have found it to be very valuable.  I also just joined their LinkedIn group also to see what that is about. 

You can connect with other readers, add your own book lists with comments and ratings and see how others have rated books.  Also see lists of the best and worst books.  Funny that the Book of Mormon is on the top of the "Best Books" list.  That must have taken a concerted effort!  I suppose any list like this can be manipulated, but all in all, I find it a good site for experiencing books and connecting with other readers.

Read12 has a forum on goodreads.com.  Hoping to make it grow and get suggestions for what 12 books people should put on their list to read in 2009.  Visit the forum at: http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/12013.Read12 

Tim Blair - Founder, Read12