New York Times – Hardcover Business Best Sellers – October 2009
Yawn… Eleven months and Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers continues to dominate the NY Times hardcover business best seller rankings. We love this book, and yet it still seems a little unbelievable that one book could remain on top of such a dynamic list for so long. (To read our review of this outstanding book, check out our July 2009 best seller rankings.)
Upon further review, we understand why Gladwell can stay at Number One: Nearly all of his challengers deliver books with no real substance, very little entertainment value, and they fill no unmet need of the book-buying public. From the boring premise of Shop Class as Soulcraft, by Matthew B. Crawford to the asininely unnecessary The 50th Law, by 50 Cent (and Robert Greene), to the clearly miscategorized What Happy Working Mothers Know, by Cathy L. Greenberg and Barrett S. Avigdor, the NY Times business list is thin, at best.
Given the absolute drivel populating this month’s list, we simply cannot recommend anything in the Top Five not written by Gladwell. From Numbers Six to Fifteen, there is only Jim Collins’ How The Mighty Fall at Number Seven that is worthy of a leader’s time. (Might we recommend you take a look at some classically good leadership books instead?)
The Top Five – NY Times Business Hardcover Best Sellers October 2009 (to view the entire list, follow this link):
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OUTLIERS, by Malcolm Gladwell. (Little, Brown, $27.99.) Why some people succeed — it has to do with luck and opportunities as well as talent — from the author of “Blink” and “The Tipping Point.” |
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THE HEALING OF AMERICA, by T.R. Reid. (Penguin Press, $25.95.) How other industrialized democracies provide health care for all at a reasonable cost. |
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WHAT HAPPY WORKING MOTHERS KNOW, by Cathy L. Greenberg and Barrett S. Avigdor. (Wiley, $19.95.) How to be a successful parent and professional without sacrificing personal happiness. |
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THE 50TH LAW, by 50 Cent and Robert Greene. (HarperStudio/HarperCollins, $19.99.) Conquering fear to attain power: a philosophy of life. |
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THE TOTAL MONEY MAKEOVER, by Dave Ramsey (Thomas Nelson, $24.99.) Debt reduction and fiscal fitness for families, by the radio talk-show host.
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