What the customer wants you to know - Ram Charan (2007)

Most books and articles by consultants start with MBA bashing. Certainly not this one. Here is a book that has picked up the basics of B2B marketing, modified the terminologies to common man's terminologies and presented the concept very nicely. In short it suggests to create a Value Creation Sales Process to show the customer a Total Value of Ownership. To achieve this, use the whole organisation to assist sales team to create a Value Account Plan. VCS, TVO and VAP are the only terms used to explain the whole sales process. The rest of the book is about a short case study and intra organisation collaboration and how customer is able to realise the TVO with the VCS process. Thus helping the organisation realise better revenues and profits.

Good refresher if you have gone through the B2B marketing courses. Otherwise a great introduction to the topic. Definitely recommended.

The Elephant, the Tiger and the Cellphone - Shashi Tharoor (2007)

A definite reflections on India in the twenty first century by a great critique of our time. The book is divided into six parts.

1. The transformation of India
2. Ideas of Indianness
3. India at work and at play
4. Indians who helped make my India
5. Experiences of India
6. The A to Z of being Indian

The book has a lot of highs and some lows. The first three sections are remarkable when you see the author identifies contradicting identities of Indianness and presents them. His treatment of religious fundamentalism is definite and thorough. The minutiae at which he has observed some activities and thoughts definitely mandates appreciation. The fourth chapter which is a chapter of biographies is a definite eye opener. There are so many great Indians whose contributions are marginalised is definitely something we should be sorry about.

Last two chapters looked too much of a personal opinion and could not hold my interest. But overall a great book and author is a not only a great observer or critique he also has understood India through the plurality she represents. A remarkable achievement in explaining India of modern times!!!

The Longest Day - Cornelius Ryan (1959)

Excellent research. A complete minute by minute update on the Normandy attack on 6th June 1944. Better known as the D-day. Highly acclaimed and even movies are made on this book. The book per-se needs no introduction or review. I personally felt the book was way too detailed than I could gut. Yet will recommend anyone who is interested to get a full account of the D-day. Not a must read...

Ogilvy on Advertising - David Ogilvy (1981)

Most management books are to be read with an expiry date. Then there are books that pass a time test. This is one of them. Don't get into the future predictions. You will realise most of them failed the test of time. Still this is an excellent book to understand advertising. Interestingly, some of the suggestions have made it to text books as well. Where is the Internet advertising? That never existed in early 80s. If the principles of advertisement matters to you and not operations in advertising it's a great book to read. Extremely easy and a fast paced read.

Siddhartha - Hermann Hesse (1922)

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhartha_(novel)#section_4

The book needs no review. This has been critically acclaimed and has been adapted to movies already. You can read a nice review in the link above. A man's learning of life cannot be passed on from a person to another it needs to be appreciated through one's own experiences.

Accidental Billionaires - Ben Mezrich (2009)

Undoubtedly, a great story about a success, betrayal and aspirations of a group of people who have acquired money at a very early in their lives. Personally, I did not find anything very aspirational in the story. But one thing for sure a great technology company can be established by a technologist himself. Overall a good read and may be more enjoyable than the movie The Social Network.

TATA - The Evolution of a Corporate Brand: Morgan Witzel (2010)

I always get a feeling being politically correct business literature is the in thing in India. I cannot find a good reason to appreciate this book beyond the fact this is a book by the Tata's about the Tata's for the masses. After all the copyright is owned by Tata Sons. Is it not a good book to read at all? Won't really say that. If you are not aware of Tata group structure inter-relationships it's a great book. I have a great respect for Tata group companies. But the biggest issue I saw in this book was everything Tata does is great or ethical kind of writing. Tata's have their fair share of controversies and none of them make a mention other than Tata finance one. This book is about signalling. We want you to believe in our story in the manner we told you. Definitely, a case of reader's discretion recommended.