Quintessential Summer Reading

With the weather heating up and Fourth of July weekend around the corner, I find myself nostalgic for the summer vacations of my schoolboy years. While most of the memories are fond ones, I also remember the last month or so of the summer where everyone tried to cram in the required summer book list. Although it was somewhat of a drag, the activity actually kicked your brain back into gear for the coming year.

Flash forward to present day and your summer distractions. Chances are that you don’t get June to August off of work and your Little League games have probably been replaced by slow-pitch softball leagues where winning flip cup at the bar is more important than winning the game. Even with these changes, it is important to keep your mind fresh.

Before you go moaning, there won’t be a test and I don’t really care if you read these books, but they may help you in your career. Below are five books that are worth reading on a lazy Sunday afternoon or on your commute into the office.

Disclosure – the links for the books below are Amazon affiliate links that will help you save money and if you buy some, I might be able to get a 40 oz for a lazy Sunday.

Social Media ROI – This book from Oliver Blanchard may be the best social media book that I have read. It is perfect for internal SM practitioners that are looking to take their program outside of the niche department and push it across their organization. Click here for a full review.

Welcome to the Fifth Estate – Geoff Livingston’s latest book offers a unique perspective that will challenge even the most hardened PR or SM pro looking to gain an intimate knowledge of new media and improve their relationship building. Click here for a full review.

The Art of War – If you haven’t read this book yet, shame on you. You are probably asking yourself what a book on war has to do with your job. The fact of the matter is that it is more on strategically thinking about how you position yourself. Click here for a free version for your Kindle.

Content Rules – As PR continues to evolve, our role turns into more of content creators. This book from CC Chapman and Ann Handley offers some great tips on building killer content. Click here for a full review.

Five Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin in the Mouth – Let’s face it, you don’t like to read and you hate dolphins. This book is a collection of great comics from the Oatmeal.

Enjoy the summer!