B-Schoolers Catch Up on Reading

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The Unwritten Laws of Business by W. J. King, with revisions and additions by James G. Skakoon

This very short treatise provides obvious yet oft neglected observations about how we should act on the job. This book reminds us of the important things that are usually lost to the minutiae of the day.

David F. Pyke

Associate Dean MBA Program
Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth

Isaac's Storm by Erik Larson

Larson writes excellent histories, weaving personal stories with fascinating historical events. I just finished Thunderstruck, which was superb, and The Devil in the White City was as well.

The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell

Vowell also writes history, but in an exceptionally humorous way, with frequent excursions to quirky observations and facts.

Any mystery by P. D. James

I read my first novel of hers, The Children of Men, which was a fascinating critique of modern culture—unlike the film, which was quite different. I'm looking forward to reading other works of hers.

Bernd Schmitt

Professor
Columbia University Graduate School of Business

Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes by Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein

The Amazon description sounds fabulous: "It's Philosophy 101 for everyone who knows not to take all this heavy stuff too seriously. Some of the Big Ideas are Existentialism (what do Hegel and Bette Midler have in common?), Philosophy of Language (how to express what it's like being stranded on a desert island with Halle Berry), Feminist Philosophy (why, in the end, a man is always a man), and much more."

A sense of (dialectical) humor is key in life. And we all (including MBA students and business profs) need to free ourselves at times from the existential pain of our habitual existence. Why not read about Plato, Kant, and Halle Berry then? Sounds like a great legitimate distraction.

An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore

I know he's coming out with a new book. But I haven't even read his big seller yet. Look, I am not a global warming activist or a granola (though I was born in Germany). I wear my hair long because it is in style now, not as a political statement. Environmentalism, however, has become such a huge issue in the U.S. and this book is part of the movement. Thus, I consider it a must-read for any informed citizen.

Breaking Ground: An Immigrant's Journey from Poland to Ground Zero by Daniel Libeskind

I love reading biographies written by people I've met. Recently, I was on a panel on branding with Libeskind, the architect of the Freedom Tower, and I was amazed by how an architect and marketing professor can think alike. I also love one of his latest buildings, a new wing of the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. So, I want to know more about the man behind it.

Jerry Wind

Professor
Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania

Success Built to Last: Creating a Life That Matters by Jerry Porras, Stewart Emery, and Mark Thompson

Success Built to Last is based on a unique World Success Survey, as well as in-depth interviews with people from all walks of life who have impacted the world for at least two decades. The more than 200 people interviewed for the book include billionaires, CEOs, presidents, social workers, artists, the famous, and the unknown. According to this book, success is no longer only about money, power, and fame—it is a result of having passionate personal commitments to things one cares about. Read it to learn how to achieve lasting impact, a balanced life, and personal fulfillment.

The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid by CK Prahalad

Before the world was flat, there was The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid. In this book, CK Prahalad, one of the world's top 10 management thinkers, offers a blueprint for driving the radical innovations you'll need to profit in emerging markets, and how to use those innovations to become more competitive everywhere. These stories are backed by more detailed case studies and 10 hours of digital videos on the publisher's Web site.