Amazon.com updates its list of the bestselling books every hour. Here is a snapshot of what is hot right now, this Monday morning, February 23, in the “Business” category for books on CD.
1. The Secret (Unabridged, 4-CD Set)
by Rhonda Byrne. A motivational book on positive thought for positive results. Byrne leads listeners through her exposition on the secret of life. Quoting from an array of New Age gurus and interpreting more traditional teachers as well, the program integrates sound bites from the various authors, with actors taking many of the roles. Neale Donald Walsh, Denis Waitley, Jack Canfield, and dozens of others make cameo comments throughout the program.
2. Outliers: The Story of Success [AUDIOBOOK] [UNABRIDGED]
by Malcolm Gladwell. The author of The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
and Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
, Gladwell poses the question: why do some people succeed, living remarkably productive and impactful lives, while so many more never reach their potential? Challenging our cherished belief of the “self-made man,” he makes the democratic assertion that superstars don’t arise out of nowhere, propelled by genius and talent: “they are invariably the beneficiaries of hidden advantages and extraordinary opportunities and cultural legacies that allow them to learn and work hard and make sense of the world in ways others cannot.” Examining the lives of outliers from Mozart to Bill Gates, he builds a convincing case for how successful people rise on a tide of advantages, “some deserved, some not, some earned, some just plain lucky.”
3. The 4-Hour work Week: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich
by Timothy Ferris. Ferriss isn’t shy about tooting his own horn: He says he “speaks six languages, runs a multinational firm from wireless locations worldwide, and has been a world-record holder in tango, a national champion in kickboxing, and an actor in a hit television series in Hong Kong.” Is this the sort of person you really want to be taking advice from? Anyway, Ferris offers recommendations and resources for everything from eliminating wasted time to oursourcing your job and getting cheap airfare.
4. The Psychology Of Selling: The Art of Closing Sales
by Brian Tracy. Tracy — an expert sales tainer — shares more than 50 practical, day-to-day techniques for increasing your confidence in your sales abilities and boosting sales profits.
5. The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan For Financial Fitness (with 2 Dave Ramsey Audio CD Sets – Cash Flow Planning and Dumping Debt)
by Dave Ramsey. Debt reduction and fiscal fitness for families, by the radio talk-show host.
6. How to Win Friends & Influence People [AUDIOBOOK] [UNABRIDGED]
by Dale Carnegie. This grandfather of all people-skills books was first published in 1937. Still relevant today, the book teaches how to deal with people so that they feel important and appreciated.
7. Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids about Money¿that the Poor and the Middle Class Do Not!
by Robert Kiyosaki with Sharon Lechter. Robert Kiyosaki reveals how he developed his unique economic perspective from his two fathers: his real father, who was highly educated but fiscally poor; and the father of his best friend – an eighth-grade drop-out who became a self-made multi-millionaire. The lifelong monetary problems experienced by his “poor dad” pounded home the counterpoint communicated by his “rich dad”. Taking that message to heart, Kiyosaki was able to retire at the age of 47. This book lays out his philosophy and aims to open readers eyes by: exploding the myth that you need to earn a high income to be rich; challenging the belief that your house is an asset; showing parents why they can’t rely on schools to teach their children about money; defining once and for all an asset versus a liability; and explaining what to teach your children about money for their future financial success.
8. The Psychology of Achievement: Develop the Top Achiever’s Mindset
by Brian Tracy. An inside look at the thinking that leads to great achievement. Drawing on the work of leading psychologists and behavioral researchers, Tracy demonstrates the attitude, deep self-knowledge, and pin-pointed goals that are important factors in achieving great success.
9. Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive
by Noah J. Goldstein, Steve J. Martin, and Robert B. Cialdini. Marketing prof Cialdini and his co-authors do indeed consider 50 questions about persuading others. Among these: Why should restaurants ditch their baskets of mints? When is it right to admit you were wrong? And does fear persuade or does it paralyze? These are a bit uneven, but some, like the chapter on Post-it Notes, are interesting. So be picky, and you may find some interesting tidbits.
10. Good to Great CD: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don’t
by Jim Collins. The author of Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies, Collins concludes that it is possible for a good company to become a great company, but finds there are no silver bullets. Collins and his team of researchers began their quest by sorting through a list of 1,435 companies, looking for those that made substantial improvements in their performance over time. They finally settled on 11–including Fannie Mae, Gillette, Walgreens, and Wells Fargo–and discovered common traits that challenged many of the conventional notions of corporate success.
