Finding gold by prospecting for books to read.
Lynn Carlisle
One of my favorite activities is going to a book store and randomly perusing the book shelves for books. I have found many nuggets by doing this; books that have changed my personal or professional life. These nuggets were books that produced an “Ah Ha!”, “I can use this” or “I hadn’t thought of that” comment. The books I look for are generally under the headings of philosophy, psychology, self help, business, sales, marketing or health. I look through the titles and sub-titles on the shelves to find books that sound interesting. I find a comfortable chair (if there are no chairs it is a bad sign) and open the books and look at the table of contents; then I read the preface and other short parts of the books. This perusal will tell me if it is something I want to buy. I can spend two to three hours doing this. As with any kind of prospecting some trips are better than others. On my last trip to the book store I ended up with 5 books. Other times I come up empty handed. I have a rule that I need to finish the books I have purchased before buying others. I don’t always keep this promise to myself. Occasionally I have some duds. My favorite book store is the Tattered Cover in Denver, Colorado. If you find yourself in Denver check it out or you can go to www.thetatteredcover.com.
Chain book stores like Barnes and Noble or Borders are good, but they all carry the same books. Local book stores are excellent sources, but usually have strengths and weaknesses in their selections. I have found many good books at university book stores. I also use this process to check out books that have been recommended to me on book lists or by speakers. The web is a good source especially www.amazon.com for books that have been recommended. The prices are better but you don’t have as much certainty. Returning anything through mail order is a pain. Nothing beats a stroll down the aisles of a good brick and mortar book store. Happy prospecting. ============================================================================= Distribution rights: The downloadable material is copyrighted. You are free to distribute it to others without any deletions or changes, and with full attribution to the authors including contact information. With permission in advance, we are happy to make edits to suit your space requirements or editorial needs. Lynn Carlisle @ webmaster@spiritofcaring.com
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