The Merrill Dubrow Blog

Over the past year, the Merrill Dubrow Book Club has read two books. It was to my surprise that the participants really enjoyed the experience. The time feels right for another book to be read. With summer, I thought people might be looking for a book to read, and why not have us provide that to them?

The book I chose was actually a present (thanks TA) to me. My Bat Boy Days: Lessons I Learned from the Boys of Summer. Steve Garvey wrote the book. I never knew he was a bat boy. I had been looking for a sports book that has a business connection and thought this might be the perfect choice. In the book Steve outlines and discusses leadership, fortitude, compassion, dignity and other things that he learned.

Here is what you are committing to do:

1. Read the book within 30 days
    
2. Post your comments along the way

That’s it. That’s all you need to do.

What we are looking for are ten people to be members of a book club. Once we have ten volunteers, they will be contacted by email and asked to supply an address (which will NOT be posted on the blog) where we should ship the book. There is NO charge for participating in this book club. We are just asking you to make a commitment and read the book in the next 30 days and comment when asked. If we have more than ten participants, we will randomly pick the people. You are not committing to reading any more than just the one book that we will supply to you.

I believe this book should be an easy read and appropriate to everybody

I look forward to hearing from you and having you participate.

A few months ago we started a book club and we weren’t exactly sure if it would work…but it did (yes a little to my surprise). The participants seemed to really enjoy the experience and contributed along the way. For me it made the book a little more enjoyable to read, and hearing different perspectives was fantastic and really made me think. Amazing! Just another way to leverage the Web for personal interaction and collaboration when it probably wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.

The time feels right for another book to be read. With the research conference season upon us, I thought people might be looking for a book to read, and why not have us provide that to them?

Last night I actually raced down to Barnes & Noble with a book in mind for the club, but once I reviewed it I wasn’t 100% sure it would work. So after a few more minutes — 15 to be exact — I found one that I am hoping people will enjoy.

Work Like You’re Showing Off: The Joy, Jazz, and Kick of Being Better Tomorrow Than You Were Today. I love the title and more important, the last three speeches I have given at conferences I always say “get better at something every day.” So I thought this might be the perfect book for people who want to improve. Not sure about the first part of the title, “Work Like You Are Showing Off” but that added to the intrigue. I have never read anything by Joe Calloway, so I am really looking forward to this book.

Here is what you are committing to do:

1. Read the book within 30 days
    
2. Post your comments along the way

That’s it — that’s all you need to do.

What we are looking for are fifteen people to be members of a book club. Once we have fifteen volunteers, they will be contacted by email and asked to supply an address (which will NOT be posted on the blog) where we should ship the book. There is NO charge for participating in this book club. We are just asking you to make a commitment and read the book in the next 30 days and comment when asked. If we have more than fifteen participants, we will randomly pick the people. You are not committing to reading any more than just the one book that we will supply to you.

I believe this book should be an easy read and appropriate to everybody

I look forward to hearing from you and having you participate.

A few months ago when I was in Boston, I had dinner at a friend’s house and his wife was getting ready to go to a book club. I have never been part of a book club but have always wanted to. Then earlier today after having lunch with a colleague, I open up my fortune cookie and it says “treat yourself to a good book for a needed rest and escape.” I paused for a moment or two and actually had an idea. Why not post a book club on the blog? What I was thinking is picking a book as a test and giving book club members 30 days to read a book. During the month the members would post any thoughts and comments on the book. At the end, I would add a number of questions about the book to spark discussion and look for the members to post additional comments

Yes this is another crazy idea from yours truly. However since I love to learn and like to read, I think this might be an idea to do both at once.

What we are looking for are 10 people to be members of a book club to read a book as a beta test. Once we have 10 volunteers, you will be contacted by email and asked to supply an address (which will NOT be posted on the blog) where we should ship the book. There is NO charge for participating in this book club. We are just asking you to make a commitment and read the book in the next 30 days and comment when asked. If we have more than 10 participants we will randomly pick the people. You are not committing to reading any more than just the one book that we will supply to you.

The book I have picked should be an easy read and appropriate to every business:

Revved!: An Incredible Way to Rev Up Your Workplace and Achieve Amazing Results by Harry Paul & Ross Reck

Please let me know if you like the idea and would like to beta test this program.

I look forward to hearing from you.