Mary Schmidt Marketing Troubleshooter

Man’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.
- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Granted, I’m ridiculously addicted to reading - anything, anywhere, anytime. The copy writers at the cereal companies will be happy to know their efforts are not in vain - no box back, down to the fine print, goes unread in my house. However, I’m also a big believer that reading outside our individual areas of education and business as well as personal comfort zones is essential for both business & personal growth. (Even when that mind stretching literally starts hurting, as mine does when I read about string theory.) So, here’s what I’ll be finishing up this weekend (and recommend to you):

Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott. She’s an unabashed liberal and self-admitted “Jesus freak” but don’t let that turn you off. She’s a terrific writer, irreverent, laugh-out-loud funny and gives a lot of good food for thought - regardless of your political or religious beliefs. She also wrote one of my old favorites, Traveling Mercies : Some Thoughts on Faith

For a dramatic change of pace - I’m finishing up a rippin’ good history read about World War II, 1942: The Year That Tried Men’s Souls. If you’re a little hazy about what, when, why and who - the first bit of this book will get you back on track. And, the history well illustrates the problems of hubris and its impact on strategy and tactics. We’re still literally paying the price in both global politics and economies for this war. Other recommended reading about WWII, from my bookshelf: Wartime: Understanding and Behavior in the Second World War by Paul Fussell. Also, The Second World War by John Keegan.

Actually, anything by Fussell or Keegan is well worth a quick dip. If you’ve always thought reading history (particularly military history) was a hard, dry slog (”Will this be on the final, Ms. Schmidt?”) - these writers could well change your mind.